One of my favorite topics to talk about and I am getting it up late. Oops! It's been a busy week! Right now I am waiting for my pasty to heat up so I thought I'd take some time to write. (BTW, gluten free blend flour doesn't make that great of a pasty crust, next time I am trying an almond flour crust. but oh does the filling hit the spot!)
Anyway we are on week 19 of the gratitude challenge. If you are just getting on board for a read then you can check out some of my older posts to find out what it's all about...basically an opportunity to be thankful about things we don't often think to be thankful for in our lives.
This week the focus is TRAVEL! See why it's my favorite topic? I love to travel, it's so life giving! As kids we did a lot of traveling to see relatives, mostly via motor home, a few times in our van, and rare times- by plane. As I got older I would save up and go. From the time I was 17 I was flying at least once a year usually. Some teens spent their money on cars and movies; I spent mine on broadening my horizons....well, at least from west to east coast. THEN at 22 I went out of the country for the first time on a mission trip with YWAM- it rocked my world. I've never been the same. I'm pretty sure this past year and a half and the foreseeable future will be the longest span of time I've been state side since that year.
I love to travel because....
Relationships stay stronger even though we are far apart.
I get to see through different eyes.
Other cultures keep me grounded, recognizing that we do things different-not always better.
Travel helps me keep my priorities straight.
I have friends (and family) all over the globe.
Palm trees and glaciers don't exist in my neck of the woods. Neither does Kimball's ice cream.
Airports are fascinating.
People are too. Often..the ones you sit next to on the plane are quite interesting if you strike up a conversation. Once I sat next to some guy who was the author or playwright, or something like that, of the movie Dodgeball; it was his claim to fame. I had to tell him I never saw it. (And I never will.) At least I had heard of the title.
And because I have travelled I have...
....seen The Pont du gard, ridden the Hong Kong peak tramway, seen cathedrals in Europe, been Kiberia (2nd largest slum in the world), taught English in S. Korea, been on safari, slept on church floors..in stick huts...on the beach...in 5 star hotels, been on a boat in the Nile, experience the Mall of America, camped in Canada..and Yellowstone..and Ouray and in Lander WY, I've stayed in an Armory, ate on a roof top in Kathmandu, walked through the aftermath of the Haitian Earthquake, fed kids in South Africa, taken the train across Romania, prayed through the red light districts of Chang Mai, shared in churches all over the world, had my shoulder cried on by people with whom we had no language to share, proclaimed revival over London, danced with children in Mexico, held babies in Ecuador, put my toes in the indian ocean, shared the gospel beside idols in India, ridden on the other side of the road, taken tuktuks and rickshaws, eaten Korean BBQ, taken a limo in Florida, worshiped on the beach in CA, witnessed healing of a voice...pain...sickness...lame walking, walked a suspension bridge in Kenya, built a church in Mexico, viewed the Empire state building, climbed Mt. Monadnock, experienced life in Valdez, AK, ate silk bugs, picked up spanish, used internet cafes, been to a wedding of people I don't know, stayed up all night at a church Kesha, ridden a double decker bus, bartered in markets, bought food fresh from the locals, discovered the power of presence, ran through cornfields, been ice skating on lakes, eaten chicken on a stick, picked flowers in Uganda, eaten Ugali...
and I realize this list could go on and on and on...little memories are flashing through my mind as I write. Oh travel, how I delight in it. So thankful for all the opportunity the Lord has given me to go. Praying that soon again I will go beyond this nations boarders. In the mean time...those stateside, I'm looking forward to catching up with you!
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