It’s almost 44 years ago now … we were moving to St. Louis, MO … Monica, Matthew, and my mom in our orange Nove … My dad and I driving the old red, International Harvester farm truck loaded with most of our earthly belongings … and Willie Nelson on the radio. “On the road again, I just can’t wait to get on the road again, the life I love is making music with my friends, and I can’t wait to get on the road again. … On the road again, goin’ places that I’ve never been, seein’ things that I may never see again, and I can’t wait to get on the road again.” As I think about it now, I’m not sure that we knew any of the lyrics beyond “on the road again.”
However, the song did capture for us the sense of adventure … our going down a road from which there was no turning back … and into a life we had nary a clue as to where it would lead us.
As you we read this, we are “on the road again”. However, we only have packed what our minivan can carry, and we are traveling without children or parents. And our anticipation is that our travels will be completed within about two weeks.
The plan, God willing, as I write this Wednesday afternoon, is to rise at 4:00 a.m., do last minute packing, and be on the road by 5:00 – Monica comfortably reclining on her mattress and Mark with coffee in hand. By nightfall we will be in Birmingham, AL. After one night there, we will off to a relaxing week along the gulf coast in Biloxi, MS. Then, after visiting good friends Judy and Rod in Slidell, LA over the weekend, we will take our time driving home. All of this, of coarse as I said, God willing.
So, just a few bullet points today (because my mind already is almost “on the road again”):
- There is a good chance that you will receive neither Monday’s Memories or Thursday’s Thirst for a week or three …
- You will be in our thoughts and prayers while we are gone … well, at least some of the time.
- This practice of getting away for a couple weeks during Lent is one we started nearly 10 years ago … and has helped me/us to be ready and refreshed for the great celebration of our Lord’s resurrection on Easter.
And three closing thoughts … from my Ash Wednesday words to Mt. Calvary Detroit based on Matthew 16 … “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, ‘Far be it from you Lord! This shall never happen to you.’ … The Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone could come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” (Matthew 16.21-24)
Or, more succinctly, 1) Jesus said, “I am going to be killed and then rise from the dead on the third day.” 2) Peter said, “No way! I won’t let it happen.” 3) Jesus said, “You are going to suffer, too.”
And this leaves me with three conclusions … and then be “on the road again.”
- For Jesus, his crucifixion was no surprise – it’s what he came to do.
- For Jesus, your life has no surprises – you can live in trust + hope … your life is in his hands.
- For Jesus, and everyone who walks with him, all stories always end with a resurrection.
