Almonds, hair dryers, & other important stuff...


I'm off today - which means doin' laundry; dishes; vacuuming; book-selection; travel bag cleanup; & then time to pack. One of my chores in preparation for "the Trip" was finding out what sort of amenities would be in the mini-apartment where we're staying.

Coffee pot? Check.
Ironing board & iron? Check.
Hair dryer? Check.
NAX? Check. And they are actually personalized according to what both the Bean & I like. Almonds, jerky o'beef, peanut brittle, & wasser mit koehlensaurer (bubble water.)

Wow. Sweet.

Next: directions to all the places we're headed.

To & from the airport? (Charlotte, NC is approx. 2:40 from Christiansburg, VA) - Check.
To & from Salem, VA, home of the Salem Avalanche, Single A affiliate of the Astros? Check.
To Monticello, home (or should I say "Plantation") of vastly overrated founding father, Thomas Jefferson? Check.
To the Cracker Barrell, probably the sweetest restaurant in all of the Southern US? Check.
To Blacksburg, home of Virginia Tech & discount Michael Vick jerseys? Check.
To the nearest wifi connection so I can Skype my kids, blog, & change my Fantasy Baseball lineups? Pending... Hmmm.


Found out yesterday that a good friend & his family are relocating because of a job offer. Bittersweet. It's sweet, as we've been praying for a job for him... And yet bitter is because when one lives 90 minutes away, even in Nevada, life circles don't seem to connect much. Sigh.

One of the things I reminded myself is that in times like that, it is ok to grieve - maybe even necessary. And if grieving doesn't happen, the emotions, feelings, pain, angst, etc. will end up coming out in other, less constructive ways. So I cried yesterday & didn't try to stop it. And again last night. Hmmm. Probably got a couple more of those in me. & that's ok.

Not gonna drink the Sweet Tea. You could make Rock Candy from that stuff.

Had a great coffee talk yesterday with Earl & Brother. Spent a big chunk of time talking through the burgeoning industry that has evolved around Church. And how this 'business of Church" leads to Christian people coming up with all kinds of funkiness about what makes Church good. And how a 'good Church' or even better, a 'cool Church' has stuff like a 'smokin' hot band' & 'cutting edge speeches' that make non-Christians want to alter their Sunday a.m. routine so that can come & feel the coolness.

And somehow we think its really about Jesus & not about us... Hmmm.

WIthout interconnected, authentic friendships & relationships, is it still Church? I wonder.


I hope to blog our experience, but I am going to be at the foot of the Appalachians :)

Ciao!

9 launchings into the blogosphere....:

Anonymous said...

Hey guys i wish you a great time at yout holidays and a lot of healing in ssb. i'm looking forward too hear how it was and what you're up to :-)

hear you in 1 week ;)

alex + linda

No(dot dot)el said...

heard from the same friends i think you are referring to and it made me sad as well but i reminded them that it will just allow for some parties in their honor when they come to town. maybe i should have cried instead of coming up with a band-aid answer.
moses got a job too and in town- does that make you feel any better?
hoping and praying for a really great time for you both.

Erica said...

Hope you and the Joni have a good trip and enjoy the green appalachians

TimmyMac said...

Speaking of Appalachians . . . If you happen upon a Hammered Dulcimer ask him what he's been drinking . . .

No(dot dot)el said...

i almost deleted my comment above for insensitivity factors , exclaimer- i don't mean to sound like the fact that we are staying and the angles are leaving could in any way suffice. there now i feel better
on another note that i forgot to write last time- no sweet tea for you? such a shame you could give up your caffeine addiction and replace it with their sweet tea. so sweet indeed. that sweet tea is how they get anything done around there in the south without it i am sure they would all fall into a deep hot humid sleep and never wake up :)

laura said...

personalized treats??? Sounds like a great trip already!

Murdoc said...

I ate pancakes this morning.

digapigmy said...

exactly how is thomas jefferson overrated? he fathered more illegitimate children with black women than shawn kemp!

Jeni said...

Mmm... Cracker Barrel... :)

I'm glad to hear about your personalized snacks--also I think it is a good idea to avoid the sweet tea.

And perhaps you should write a blog post about Thomas Jefferson being overrated when you return. That would be interesting. :)