Home Sweet Home

Rocky Mountain High

One week ago the minivan was all loaded up, and on Thursday at 7 o'clock a.m., Tom and I, along with Parker, the big black dog, set off on a road trip. We traveled the northern route, Interstate 80, from Pennsylvania, through Ohio, to Iowa, to Nebraska...forever in Nebraska...to Colorado. The goal was to reunite Parker, our grandpup, with his master, our youngest son, David. The reunion was a fun success. Two happy guys they were! -- and are.

After two days in Colorado we began the return trip home, Tom and I, alone in the big empty minivan. Well not exactly empty, we brought a bicycle built for two back to PA for a friend of ours. My friend, Toni Jo Kidd's grown up boy, David Fox, lives only 20 minutes away from where our almost as grown up boy, David, lives. How good to see Davy Fox's house and neighborhood. Davy, that's who he was when I knew him eons ago. He was an adorable 5-year-old, but that was something like 39 years ago. Looking at him, I could still see his baby face -- using just a bit of imagination, mind you. After chatting, catching up, laughing about how difficult it is to ride a bicycle built for two and how it can be hard on even the best of relationships, we loaded up the bike. Believe it or not a tandem bike fits in a minivan.

David Fox has lived in the Boulder area for something like 25 years. He gave us some good tips on things to do and see on our short visit to the area.

After hiking Sunshine Canyon on Saturday, sharing lunch at the Walnut Café, taking in the Pearl Street walking mall, hitting an Italian restaurant for a fancy dinner (for which we were underdressed), attending church on Sunday (for which we were overdressed), strolling around Harper Lake (slightly less than a mile long stroll, no dogs allowed), and briskly walking the Davidson Mesa Open Space (dogs welcome, but we didn't have Parker because of the restriction at Harper Lake waterfowl refuge), we ended our visit with Dave over a late lunch at the Smiling Moose where I had the best sandwich ever! I was starving. We did all that and more in less than 48 hours. It was great, but time was up. We wanted to get a jump on the trip back east, and enjoy 2 overnights instead of just one to break up the 22 hour trip.

We chose the more southern route, Interstate 70, to go home: from Colorado to Kansas, to Missouri, to Illinois, to Indiana, through Ohio, and finally, Pennsylvania. Home sweet home. No matter where I roam, my only home, is Pennsylvan-i-a! I found myself relishing the landscape close to home: hills, trees, farm fields. Each state we drove through wore its own cloak. Beautifully and differently adorned for the most part. Although we did see some shabbiness as we rolled on through state after state, pushing to the next destination. A couple more hours one day means a couple less hours the next.

Aside from all the sights we saw, as much as can be taken in at 65 or 70 miles per hour, and the joy of spending time with our youngest son, hiking scenic trails, viewing the unbelievable mountains and blue sky, being blessed with absolutely fabulous weather -- aside from all that -- church was the next most memorable part of the trip. Flatirons Community Church is a mega church. Google "mega church near Denver" and Flatirons Community is what will come up first. I'm not a mega-church-type person, but I'll tell you what -- it was a great place to visit, with an unbelievable facility, amazing music, phenomenal message, inspirational prayer. When I say amazing music, not that I could appreciate it, but I know a good concert when I see one. Besides, Tom and David both said the band was incredibly talented, and they would know. And though I'm not fond of a beat that reverberates right through me, my feet felt like tapping, and my hands wanted to clap, and my heart was filled with praise -- I believe I was moved to worship God almighty in spite of myself.

Still... I can't wait to be Lutheran again this coming Sunday, where we start with a brief order of confession and forgiveness, and then the minister asks the Lord to be with us all, and we respond, "And also with you." We sing the Kyrie, praying that the Lord would have mercy on us. We pray for the Reign of God, peace throughout the world, and for the unity of all. We sing praises to God and songs of celebration for the feast of communion to come. And together we recite the Apostle's Creed, later the Lord's Prayer.

I missed all that this past week, but it's okay, I worshiped in a different fashion, and I do believe God is pleased with our worship regardless the style.

Tonight I get to sleep in my own bed because we are home. I'll wake up, look outside and see our own blue sky, colorful trees, fields, and yard. Home sweet home. Next Sunday I'll worship in my own Lutheran Church because I am home. Home sweet home.

Pennsylvania Blue Sky