Journey into Outer Grace

My cousin Lou has successfully ridden his “hog” from Washington to Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.  He went through some 105 degree weather in the Southwest, but he’s survived it OK, and today visited Key West in Florida.  After eating some Key Lime pie, Lou rode up the coast north of Miami where he is spending the night.  He has completed 2 corners of his epic trip, and says that it really gives him a new sense of just how big America really is.  He says he has met such interesting people… many stories he could tell.  Perhaps over the next week we will get some of those from him, and some pictures of his travels.  Till next time…

Hi everybody,

My cousin Lou Collins is embarking on a daring adventure that I gotta share with you.  He is riding his Harley Davidson over 10,000 miles from Washington to California to Florida to Maine, into Canada to Prince Edward Island, then west through the Great Lakes area back home to Bellevue, WA.  He is trying to raise at least $5000 for Worldvision, who help needy families in poverty-stricken countries in the world.  Here’s his page:

http://www.firstgiving.com/loucollins

He left Monday this week, and is currently staying the night in Blythe, California.  He’s in good shape for his age, but he said it’s pretty hot down there! 

I encourage any of you that are interested in his project to keep checking his site or this Blog and see updates.  Who knows?  maybe you would like to help on “Louie’s Loop” and let Lou give his birthday present away to poor families through Worldvision.  I’ve put $25 towards it, anybody wanna match it?

Lou is a wonderful godly man, and is the son of my great-aunt Alice (for whom our Alice is named).  I wish him the best.

Brian

The word “grateful” is odd when you think about it: “fruitful” means full of fruit, “wonderful” means full of wonder.  “Grateful” means full of… grate?  Huh?

Back to that bizarre but loveable language we call English.  It turns out that the Latin word “gratus” (meaning pleasing or thankful) became “grate” in Middle English, then -ful was added along the way.  Which makes it really say gratefulful.

Although it sounds redundant, sometimes I do feel gratefulful.  You know, there are times you are glad or thankful about some good thing that happened to you, but then it passes.  The feeling came and went, but it didn’t change us or affect us in a lasting sense.  We were grateful for a moment.  Yet the experience of being grateful sometimes overwhelms us–as when spared from a near-fatal accident or suddenly finding a child that was lost in a crowded street.

The reality of this hit me last weekend as Jenno and I felt so relieved that I have a teaching job in Spokane.  Our emotions have been a real rollercoaster… but as the real situation starts to sink in, we are gratefulful.  Full of gratefulness to our God.

I found in Psalm 107 these awesome words of comfort and deliverance:

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
       his love endures forever.

 2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say this—
       those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

 3 those he gathered from the lands,
       from east and west, from north and south. ^[a]

 4 Some wandered in desert wastelands,
       finding no way to a city where they could settle.

 5 They were hungry and thirsty,
       and their lives ebbed away.

 6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
       and he delivered them from their distress.

 7 He led them by a straight way
       to a city where they could settle.

 8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
       and his wonderful deeds for men,

 9 for he satisfies the thirsty
       and fills the hungry with good things.

I hope that we will not forget how precious this moment is… to be overwhelmed by the way God cares for His own children–people Jesus died for, people who are weak and stubborn and fearful and sinful–and God is still for us, still provides those who trust Him with what they need. 

He satisfies, forever.  Alleluia!

NWCS offered me a 4th grade position at their school, which I accepted.  Spokane, Washington will become our new home.  I am excited!  At last, the waiting is done.  We have a direction to go in… it is a beautiful city, about an hour from my parents and 6 hours from Helena (J’s parents).  We will move this summer sometime… more details will be posted on here as we know.

Brian

 Spokane, our future home