This has been quite the adventure, and we still have almost half the tour to go. There's so much to tell about, so instead of writing a really looooooooooooong blog, I'll just do a "hit and run" post, nibbling away at some portions of the story of this peculiar quest of ours. Here goes...
First, driving. The three biggest cities we've driven in/through are Atlanta, Indianapolis. and Chicago. Driving in Atlanta is obnoxious because the roads all curl around and around, the people drive like they're in the Indy 500, and no matter what street you start out on, eventually it turns into Peachtree somethingorother (Peachtree Lane, Peachtree Road, Peachtree Blvd., etc.).
Driving in Indianapolis has an element of magic to it, because you start off driving along 79th St., when suddenly it becomes 82nd Street, and shortly thereafter it turns into 86th St. When I drive in Indy I feel like a character in a Harry Potter novel, but without the wand.
Driving in Chicago is my favorite, not only because I know it best, but because Chicago is neatly arranged and organized. It was built on a grid system, and when you know what hundred north, south, east, or west you want to be, you just move along the grid, nice as you like. The streets don't change names randomly, and, as far as I know, not one of them is named Peachtree.
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In Chicago, at least 25% of all adult conversations involve the subject of driving, as in, "What route did you take to get here?" and "How long did it take you?" All the Chicagoans who just read that laughed, because they know it's true. Take away travel talk, you get 25% dead air during a Chicago dinner party.
The old joke is that Chicago has 2 seasons: winter and construction. Only it's not so funny when you have to drive in it. I don't know what Mapquest will tell you about how long it will take you to get from Point A to Point B in Chicago, but whatever it is, add 50 minutes, and you'll probably be right. And that's true whether you're going 3 miles away or 30. Ask any Chicagoan; they love talking traffic.
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I have fallen in love with my girlfriend's...Garmin. Heavens to Murgatroyd, how have I ever lived without one of these little miracles with a touch screen?!?! They tell you where to go without any kind of attitude (or bad language), they deal with your mistakes with grace and patience ("Recalculating..."), never nagging or offering even the slightest hint of reproach. Imagine how happy the world would be if we all treated each other like the GPS treats us...
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I've discovered that my most Christian friend is...my Jewish friend Gerri. She and her husband have taken a homeless man into their home, and treat him like one of the family. When I first heard about it, I had the same reaction you probably just did, something along the lines of, "Holy Moly, is she nuts?!?" Not at all.
Gerri is perhaps the most practical, level headed person I know. Her husband met this man at some meetings they both attend. The man spent most of the winter - in Chicago, mind you - homeless. He spent his days walking (20 miles a day was not unusual for him) looking for work and a place in a shelter. If he got "lotteried out" (shelter beds are given out by lottery, and sometimes, he lost), he could sometimes take shelter for the night in an abandoned car. One miserable, cold, rainy, bitter Chicago winter night, he lost the lottery, couldn't get to the car, and was looking at spending the night on the street. So he chanced a call to my friend and her husband. They took him in. And he's been with them now for 6 months. He's a nice guy, clean and sober, working his program, and I'm so impressed with my friend I just had to tell her story. I don't know that I could do it, but I thank God for Gerri. She's a wonder and my role model.
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People in Chicago refer to the metropolitan area as "Chicagoland." I don't know why, but everyone does it. I've heard that phrase all of my adult life and never really thought about it until my brother Fred pointed it out. "Who do they think they are," he says, "Disneyland?!? Do they have wild rides and colorful cartoon personalities? Well, yes, in fact, they do, but not in any kind of Disney-esque way. But that's another story. Meanwhile, I think I'll start referring to our hometown as Brunswickland, maybe it'll catch on. We may have to work on the wild rides, but I think we may already have some colorful cartoon personalities.
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We have experienced many gains and losses on this trip. Tim has gained confidence in driving in a large metropolitan area, and I have lost a fairly good portion of painless mobility in my left knee (albeit temporarily. Or so I assume). The kids have gained the love of camping, and I have lost the false notion that I have the agility of a much younger person. The kids gained the joy of simple pleasures - like "sledding" down a leaf covered hill on a piece of cardboard, and I have completely lost the idea that I can do that standing up and still maintain use of both my knees. 'Nuff said.
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I won't name names, but we have had the church version of the old Highlights Magazine "Goofus and Gallant" in the last 2 churches we've played. Gallant church welcomes new people with smiles, handshakes, and introductions. Goofus church ignores strangers in their midst. Gallant church offers assistance to folks who are loading gear in or out of their church. Goofus church ignores strangers in their midst. Gallant church says, "thanks for coming!" when folks are on their way out. Goofus church ignores strangers in their midst. (Thanks to Faith Presbyterian Church for being so gallant!).
As Tim said, "it makes me want to make a beeline for any folks we see at our church that we don't know, make sure we introduce ourselves, welcome them, and show them around!" A novel idea, welcoming strangers to your church. Why, they might even want to come back!
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Today we're back in Indianapolis; tomorrow we play a home concert in Cincinnati; Sunday we play a home concert here in Indy. Monday will find us back on the road, moving south again, slowly heading home. We have a few more performances planned as we trek homeward, hopefully we'll have a couple more "unplanned" ones, too. We pray we have been faithful in answering the call. Like I said, it's been quite the adventure.
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