Road Trip Down Memory Lane

I had an exhausting but fun day today. I took a trip down Memory Lane: I went to the town where I went to college, about 40 miles from here. It was a gorgeous day for it, too, in the low 80s and sunny. I started out with lunch at Applebee's, connecting with a high school classmate in the process. She'd lived in Germany for 3 years, so we shared about our European experiences. It's weird; lately I've not had much of an appetite. I ate only half my meal. But that's fine! Since I've been back, I've lost 4 pounds! Then I hit the road, arriving in A. in under an hour. The town has built up some, but for all that has changed, much has remained the same. The friend I went up to see wasn't home yet, so I walked around the tiny campus a little. It was so beautiful there with the redbuds, magnolias, and flowering pears. I even got a picture of one of the nearly tame squirrels that fritter around the grounds. I remember they would even sometimes eat out of my hand! I sat on a bench and promptly got bitten by a big black ant that found its way into my sandal.

I went back to my friend L's place and waited while he cleaned up. He'd worked last night and then had had rehearsal for a band he plays guitar in, and it had run later than he anticipated. We then headed over to the campus hang-out for eating. I had a banana and a SoBe drink. All during my stay there, I kept asking myself where all the students were. I'd forgotten how small a campus it is. It was great to see it and of course to see L. We caught up for a while, then we headed to another building and talked with my French professor for a bit. I saw her twice while I lived in France, and she's going back there at the end of May. Who knows, I might even be able to see her there if the divorce hearing somehow gets scheduled in June. It was great to see her. She's grown her hair out as well! I was feeling like I needed to eat something, so L and I went to Perkins, an old college hangout. We had pie, which he paid for. After talking things over with him, I feel a lot better about some situations in my life. I dropped him off at his apartment and headed back home.

My brother R and his wife C had a "sky trip" today as they returned from their 2nd trip to the Mayo Clinic. She's been diagnosed with sarcoidosis, an inflammatory condition. If she does not respond to treatment for that, they will continue working her up for lymphoma. On top of this, she has a gastrointestinal disease called C. difficile. Ironically, "difficile" means "difficult" in French, and that is exactly what her last 4 months have been. Please pray that their faith in God and each other remains strong during this trial.

Whatever you are facing today, may Isaiah 41:10 be a blessing to you as it has to me lately: "Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Surely I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."