Long drives to friends and partners

Monday, September 15, 2025

Mid-month. Already.

We drove over 400 miles yesterday (645 km), down southwest to the Washington coast before crossing to the Tri Cities. It's a short night, under 5 hours for me. I'm distracted as the hotel blanket and sheets slide apart. I don't want to imagine who wrapped themselves around the bare blanket before I did.

We wake in midrange hotel in Kennewick to a dubious breakfast. Nothing is fresh in the breakfast area so I don't know how many times the food has appeared before this morning. The waffles are pre-made and sit beside the toaster for warming. The biscuits and gravy are from mixes. The sausages are lukewarm. The bagels and cereal are pre-wrapped. I toast a waffle, take a few sausages, and make stale tea with a paper-wrapped teabag.

Back in the room, I have a bath - what luxury. The tub is spotless and the room is carpeted (ugh) but clean. We're only a few minutes away from the seminar.

There are friends to greet, new people to meet, and wonderful encouragement from Dr Don Ross and others. Some of my dearest friends are at the conference, too.

W and I stay as long as we can, drinking in the information and Presence. We're on our way back to Seattle after 3 PM. What a beautiful drive! It's another 230 miles / 370 km.

The sun is setting as we pull into the driveway at 7:30 PM. We say goodnight to the kids and grandkids and head down for a shower, do some laundry, and repack for the day ahead.

Tuesday

We leave the house at 8 AM for Lacey, driving 80 miles/128 km. We stop in at Harry and ThoraJean's. They have just pulled into their garage when we get there. Harry faithfully prays for our daughter each day. TJ was the first alumni director at NU, paving the way for me. We have the best quick chat, exchange prayers and hugs, and are on our way again.

At True Grace, we eat lunch with Peter, Dave, and the staff. Waldemar does a Q&A with about 25 listeners. He teaches on the congruence of scriptural practice and instruction and then opens the conversation to a wide range of questions.

We meet longtime friends, like Lola who is also a writer.

Tracy used to live in Surabaya and still misses Indonesia.

We head back north to NU, where Beth has arranged to meet us. She updates us on her exciting journey at The Table. She and I meet with young women called to serve others - oh my, it's a joy to see the big hearts of the next generations.

Ravioli and red cabbage - hardly a traditional pairing - is what we have for supper back at our flat. The grandkids come down for a gruesome set of stories about Max and Moritz (two rascals in German children's stories.) After they head upstairs, we tidy, write, and get ready to hit the road tomorrow.

Wednesday

Early in the morning, we head across the mountain pass to Eastern Washington. W wants to check out the sports shop where we buy trail shoes (nothing for us today.) In no particular order, here's part of what we see:

The lakes are still. The rivers are rushing.

There are layers upon layers of mountains. Some have been logged and a few pines stand on the ridges.

Logging trucks haul away the timber.

Then comes a delight in Coolee City: a former faculty member Jacquie R serves us homemade clam chowder for lunch. We reminisce and look forward to the day together. 

Her hibiscus is huge and catches my eye as we say our goodbyes.

The road itself is boring in eastern Washington. The GPS shows why: a straight shot for miles.

By mid-afternoon, we're at our destination: family. Our eldest son, his wife, and our dear friends (her parents) warmly welcome us. We feel spoiled: the room feels like a high-end Air B&B - complete with a heating blanket for the night and tea on the side table.

We go out for a German supper at the Steintisch Restaurant. Talk about memories in the food: some tastes remind me of my Auntie Molly's cooking; some taste like Grandma's cooking.

I sleep solidly, thank God.

Thursday

Keelee comes by for me after breakfast. It's a 1:15 drive each way for her, a long way from her home. She takes me to her town to can see where she lives and works. She's prepared a surprise, a picnic tea complete with tablecloth, china, and baking from her Quiet Waters Bakery. So delicious!

Everything is prepared, from the hot water for tea to the coffee cake and cookies. She has boxed up 70 candle cookies in honor of my change-of-decade when we're apart.

Her new baking kitchen is beautiful, as is as her home. I've only see her space online before; now I have the context for our weekly Tuesday morning Zoom meetings. She returns me to our friends' just after noon, along with some baking to take along to Indonesia. I will eek out those treats all year, indulging when I miss her and my tribe of girlfriends.

Leftovers from yesterday make a delicious lunch. We take our son along to Starbucks, fill up with gas in Idaho (a short drive away with $1 cheaper/gallon due to decreased taxes).

Before nightfall,  the family meets at a Mexican restaurant. SO good! We have leftovers again, tucking them into the fridge overnight.

We end the evening with Costco pumpkin pie, thanks to J and R's foresight. What a huge treat @$5.99. Look at the size of that pie! We pray around the family circle before bedtime. What a blessing it is to serve and love God together.

Friday

After pumpkin pie and an apple turnover for breakfast, we're out the door just after 8 AM. We've left one box of baked goodies in the freezer, but Martha promises to ship it to us.

We meet Marcelo and Elise in Medicine Lake mid-morning. They're adjusting well to American life since arriving from Europe. They will be loving and kind leaders in their new setting.

We drive a few hours to Thorp, heating our leftovers on the dashboard. As the sun hits the black packaging, the food warms up enough for lunch.

We buy apples and nectarines at the Thorp fruit stand.

I crunch one as we leave the shop. So sweet and crisp! But who would buy a pineapple for $15? (A Filipina standing behind me talks her husband into getting her one. I guess that's who!)

The Columbia River has gouged deep valleys into its banks.

The long bridge sweeps across the river valley before the highways climbs steeply up the other side. 

One beautiful landscape after another unfolds. Wind turbines pick up the movement along the river.

You can see where the old is left behind. Many times these old-growth barn timbers are reused for furniture or flooring.

Seattle is our return destination on this leg. The last two days we've driven at least 750 miles/1200 km. As we approach the last mountain pass, the reservoir sparkles between the mountain ranges.

We feel so blessed to meet friends and family - but we're happy to eat supper in our flat before greeting the kids and grandkids. We shower, heat the bedding in the dryer, and drink a mug of peppermint tea before falling asleep.

Saturday

W heads of to "guys-only coffee," a long-standing tradition on Saturday mornings. I dig out another slipcover or two for our Beddinge sofa. (We have the same sofa model in Kenmore and Bandung.) Then it's time to start packing for home, make breakfast, and do laundry. There are piles in the corners heaped with suitcases, clothes, and purchases. Since I come once a year, snacks, cooking items, or household goods I can't get in Indonesia are schlepped from here.

This time, our luggage includes hard-wearing dog toys for the destroyer, standard poodle Anton. He's shredded what we've given him so we need sturdier items. I can buy toys for $20-40 each in Indonesia or get a variety for $4-6 at clearances here.

W and I walk a few miles around the neighborhood. Outside our door, honey bees buzz around the lacy wildflowers.

A neighbor's hydrangeas erupt in color.

And this deep-red geranium catches my eye. It's fun to be back where I know the names of the plants and trees.

We're not quite ready for lunch but I make it anyway.

Read more:

*The heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and those who live on it will die like gnats, but my salvation will be forever. Isaiah 51:6

*[A true story of commitment to God, from Daniel 3] Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.

But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.

So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and 

thrown into the blazing furnace. The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 

and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

 

He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”

So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”

Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

*When the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. 1 Corinthians 13:10

Moravian Prayer: Lord of lords, bring us to the New Jerusalem. Let your kingdom come, where tears are wiped away, and joy reigns forever. Prepare our hearts for eternal communion with you. Amen.