Summer Road Trips
Written Summer of 2007

Summer traveling brings memories of sitting in the back of our white Ford Torino, looking out between Mom and Dad’s head at the new and interesting sites.  My dad usually wore his heavy, dark-framed sun glasses with the pointed corners.  He always had a special lilt to his voice when we were traveling, like we were exploring new frontiers together.  He could even get more excited than us as children. When he took us up in an airplane for the first time, he was the only one shouting, “Beverly, we’re going to fly high above the clouds!”  My mom always had a voice to assuage any fears, assuring and gentle.  She often had a bag of tricks and treats on road trips for those times when I might get bored.  Daddy concentrated on driving while my mom played alphabet game and if all else failed, she brought out “celery candy,” which was celery cut in pieces rather than stalks.

Even now when I remember those times, I’m filled with an incredible feeling of security. All was well when we were on the road.  We left our troubles far behind and experienced new domains, talking and laughing raucously till it made our stomachs hurt.

Good summer time memories… that I still carry with me even though my dad is no longer around.  It’s fun to reminisce about the golden days of my childhood, but I can’t go back to those magical days any more than you can. Yet I believe God is patiently waiting for us, loving us, ready to laugh with us, ready to fill us with that same youthful wonder and anticipation. He not only loves us but is excited about all that we do and participate in. I can only imagine how wonderful heaven will be—like one unending road trip.