Yesterday my 2-month old daughter and I shopped. I dread what I may be teaching her – “Shop ’til you drop.” Of course, I am sure this is a far cry from the kind of retail shopping experience she’ll prefer 5 years from now. Let’s revisit, shall we?
First, Camping World. The Cozy app list was long, but at least it’s relatively cleared with a few minor treats to pick up before the expedition of a lifetime begins. You know, all the important stuff like RV toilet paper that chafes yet breaks downs enough not to clog up the black well tank. A light strand for the awning to brighten our evenings as we sit under the stars, some extra fuses, a collapsable dish-drainer, and so much more.
Then onto Best Buy (insert manly grunt here… no… wait… don’t.) for a pair of two-way radios, a.k.a. “walkie talkies” just so we can, um… you know… walk and talk. (Oh, I did pick up the latest Batman movie release for a little DVD entertainment in inclement weather.)
By late afternoon, my wife had joined us as we ventured to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and the Container Store – two places that psychologically overwhelm me. By the time we finished the minivan was a low-rider and views out the back window were at a premium. Oh, did I mention we hadn’t yet eaten dinner?
To make a long story short our shopping adventure made for one looooong day.
And this is just preparation. Preparation for the long haul. I have no idea what will come at us during three months and more than 9,800 miles of RV travel. “Plan for the worst” is a motto some choose to live by. I’d like to challenge that – how does one exactly plan for “the worst”?
As we pack and organize I’ll be planning for the best of the best. I’ll be packing my trust and extra loads of faith… Oh crap… where’d I put the patience? Yeah, that too. I can’t even begin to visualize a trip like this without these things. I’ll be spending intentional time in quiet thinking and praying about this trip.
Two weeks. Five days. I can hear Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again” beginning to play in the background… or is it Lindsey Buckingham’s “Holiday Road” or the B-52’s “Roam” or Black Sabbath’s “Crazy Train”?
The Journey. Rev. Greg Larsen 