Being a single woman myself and needing to earn money towards incoming vehicle bills, I went to Missouri, not only for a visit, but also in the hopes of getting a seasonal job there. My friend assured me she would be delighted to have me stay with her for three months, and I tentatively planned for that.
Packing my minivan for three months time took some effort, especially with all of my harps (including my large harp!) going along with me.
Last, but not least, I was sure to bring a smaller item with me, a lovely Scripture mug I found earlier this year, that says:
"God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9
 |
| The Scripture mug that went with me on this trip. |
I love Scripture, and I love Scripture mugs. When I saw this one, I couldn't pass it up. I loved the verse, the design, and the wildflowers on it. Though I usually like things to match, I do have a small collection of various Scripture mugs. There is something special about sipping a warm drink from a mug with God's Word on it. The one I took with me had a comforting reminder on it - God would be with me.
I left our home on a Monday in the early afternoon since I'd planned to stay the night with some friends in Kansas, their home being about a 6 hour drive from our home. I planned to arrive around supper time and was grateful to stay a night with them rather than trying to drive 12 hours straight from our home in Colorado to my friend's home in Missouri. I did that once before, almost 5 years earlier, and I hesitated to do that again, especially alone.
I enjoyed listening to some relaxing harp music on the highway, and just before getting off the interstate, I called the mother of my Christian, homeschooling friends in Kansas. The family used to live in Colorado, not far from us, only having moved to Kansas in the past few years. Since I’d never been to their home in Kansas before, I wanted to make sure the GPS on my phone was giving me accurate directions.
"I take this exit when I get off the highway, correct?"
"Yes!" The sweet mother replied.
She proceeded to give me clear directions about the way to their home after taking the exit.
"The road you will take is paved for many miles, but the other half of that road is not paved."
"Ah, okay."
No problem, I thought inwardly. I've driven on gravel roads before. They aren't my favorite to drive on, but I suppose that is to be somewhat expected in Kansas.
The dear, sweet mother continued.
"We got rain last night, so the gravel roads are more difficult to drive on."
Once again, that was no problem. Less dust while driving on a gravel road, I thought.
She proceeded to share that the gravel roads might be very challenging to drive on and asked her husband if I should take another route to their home on roads that were paved. Her husband thought I could make it on the gravel roads, so I proceeded with the normal route.
As I pulled off the exit, the sun was beginning to set on the horizon of the Kansas prairie. Birds flew over the prairie in small groups, swooping down across the gently rolling, prairie road. The vast, open prairie was adorned with wildflowers among the tall, swaying grasses. Daisies and sunflowers were among them with stately, yet humble trees adding to the beauty of it all. I felt as though I had stepped into a story book from a by gone era. Driving across brooks, rivers, and streams, with hardly a home in sight, made me realize how peaceful life in Kansas must be.
The happy, peaceful scenery matched the harp music that was playing in my vehicle.
But then, the nicely paved road came to an end, and I finally met the wet, gravel road. My peaceful thoughts came to an abrupt end when I suddenly realized just how difficult driving on a wet, sandy, gravel road could be. I had no idea. I'd never driven on a road like this before. It was just as bad as, if not worse than, driving in thick, heavy snow. I slowed down significantly as I slid on areas of the road. I still had many miles of this long road to drive on before turning onto another road that led to my friend's home. Thankfully, my friends only lived about 15 minutes away, but I was scared. While sitting up at full attention and tightly gripping the wheel, I prayed out loud.
“Abba Father, please help me.”
I was comforted to know that God was with me.
At long last, that never ending, wet, sandy, gravel road came to an end, and in a short time, I reached my friend's home on the Kansas prairie. I breathed a sigh of relief as I approached their home and was warmly welcomed by a young, sweet daughter of theirs.
This was my first time to stay a night in Kansas. Being out there on the prairie, I was reminded of "Little House on the Prairie". Since I already wear a dress of some kind, the only thing I needed was a sun bonnet to help complete the look.
With heads and hearts bowed around their supper table that evening, I felt incredibly blessed and privileged to be there. The father of the home not only thanked the Lord for the food; he also prayed for our nation. Kansas is the geographical center of the United States, and I was not far from the exact center of it. Something precious, even holy, settled over me around their supper table.
If only more Americans would return to this, I thought. A simpler life, perhaps some time in Kansas, out on the prairie, enjoying a meal with a sweet, Godly family with prayer and God's Word being at the center of the home - surely that would help fix some of our nation’s problems, I thought.
I was given a camper to stay in that night, right next to their home, the camper being equipped with a nice bed, a small bathroom, and electric.
While trying to go to sleep, I smelled something inside the camper that concerned me a little bit. I've always had a strong sense of smell, and I could faintly, yet distinctly, smell propane (natural gas) coming from the area near the stove. Knowing that fumes from natural gas can be toxic and slowly kill you by putting you to sleep, I cranked open a window near the bed, hoping that some fresh air would help. I began to wonder if I should pray the same prayer as Mary and Laura Ingalls in "Little House on the Prairie":
Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.
I prayed, comforted to know that God was with me, and finally, in the wee hours of the night, I drifted off to sleep. I woke up the next morning to a beautiful sunrise on the Kansas prairie!
 |
| A view of the Kansas prairie sunrise from a window inside the camper I stayed in. |
After enjoying a wonderful breakfast of baked oatmeal, fresh melon, and tea around their table, (and giving the mother a "heads up" about the propane smell inside the camper!) I was back on the road, heading to Missouri. On my way back to the interstate, I had the privilege of driving on that long, wet, gravel road again, that morning being not quite as bad as the evening before. The beauty of the Kansas prairie made up for it, though I can't say I'd want to drive on wet, gravel roads again.
 |
| Driving on Kansas roads! |
My second day of driving included many stops due to being so tired. Thankfully, I only had 6 hours of driving that day to arrive at my destination. At one point, I discovered that four year olds aren't the only ones who break down in tears when they need a nap. Forty year olds do the same when they haven't gotten enough sleep and are driving in unfamiliar places all alone.
I arrived at my friend's home in Missouri on a lovely, Tuesday evening. I was happy to be at my friend's home safe and sound. God had been with me.
The next morning, I woke up to another beautiful sunrise.
 |
| Beautiful Missouri sunrise from the room I was staying in. |
Since I had no job when I arrived in Missouri, I was able to explore the local community and stores while my friend was at work.
During my first Sunday at church with my friend, I smiled when the message was about Jesus being our good Shepherd. Psalm 23 and John 10 were both referenced. God reminded me that He was my Shepherd. He was with me, leading me, guiding me.
 |
| Missouri is a beautiful state! |
During my second weekend in Missouri, some friends from my former church, friends who live about 2 hours south of where I was staying, invited me to come for a visit that weekend.
Since my single friend was away that weekend, I was delighted for the opportunity to see them. But on my way down, my vehicle began acting up. Being a little concerned, I called my Dad.
"Dad, my vehicle is bucking, especially at higher speeds. Any idea what might be going on?"
My Dad is good with vehicles, and though he might not know exactly what is going on (especially with me being hundreds of miles away from home!), he usually has an idea.
"It could be a mechanical issue, Erin. Or, it could be that you got some bad gasoline somewhere."
"Do you think I'm okay to drive a couple of hours away?"
"Yes, I think you should be okay."
My Dad's reassuring words brought comfort to my heart.
But as I got on a highway heading south, my vehicle seemed to get worse. Being nearly in tears, in a state that was very unfamiliar to me, I pulled over somewhere and called my Dad again and my friends. After discussing things with them, I decided to try driving at slower speeds, hoping all would be well. My friends reassured me that their auto mechanic would take a look at my vehicle when I got there.
Though it did not exactly feel like God with me, I was comforted to know that God was with me. I felt more like an utterly terrified 10 year old rather than a 40 year old. Before my trip to Missouri, various friends told me I was brave to drive from Colorado to Missouri alone. Even though Kansas was the only state between Colorado and Missouri, I didn't feel very brave at times, especially with vehicle troubles.
I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I pulled into my friend's driveway. I gladly handed over my car keys to the man of the house. The verdict from the mechanic? He didn’t know for sure, but his best guess was bad gasoline. (gasoline with a little water in it)
While I was with my friends, they took me to see something special, something not far from them. I saw a sign when I pulled off the exit to go to their home and couldn't believe it.
 |
| A large sign off a highway in Mansfield, Missouri. |
The real Laura Ingalls Wilder lived near here?!
I found out that Laura and her husband Almanzo did live there later on in life.
The “Little House on the Prairie” theme came around again. I still didn't have a sun bonnet, but that was okay.
Although the house was closed over the weekend, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the outside of the house with my friends. This house (pictured below) is where the real Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote all of the “Little House” books. So fun to see!
In good humor, I told my friend that she and I needed to write a book series so that people might tour our home after we died someday. In all seriousness though, I believe the “Little House” book series have become so well known, so loved, and are such classics today because they describe a time of life that no longer exists. Pioneering the United States is something that captivates young and old readers alike. The TV series has also made people more familiar with Laura Ingalls Wilder, but there is nothing like the book set. As a 13 and 14 year old girl, I used to really enjoy reading the “Rose Wilder” books.
 |
| The actual house where the "Little House" books were written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. |
 |
| It was quite something to see Almanzo and Laura Ingalls Wilder's tomb stone in the Mansfield cemetery! |
I made it safely back to my single friend's home that weekend in central Missouri, and as I went through the bad gasoline in my vehicle, it got better. I was relieved!
The next weekend, I went to see friends 2 hours north in Kansas City, Missouri. I was glad that my vehicle troubles went away, and was comforted to know that, once again, God was with me.
On the highway back to my friend's home in central Missouri, I saw this sign that said:
"Yeshua, The King is Coming"
It isn't every day that you see a sign like that here in the United States, a sign with our Savior's real name! Yeshua is Jesus’ real name in Hebrew.
I continued my job hunt in my friend’s local area, and sadly, the job I'd hoped to get was not happening. After being in Missouri for nearly a month, I knew that most places probably wouldn't hire someone for two months, since I was planning to drive back home to Colorado in December.
On my last Sunday in Missouri, the message at my friend's church was on James 1:27 which says:
“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”
Both points were taught and preached on, and I gave an inward “amen” to all that was shared. But I especially thought about the first part of that verse. The fatherless and widows. Those are children and women without a man in their life. God calls that affliction. God cares about that.
Something about that struck me in a profound way - women and children need men.
I realized, even at 40 years old, how much I needed my Dad's help on that trip. I can be independent when I need to be, but I can't say I enjoy it. I need my Dad, and I’m very thankful for him.
More importantly, I also need my heavenly Dad.
I asked my heavenly Father for clear direction. Should I continue staying in Missouri? Should I continue pursing a job? The next day, God answered. God made it so clear. I was to go back home to Colorado.
In October, exactly one month later, I drove back home to Colorado, staying overnight in Kansas with some other friends of mine on my way back.
My time in Missouri was a blessing. I saw old friends, and I made new friends.
 |
| My vehicle parked at my friend’s home in Missouri the evening before I drove back home to Colorado. |
God clearly led and made provision for me to visit friends in Missouri for a month. And just as clearly as He led me there, He clearly led me to go home.
I enjoyed celebrating my 41st birthday at home.
 |
| 1 candle instead of 41 candles - October 2023. |
God is our faithful Shepherd. He leads. He guides. He protects. He provides. And God is always with those who belong to Him.
I enjoyed celebrating Thanksgiving with my family this month. This year, I asked God if He would meet me in a special way like He did last year.
After our delicious Thanksgiving brunch and a lovely morning, I went to my favorite nature area near our home and read some Scripture out loud. Psalm 100.
I also sat at a favorite spot of mine near a flowing river and sang a hymn of thanksgiving to the Lord, a hymn I grew up singing in school as a girl around Thanksgiving.
The hymn is titled “We Gather Together”, and as I stood on the banks of the river, I did my best to sing the first verse by memory.
“We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;
He chastens and hastens His will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.
Sing praises to His name, He forgets not His own.”
I was so moved by the words of this hymn written so long ago. It was as though they were written for our day and time. God answered my prayer. He met me there.
The phrase that encouraged me the most?
“He forgets not His own.”
God never forgets those who are His.
When I got home from my little nature walk on Thanksgiving day, I pulled out a hymnal of ours and looked up that hymn. Directly above that hymn was another hymn to the same tune titled “We Praise Thee O God, Our Redeemer”. I was just as moved by those words as I was by the hymn I sang earlier.
In grateful devotion our tribute we bring.
We lay it before Thee; we kneel and adore Thee;
We bless Thy holy Name, glad praises we sing.
We worship Thee, God of our Fathers, we bless Thee;
Thro' life's storm and tempest our guide Thou hast been.
When perils o'ertake us, Thou wilt not forsake us,
And with Thy help, O Lord, life's battles we win.
With voices united our praises we offer,
And gladly our songs of true worship we raise.
Thy strong arm will guide us; our God is beside us.
To Thee, our great Redeemer, forever be praise.
And with Thy help, O Lord, life's battles we win.
With voices united our praises we offer,
And gladly our songs of true worship we raise.
Thy strong arm will guide us; our God is beside us.
To Thee, our great Redeemer, forever be praise.
This hymn talks about God being our guide. He will not forsake us. He is beside us.
I loved both of these hymns with the same melody, I had to play it on the harp.
 |
| Thanksgiving hymns |
He forgets not His own.
The Lord our God is with us.
No comments:
Post a Comment