Traveling with Nana

Because we have five children and now, one grandchild, we don’t travel light. I’ve always compared going on vacation with the Kindreds to Moses trying to get his people to the promised land. Why? Because it was complicated and there was lots of grumbling. It’s easier now in some ways. They can pack their own suitcases. Anyone who has ever tried to pack for a large family can tell you it’s equal to launching the space shuttle. One year we arrived at our destination only to learn that son number two had left his whole suitcase at home. We had two choices. Let him go naked for a week (he was only 5) or buy new clothes. He got new clothes.

A couple of things I know are different about my crew and Moses’s bunch, I know we have more dirty laundry than they did.  Considering their camping conditions I doubt if they got to bathe very often (ewww) Every time this crew goes to the beach they come back with dirty beach towels. So every night I throw them in the washer, dry them, and throw them in a chair. I started out folding them, got tired and decided “Hey, I’m on vacation, they can fold their own towels!”

Another difference is I’m sure Moses would not understand why we have to travel with all the gadgets we think we have to have. Looking around I would guess we have a minimum of six or seven computers, about as many I-pods, cameras, cell phones and who knows what else. Add to that the cell phone chargers, the phone chargers, etc. We are a plugged in generation. But are we plugged in to the right things? Sometimes I wonder. It’s too easy to get caught up in communicating with each other and forget to communicate with God.

Remember that goofy song by Creedence Clearwater Revival called “Looking out my back door?” Come on, I know SOME of you are old enough to remember. This morning this is what I see when I look out my back door.

I think I’m going to “un-plug” for awhile and go talk to God. He’s waiting for me and he is the best listener I know.