Back in Kansas (but not really)

We left Charleston, IL this morning and, seven hours of driving later, pulled into Leavenworth, KS.  As we drove through the outskirts of Kansas City, I watched the sun set amidst gray clouds tinged with gold and purple and blue.  There was a treeline in the distance, but you could still see forever and the sun was setting against the plains with simple but catching beauty.  And it seemed like such a sunset could only exist in Kansas.  Not in Michigan or in Illinois or in Indiana or in Ohio or Arkansas or Texas (although all those places are nice).  Only in Kansas.

We're not here for long.  We leave in 7 hours for the Kansas City airport to catch our flight to Seattle, Washington to help a mission organization there for two weeks.  After we fly back from that, we'll start heading towards "home."

And Greg, my love, happy Valentine's Day - from your Kansas girl!

Waking up in Kansas

I've been lying here awake for the last half hour, remembering why I like waking up in Kansas and simply enjoying...

• the light and sound flooding in the upstairs windows
  
• the feel of the great-grandmother's quilt tucked in around me
  
• the cool breeze coming through the open window
  
• the constant hum of the hallway box fan
• the cock-a-doodle-doo of the distant neighbor's roosters
• the melody of birds in the trees
  
• the lack of sound of cars driving by on Hebron
• watching Ginger the cat bird-watching on the window sill (This one wouldn't have been on my list before. There was no indoor cat.)

I've got to get a move on now. Susan and I head to KC today to spend some time with her bridesmaids. Her wedding on the 6th of June is coming up quickly! So, good morning to you! And may your morning be blessed!

(I love you, Greg!)

His Spirit Within Us

I haven't been on my computer at all much in the evenings - leaving my blog suffering as well as my personal correspondence. These few weeks are the calm before the storm. Although Jes was gone the last two weekends and Caz is gone the next weekend, the "busy-ness meter" is generally down. My room is clean, my laundry is...party done, and we made do-nuts last night from Grandmother Coulter's "Best of Washington County" cookbook. Yum, yum!

We're going through 1 John 4 in Bible Study. How do we know God's love? What is the difference between knowing it and believing it? Do we really believe it? I mean, do we LIVE like we believe it? And the whole God-dwelling-in-us-And-us-dwelling-in-God thing that is repeated three times in five verses? Does that "just happen" as a result of being a Christian or is there a daily choice on our part to dwell in Him? Just questions we've been discussing...

It was a joy to see college friends Ed and Andrea and Jeni and Michael briefly last week. Although our vists were brief, it was good. I had never seen Ed and Andrea's youngest three kids. We talked small towns and community and real church and the tornado that took a swath through Chapman, KS (nowhere close to my family). But Anna does have some awesome pictures there. You can see the path of the tornado through the town.

And my family started wheat harvest in KS. I talked to my Dad on Sunday and he reminded me of God's faithfulness and grace in all situations. I love my daddy. He reminds of God.

Still a Kansas Girl

We went out for ice cream this evening -- myself, two of my interns, and two lady interns from another intern house. We knew there was a storm blowing in (with possible hail), but we figured we had 45 minutes to get our frozen custard treats and get back home. By the time we got our order figured out at this little outdoor eatery, the lightening display to our west was become slightly more active and the rain was beginning to fall, albeit quite gently.

We were setting up a camera on self-time to snap a photo when we hear the first faint (and I mean faint) rumblings of thunder. There was still plenty of time to enjoy our treats and get back home.

Set the timer, race to get in the picture, run back, check the camera, race back to the picture, freeze, flash, laugh... and just as we were cracking up over the photo, the tornado sirens went off. You Kansas people know what I mean -- the long, sustained note that says (without words), "The National Weather Service has spotted rotation in the radar or a trained weather spotter has spotted a funnel in your county. Take cover immediately."

Being a Kansas girl, I sprang into action, grabbing the camera and barking orders. "Get to the car - now! We're getting out of here." The girls ran screaming for the car as I scanned the heavens, trying to figure out where in the world this tornado was in this peacefully falling rain.

I headed to the closest intern house as fast as we could. I flipped stations on the radio to find the weather, but to no avail. The sirens were still sounding as we scampered into the house, but I still couldn't see any signs of a tornado. We turned on the TV and found the weather man. The storm had dumped golf ball size hail on the Ft. Worth area (45 minutes away) and would be arriving in southern Carrollton in about 15 minutes.

No rotation. Not even a tornado watch. Just a severe thunderstorm. I felt pretty sheepish. I scared everyone for nothing.

The hail? I never saw it. I think we got maybe .3" of rain during the next hour. I'm sure we got the light part of the storm, but still - there was no tornado. There was no reason to leave the pavilion and race to the nearest shelter.

You can take the girl out of Kansas, but you can't take the Kansas out of the girl.