Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Write a Travelogue (11/06/14)
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TITLE: Dour County | Previous Challenge Entry
By Dawn Winston
11/12/14 -
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1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Rejoice Always
My husband, me, and two 20 something year old daughters embarked on a trip to Door County, northern Wisconsin. Excited, we drove in our ’96 van straight through to the Shrine of Saint Joseph outside of Green Bay. My husband and younger daughter went in to look around inside and my other daughter and I stayed outside to walk their labyrinth, cut perfectly in the grass outside.
My eldest daughter, walked the circuitous path and enjoyed it so much, she encouraged me strongly to take part by holding my purse and swearing she would not give it back until I walked the sacred walk. It was arduous, long and dull… at the beginning, and then it was increasingly enjoyable. How like the life of faith it was- sometimes hard to get through, as if it would never end, sometimes it was so exciting. Where would it go next? Where would this unexpected curve take me? How did it take me all the way over here? Am I ever going to get out of this? Then there was quite a sense of accomplishment upon reaching the center, such a feeling of centeredness. When finished and resting on a nearby bench a strong voice came over me saying this will be the best part of the trip.
We went to our campground, set up our tent, ate cold cheese sandwiches from the cooler and went to bed listening to the tall thin trees swaying and bumping together. They sounded like the wood of a tossing ship, so wondrous! We never heard anything like it.
Pray Continually
The next day we snacked and decided to drive around the island. Crowded with tourists, the land was still beautiful. We weaved up the populated inner part of the “thumb,” reached the northern most tip, then descended down the more remote lake side. Then, it started to rain. Rarely had we ever seen such severe weather. My husband drove steadily although I wish he would have pulled over. I prayed, white knuckled, for the van. I prayed for our safety. I prayed for my stubborn husband to switch off that male part of his brain that insists he has it under control and has to continue on. I prayed for the torrent to end.
We prayed that our tent was not floating like a giant beach ball across the campground, bumping into trees and campers like God’s own pinball game. We prayed that the extra tarp we latched down on top was steady and our home away from home although it had suffered a puncture that was thoroughly duct taped when erected, was dry and secure.
Finally it subsided and we pulled into town and into a parking lot of a supermarket. Then I heard a noise below the car. It was a loud creaking noise. I prayed dear God, let nothing be wrong with the car. We did not know where a gas station was, much less a mechanic. We crawled through the town, praying to just make it a little farther.
Give Thanks in All Circumstances
We made it to a mechanic who said it was a broken right axel. I prayed nervously it would not be too much. He quoted a reasonable amount I actually had. Thank you God. They kept the car and found us a taxi to our campground. Thank you God. We got to our drenched tent. It had two inches of water and our sopping blankets, pillows and sleeping bags floating in it. It was fifty years old so we were ok with throwing it out. We were without our car still in the mechanic so we did not know where we could possibly sleep.We sat in the camp play room. My purse had two holes in it and was covered in an exploded tube of antibacterial cream, but I had an excuse to buy a new one, and I found two packets of fruit snacks for dinner! Thank you God. We asked at the camp office what we might do. There would be no refund but they offered us to sleep on the couch and love seat and floor of their rec room. Thank you God. We got no sleep but were safe and dry. Thank you God. We had an exciting, eventful, memorable trip. Thank you God!
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