What happened? What now?

Good morning Mosey’nMillers fans, from Klodel Park Campground in beautiful Point Pleasant, West Virginia. To see more about this park go to Krodel Campground.

Wait a minute! How and why did we get here and why now? Ok, let me back up and start where you last heard from me.

Late in March 2017 we were serving as “Hosts” at Pedernales Falls State Park in sunny Texas. I mentioned that on April 1st we would set out for home. We were excited about traveling the beautiful, 444 mile Natchez Trace Parkway. Well, it didn’t happen like that.

Just before we were scheduled to leave, Darlene was diagnosed with a minor illness, but one which effected our travel plans. We decided to “make a bee line” for Indy because travel was uncomfortable for her. We took the shortest route and did our overnights in Walmart parking lots. Once home, she was back on her feet quickly and normal life in Indiana resumed. At least for a couple months.

We began planning our “Great Northwestern Loop” which would take us across the northern United States and some Canadian provinces, through the Rockies to visit Banff National Park, down into ID, WA, OR & CA. We would winter in the southwest before returning to Indy in the spring of 2018. That was the plan, but God had something else in mind. 

In June I had an inquiry from the President of the Ohio District LC-MS about my work as an Intentional Interim Pastor. His inquiry eventually … after many questions, conversations, and prayer … led to my accepting a call to be Interim Pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Garfield Heights, OH. And yes, that’s a long way from home, over 5 hours driving.

From September 1, 2017 until August 19, 2018 I Pastored St. John and led them in a process of self-evaluation and discovery as to their future in mission and ministry following the retirement of a long-term pastor (29 years). The church provided me with an apartment and car, so I lived comfortably and came home to be with Darlene & family often. Our plans to do the “Great Northwestern Loop” had been postponed for a year. But we were excited about starting that long trip within a few weeks after I finished in Cleveland. But it’s obvious that didn’t happen!

While we are indeed in God’s merciful and gracious hands all the time, in this broken world unexpected and unpleasant things happen; in July our water well went dry (we live in the country and don’t have city water). In such an instance, the only fix is to drill a new well. And a new well costs a lot of $$,$$$. This large financial setback meant that our Northwestern trip would again be postponed. But why are we in West Virginia?

There are less expensive ways to travel and escape the mid-west winter than going to the southwest via Canada. Going to Georgia and staying on one place for the winter saves lots of $,$$$ and meets all our Mosey’n criteria. So on August 18, we set out for our winter destination in sunny, warm General Coffee State Park in southeast Georgia. What’s general coffee? I drink Starbucks. And why there?  You’ll just have to come back for my next post as we move on from Point Pleasant WV to our destination in the south. God be with you till then.