(Written on August 8,2014)

For the last day I have been searching to get to a destination. Right now I am sitting at my sought destination, Casper Mountain Trail House in Wyoming, where Bill is getting ready for the wedding rehearsal of our friend, Travis, and his soon to be bride, Kate. Arriving for a wedding may sound simple enough, but in the the last 24 hours there has been more time and energy going into this arrival than I would like to expend in the near future.

It started yesterday as I was heading home to pack for our trip. I had just finished a yoga class, when I got into my car and saw my watch fall down between the car seats. Easy. I saw it fall from my purse, I saw its trajectory and I knew it could have only landed a few inches from its launch. The hunt was on as I got out, dressed in my black tights and flip flops. Checking under every seat in the car I looked like I couldn’t stop doing “downward dogs” from my class. Again, not a pretty sight. One or two attempts would have been okay but this continued for 20 minutes as I pulled old plastic spoons, dry cleaner receipts, goldfish and other treasures too numerous to mention from under the seat. I don’t deny that it needed a good cleaning. After arriving home there was another 20 minute session of looking. Then I recruited Bill to get involved. We had flashlights and other paraphernalia as we put our combined efforts into the search. I felt the watch had disappeared before my eyes. Later, while running an errand, my friend, Monica, had a bright idea and solution. We moved the seat up, moved around all the hardware, lifted the carpet and she pulled out my watch. She commented, “It’s always easy to solve someone else’s problems.” How true.

The second search happened this morning in the early hours while my friends in Virginia were fast asleep. The issue really started at the Newport News airport with the direct flight to the Denver. It was two hours late which meant a midnight takeoff in Virginia, arriving in Denver at 2 am. You can do the arithmetic and know what that meant, eastern standard time. Our hotel shuttle was to pick us up outside the Frontier gates. There were many issues that caused us to sit outside, waiting until 4 am. There was an impatient bus driver (who I think may have been taking a nap), language problems with the hotel clerk (it was the late night shift), lack of communication about odd numbers on one side of the airport and even numbers on the other side. In the end there was frustration for all. We were searching so hard for the hotel bus. There were tons of phone calls and we stood in the arrival lanes at one of the largest airport terminals in the country trying to wave down anyone who was passing. It wasn’t dangerous because we were the only ones around until shuttle buses started dropping people off for their early morning flights. Sleeping on the airport floor would have looked good if I had not already paid for the hotel room.

Finally, after the long search we met a NEW driver who had just started his shift and would take us to our hotel. Okay, where is the redemptive part of all this searching? Walking onto the bus we were greeted with a handshake by a young man named, Jake. He was the only rider on the bus heading back to his hotel. He was looking and searching for his car EZ pass that he hoped he had left in his room. Jake was in his mid 20’s. The conversation turned to the fact that he had joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ and was assigned to the campus of San Louis Obispo, CA. During the brief conversation we talked about The Lord, our time on staff with Campus Crusade, got information on supporting him and realized that the The Lord had directed this divine appointment. The bus driver was also chiming in about his faith. This was all at 4 am! All of our searching had brought us to this moment. A time to reflect and know that The Lord is the one who directs our steps. We can stop and be thankful even when we do not understand.

It felt good to have three hours of sleep before we started our trip to Wyoming. The drive took longer than expected as we searched and traveled up mountain roads to get to our destination. It was a search that landed us in this beautiful place.

Much of our time and energy can be spent searching for something. Finding one recipe card in a bag full of hundreds or searching for something bigger can be exhausting. On our five hour drive from Denver, Bill and I were talking about some of our past searches in life. The searches involved directions we needed on a path, career choice, or a way of raising our family. Often the answers were right in front of our noses and other times the way was not as clear. Some of the most exciting paths we could have not “searched” out on our own, were definitely orchestrated by God. We are still learning that He wants us to only search and seek after Him. All of our demands of being pragmatic and reasonable can fall short of His purposes in guidance and direction. He is willing to divert us in order to direct us along a path He has chosen towards an experience He has designed for us.

“Trust in The Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

I am thankful that I have these days to seek what The Lord has in store. I am also thankful that as we attend this wedding tomorrow I will be standing with a man who, 34 years ago, God ended a search in my life for the perfect husband for me. Happy Anniversary and much love, Bill.