Preparing for the Mountains

Once again, it is late and time is limited, but I do have a few quick things to say!

Nashville was amazing. It was SO great, I absolutely love this city, and every time I visit, it lives up to the expectations I made of it before my first visit. I think I still want to live there some day. I just need to find a reason to now.

That being said... my highlight of Nashville was Saturday: I got to ride!!!! :) (and for the record, a picture to prove I was in full spandex and completely unashamed!) I had never before been on a road bike, but borrowed Criselda's bike to take part in the city ride. Got to hang out with and ride with some cool folks (Jesse, Brianne & Charlie) during the ride - a welcome encounter away from the safety of the van. I rode for a humble near 20 miles- not bad for a first ride, I say! I couldn't have felt better afterwards, either... I only wish I knew how to get my hands on a nice bike so I could ride when I get home in the fall...

We camped last night and it was AMAZING. I've loved all the people we met in random small churches, but I do wish we'd been camping a bit more. Its so... refreshing to start afresh with the sun and chirping birds in the morning. Awesome.

We're now in Knoxville, TN. I'm starting to get scared of the realization that this trip is going to end some day. A day next week, actually. ugh. No good.

Lots going through my mind these days. Lots of decisions and things God has placed on my heart that is making my mind run constantly, my heart beat faster, and my love grow deeper. Its awesome, exciting, and terrifying. and I would have it no other way. In some ways, it feels appropriate that this is right now. It seems I'll be battling some mental battles, climbing some mountains of my own as we move East into the mountains... and I say, bring it on. There is no mountain we cannot climb, no struggle we cannot overcome.

I do not often have time to write while online (in fact, I am giving up essential sleep to do so now), but I do check in often enough to get the short notes and emails you send. Thank you. PLEASE keep them coming (or start sending them if you haven't yet!). Emails, text messages, facebook messages... I get them. I love them. They make me smile and bring me a new, bright, exciting kind of energy that can come only from the fresh air of the life that goes on around us while we're caught up in biking. I love the team, but there is no way I'd have survived this trip without your support. Thank you.

Belated Picture from Nashville

This is a bit overdue, but Lynn sent me pics a couple of days ago from the Blood:Water banquet I went to in Nashville last week. My camera decided to stop working that night, so I don't have any pictures of my own from it. But with teamwork after his battery died, Levi was kind enough to insert my extra battery into his camera just long enough to take a picture of us... then actually followed through with emailing it! Good job! :)
So... here we are. I think its a pretty good picture of each of us, actually. (Which is saying a lot... it seems I've been REALLY picky about pics of me since I started losing weight! Backwards, I know...)

Blood:Water Banquet

A good day.

I would love to write more, but as you can see, its late. The Blood:Water banquet was tonight, and it was a nice event with a great mix of music and story-telling and meeting lots of folks. Hannah seems fantastic, I wish I could have spoken with and gotten to know her a bit better! I suppose that's actually true for a lot of people... I saw and met and talked to a ton of folks, but little more than small talk. It was nice to be properly introduced to some familiar folks at an event like this one... that is, outside of the usual occasion of a concert or something at which I am attending to be the volunteer.

Lots of notable folks were in the crowd tonight... Jars of Clay played, of course (Light Gives Heat and a new song, from the documentary they did the soundtrack for). We had lovely "digestion music" over dinner to start off our night. (insert joke with Jeremy Lutito of Disappointed by Candy that you won't understand here, lol). Donald Miller was our MC, they interviewed 3 great volunteers, including David Van Buskirk, who I met on the road working for B:W last year. He's gearing up for a summer fundraising project for Blood:Water- a bike tour across the country! We talked a bit about their potential need for another person to drive a support vehicle... maybe I could do that for 2 months? How AWESOME would that be? We'll see what happens with GBGM...

Other things to note from the night: There was an extensive, powerful interview/storytelling of Fred and Milton Ochieng- the two young men from Lwala, Kenya about whom the "Hope for Lwala" documentary has been made. Its big premier is coming up in March, so after that I'll be sure to let everyone know where to find it... you NEED to hear this story and the great work they're doing!
As promised, Hanson was also there. They talked about their time in Africa and the importance of Tom's Shoes. They also played 2 songs for us... but (much to Lynn's disappointment, haha) they didn't play "mmmbop." I do have to admit- I was impressed.

I think thats it for tonight. Its really late- and I need to be rested tomorrow so I can finish up my sermon! I'm a bit sad to go... I hear wonderful things- including a baptism! - are happening at Lynn's church Sunday, and I would love to check it out! But alas, I love my church too... and I kinda have to preach... so its probably good I'll be there ;).

Andy and the Andys

I'm in Nashville, and all is great. Really. Its been great getting to chat with Lynn a bit more- and finally for the first time in person!

We went to a show at the Rutledge tonight- and it was fantastic. It seemed like Lynn knew everyone there. Seriously. Leslie Dudney opened... I guess Lynn didn't know her, haha. But she did know the rest of the performers, and I met most of them. Then Christopher Williams played, followed by "Andy and the Andys." GREAT show. The Andys were hilarious, mostly because they kept cracking themselves up with jokes about Andy, lol.

Stage intro of the Andys was great: they all came on wearing zip-up sweatshirts. Facing away from crowd, sweatshirts came off. All in white T's, they turned around together for us to see that together, their 4 shirts wrote A-N-D-Y. Priceless. Only regret- the Andys didn't play many songs, and I would have loved to have heard more of their solo stuff. mmm and meet Andy Gullahorn too. That would have been fantastic. But Andrew Peterson was FANTASTIC, both in person (before) and performing (to close night) and I can't wait to check out some of his CDs. VERY good stuff!

One final random tidbit of info: I know that a lot of "important" folks will be at this event tomorrow night- the purpose of me coming to this wonderful city. Among others, I discovered tonight that the guest list includes Hanson. No joke. Try not to be too jealous, though ;).