The Bungee Cord. 6-15-25

Hello,

I returned home on Wednesday from my trip to visit my dad in his memory care unit in Davenport, Iowa and my eldest son in Denver. As I have in the past several years, I drove the trip alone (my wife just hatched twelve chickens….so, she was tied down here). 1447 miles and 21.5 hours each way. There was a day when I would tackle such a trip with no stops and still have energy when I reached my destination. But that day is far gone. I broke the trip up in four legs on my way out, and three legs on my way back, and when I finally arrived back home, I was exhausted.

I drive a Mini Cooper Countryman with a 301 horsepower engine, so the drive is fun. You feel the road in my car, and when you need a bit more zip when passing, stepping on the accelerator gives you a thrilling jolt pushing you back into your seat. I have found it helpful to put the car in “Sports Mode” when going through Gary, Indiana to Joliet, Illinois on Interstate 80. If you have ever driven that section of road, you know how adventurous that drive is. Once you get on it, you find yourself bumper to bumper on five to six lanes for as far as you can see. Sometimes the traffic is “flowing” at 80 miles per hour, and then suddenly you find yourself crawling as if the road was covered with a foot of molasses, and then brought to a complete stop with that molasses turning into glue and you sit and sit and sit.

Do you ever feel like your life is a life-long ride from Stahlstown, Pa. to Denver, Co.? Of course, your starting point and destination might be different, but nevertheless a long road trip? Behind the wheel, trying to get somewhere? Advancing in your job, dealing with family issues, obtaining financial stability, gaining a sense of peace, _________ (fill in the blank)? Personally, I think that such road trips are well worth the road time, but that doesn’t make the driving any less exhausting or monotonous.

I don’t know if you have seen it, but there is an often-posted sign on all of our road trips, a sign that says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” It is spaced out every seven days, and right after that sign there is an exit ramp with an arrow pointing off the road. I know that it is tempting to pass by that sign in order to put more miles underneath us, but I have found it worth the exit…..to get out of my car, stretch my arms and legs in praise, to take my eye off the road and rest in God’s grace, to revive my soul around a table that God has set for me, and discover a deep sense of contentment in just being on this road trip rather than thinking such contentment will only happen when I reach Denver (Didn’t John Denver sing that West Virginia was “almost heaven”?)

I took the exit ramp today, and having done so, I find myself ready to get behind the wheel. There will be another exit ramp in seven days. From one traveler to another, it a great place to find deep rest.

Have a great week.

God’s grace and peace, (ggap)

Pastor Jerry Nuernberger

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