Right now I’m sitting on the train somewhere in Ohio, heading east. Since Stu, my seat-mate since Elkhart, is plastered against the window using it for a pillow, I’m enjoying the sunrise over fields and farms from the aisle seat. I don’t think I’ll be sharing my snacks with him.

Since I’m traveling once again it’s a good idea to review K—-g’s Rules of Travel.

1. Generally, the time traveled is less than or equal to the time stayed.
2. Always live in the time zone you are in.
3. Pack what you will use and use what you pack…ordinarily.

How am I doing?
Let’s start with Rule Three. I’m a bit embarrassed by how heavy my bag is considering the short duration of the trip…36 hours total for a 900 mile round trip. Camera gear fills most of it, so I’ll be taking some pictures. Snacks? Working on them… and Stu, no M&M’s for you.

Rule Two. This is an eastern time zone trip only and I love my time zone. No problem here.

Rule Three. OK… Let’s do the math and see how we’re doing with this one.
-Grand total round trip travel/stay time, home-to-home, will be 36 hours.
-Total travel time (train and car) will be 24 hours.
-Let’s see… 36 total hours minus 24 traveling hours leaves 12 hours of time stayed!

Yikes, A grievous Rule One violation! “Revoke his passport! No more train for you! A three month travel ban …”

Oh, wait! There’s one more calculation…. Time stayed (12 hours) times three precious grandsons equals all the reasons in the world for breaking the rules and making the trip:)

I’m glad we cleared that up. Time for some M’s. Sorry Stu.

“I know! Right? I hear this a lot. It’s kind of like an ‘amen’ or a ‘you got that right’ kind of affirmation. For example, “The sunrise over Lake Erie is stunning! – I know! Right?” or, “That was some change in the weather! – I know! Right?”

One thing I know after almost 40 years of teaching in Christian schools is change happens. At the Christian school where I teach there have been a lot of changes in the last several years that have been good. Good for the school. Good for the families and staff. For example, we are enjoying a fine new building. Babies and grand babies have graced families of staff members. New relationships have been formed, lives enriched. Good changes.

Some changes have been unsettling, disappointing, cutting people to the heart. Lower enrollment than anticipated plus more debt than hoped for leads to cuts in staff, loss of jobs. Challenging children at school and at home and aging parents that need more care create more stress. These are changes that can be disturbing, leaving good people to wonder in their prayers, “Why, God?”

With my students this morning, I read from the book, “Streams in the Desert for Kids” by L. B. Cowman. He stated, “Sometimes it’s hard for us to see beyond the sad events that are right in front of us. We have hopes and dreams, then something happens and it feels like nothing will ever be the same again. Our dreams have died. That’s one of God’s favorite times to come alongside and whisper in our hearts, ‘This isn’t the end; it’s just the beginning of my bigger plans for you.’ What may seem like the end may really be a new start that God has been planning all along.”

That caught my attention today and I thought I would pass it along. I know! Right!