TRAINS, DONKEYS, FEET AND THE MEDITERRANEAN

Ready to Go!
Passing the time

Watching the "Polar Express"

Almost there!

Well, today, my little guys left with their mom, headed for Dallas on a TRAIN! I can only imagine their excitement as they boarded the Amtrak car with all their gear, DVD players, games, books, blankets and etc. Huston LOVES trains and has been counting the days before he rides the rails from San Antonio to Dallas to visit cousins. Oh, how I wish I could have seen their faces. Fortunately, today, we are all blessed with wonderful cameras and phones that take pictures, and send pictures via phone texts and e-mails so doting grandparents like myself don't have to miss much.

When Jimmy and I took Huston to Disney, he was fascinated by the monorail. He screamed with excitement every time we got to ride one. For his birthday in July, we gave him Disney's monorail and track for his home. He merrily reported to his dad, after setting up the very large circular track, it would be placed around their Christmas tree at Christmas time. Then, he begged and pleaded for Lovey (that's me!) to get him the "Toy Story" Lego train set. Well, when a little guy looks up at you with those gorgeous, pleading eyes, says "please, please, plllleeeeeeeeeeeas, Lovey. I REEEEEEEEEALY WANT THAT FOR MY BIRTHDAY! And begins giving me kissy lips....well....just HAD to be done. The kid loves trains...what can you do?

Now his other grandmother had the idea to take him, along with his sister to Dallas to visit their cousins. What a deal they have! I had not known there WAS a train from here to Dallas. Fortunately, Kristi, their other grandmother, did and found a perfect time for the trip. Now THAT's heaven for little guys!

I've always wondered what was so interesting about trains. I found out when I traveled through Europe. Trains have a romance about them. They have history. They amble their way through the country, carrying people who have lives that tell stories. Unlike planes, where people are in a rush, getting half way across the country in three hours and off to a meeting...trains roll along, swaying, slowing moving along, speeding up, and making stops along the way. The definition for the word train is "to draw along, trail, drag." And that is just what a train does. It draws along a track, the engine tugging cars, carrying passengers, telling a story of the lives that are seated within.

I met many people when I traveled on trains in Europe. On one trip, the one with my "Musketeer" friend Robbs, her brother and my mom, we met a US couple that were traveling through Europe for month by train. They were great fun. We had lunch at a table in the dining car beside them. We shared an after dinner drink and they even gave my mom a small bottle of liquor she loved. We had our pictures taken with a border patrol officer in Austria and a funny wait person on the train. We called the waiter, Danny Devito because he was short and stout and looked just like Danny Devito. The border patrol officer was HUGE. Robbs stood in the middle of them both with a huge grin. What a fun picture and fun memories. See, this is what I mean by stories. You can't do this on a plane. A train offers access to meet others, share experiences, share yourself and see much.

I'm glad Huston and Emery are getting to experience this trip. What great fun and great memories they will have travelling the rails!

You know, in Christ's day, travel was quite different. There were no cars, boats, planes or trains. One could ride a donkey. But most travel was by foot. Christ walked many miles from place to place. He made many stops to visit family, friends and even those who only heard of Him. He was never too tired when He reached his destination to offer a kind word, touch a wounded person and heal them - whether spiritual, emotional or physical. He was never too tired to speak the Word that would heal the heart or teach the truth. His travel ALWAYS had a purpose and was ALWAYS for another. And His travel "drew along, had others trail along, dragging along" behind Him, hanging on His every Word. He was like the "Little Train that Could." He never stopped, just kept going. How exciting that must have been for those who followed along with Him on His journeys. Those that were closest to Him. The experiences they had with Jesus. The stories, lessons and encouragements they heard Him teach. The meals they shared and times they sat at His feet. Now THOSE TIMES must have been the trips of a lifetime!

We too, can take those trips today. We can share in some of the experiences His disciples did. We do so as we read the New Testament. We know all these stories to be true because we know that the Bible is the true Word of God. Inspired by Him, given to men to be recorded for eternity. And because they are God's words, they are true. The stories recorded by the men who recorded them are true. Their experiences are true - every one. In fact, the entire Bible is true. Every word is the inspired Word of God. God didn't leave a thing out. Some of it even reads like a soap opera! You should read through it if you haven't already! Cool reading!

So today, I'm thankful Huston, Emery, Alix and Kristi had the opportunity to make this wonderful train trip to Dallas. What a reminder, as I think of the stories they will come home with - stories they will have for a lifetime, and of the eternal stories, promises, comforts and joys my Lord offers as I read through His journeys in His holy Word.

Hmmmmm...I think I smell a boat trip and a weeks stay down the Mediterranean to Santorini Greece! Spicy food, the blue, blue waters of the Mediterranean, white, white stucco houses with blue tile roofs, and beautiful sun rises and sun sets! Juju...you listening, smelling, dreaming too? CALL ME!