We’ve been on the road now for 4 weeks.
Living in a traveling tiny house is not for everybody, but honestly, unless you absolutely are claustrophobic or something akin, you shouldn’t knock it till you’ve tried it. We loved the idea and always wanted to give it a go. When Norm gave us an actual truck & trailer, we took that as a green light. So far so good. We’re learning a lot about this beautiful silver home on wheels. Quite often lessons come in the form of the classic Berenstain Bears’ The Bike Lesson. (One of my favorite books, btw)
As we roll down the roads, we’ve learned there are some that don’t particularly lend themselves to pulling an extra 27’ 9” behind an already 22’ long truck. Slow is our friend. Brakes can not really be slammed on. Every item in every storage area should be tightly packed. Use those little plastic bags with air inside for mailing a tiny object in a big box as filler. Or extra towels, t-shirts, ramen packages…..whatever can be wedged in to eliminate movement, and subsequently breakage. All cabinets and drawers must be checked for tight closures and then rechecked. Don’t be offended, be offensive when preparing to drive off into the sunset with your beloved. You check my work, I’ll check yours. There’s true experiential meaning behind the phrase “batton down the hatches”.
Also, having a plan doesn’t necessarily mean having no fun. A difficult, but necessary lesson for a free-spirited individual. On the contrary, preparation and planning are key to safe, joyful travels. Otherwise you may discover many campsites, parking lots, beckoning side roads can’t accommodate longer vehicles in tow and unfortunately often have no suitable place for turning around once you’ve driven in to find out. Sometimes it’s wise to humbly admit fault. Sometimes it’s wiser still to forgo the wanderlust until your turning radius is much shorter.
Other educational scenarios have alerted us to the importance of calling and talking to an actual person at the actual location when making a reservation. Yes, when not if. Apparently while we were busy tent camping on summer vacations, living (full or PT) in a Recreational Vehicle has become quite the band wagon. Everyone is jumping on. Reservations are almost always required if Wally Mart isn’t your kind of overnighter. And some store locations don’t even allow it. I’m reminded of the Signs Signs Everywhere Signs song. No Overnight Camping. No Overnighters. No Parking 11pm - 5am. Pretty much gone are the Friday morning spontaneous “let’s go camping this weekend” plans. At least not in an RV. (Unless you go off road. Off grid. Boondocking. Which can be done with a bit more research, I’m told. But currently, we’ve booked ourselves through March. After that, we’ll keep you posted.)
These one-time-only-needed lessons are immediately effective. And blessing upon blessing, they have given us opportunities to become more familiar with our travel budget, and our mobile dwelling’s nooks & crannies, and to practice good character traits like patience, kindness, forgiveness.
Additionally, there are a plethora of delightful positives about a small dwelling with wheels. First, it has wheels. You no like a spot, merely hook up and drive to another. Only ten steps from couch to nightstand, probably making spring cleaning a breeze with a stick vacuum, which we just ordered from Amazon. There is an amazing amount of storage for a 24’ x 8’ x 6’ living space, especially when you include the shower stall which is invariably useful as such if you shop in the ultra-petite section of your local children’s clothing store. Although you don’t really need what you think you did when you first packed, unless you’ve by now used all those long sleeved shirts as packing material. (However, you do need a few things you thought you wouldn’t, like air freshener) The ac/gas refrigerator (lettuce’s bff) is a welcome addition to the old Igloo cooler, which we now use mostly for beverages. (Hydration is very important especially in warmer climates that grow citrus.) The propane heater is fast & efficient on those cold mornings. It also has a heat pump. AC: what luxury! And when mother nature calls, just pull over, hop out of the first vehicle into the second one and “Bob’s your uncle”!
Sunday, February 23, 2020
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
Retirement Trip begins......
Once upon a time there were two crazy kids....... and proving God has a sense of humor mixed in with His promise that those whom He chooses, He justifies, sanctifies and glorifies, here now we stand, we can do no more. After serving the enemy for over 30 years each, then serving God by raising a family and working hard for the money, this Dave and Sabina duo are beginning a new chapter in their book of life. A new season. New phase. Unknown to us, but thankfully known & orchestrated by God Himself, who is the author and finisher of our faith. Which faith we are about to be tried and tested in as we step out into this unknown. May we humble ourselves and follow where He leads.
Hello from beautiful desert-like Yuma!
Where palms and mimosas do play;
Where often is heard
The mourning dove’s word
And the skies are not cloudy all day.
After many-miles-per-day our first week away, then visiting with friends and grandsons the next ten days, we are settled here at The Southern Mesa for a few weeks.
The Pacific Coast Highway is stunning! We headed West from Eugene and then South….all the way to Malibu. Snake roads and white knuckles ruled. We prayed like The Good Book says: fervently and without ceasing. The Airstream only took a few small hits, one of which we’ll just say is our initiation toll. Learning….learning….learning. Sometimes just feet away from the edge of the cliff - the very high cliff skirting the wide and wild ocean, and sometimes inland a bit, but always a challenge and opportunity. Although being able to say we accomplished it the first time out, we’ll also be able to say once is enough (with a trailer in tow, anyway).
But the Deep Blue Sea never disappoints. Wave watching is mesmerizing. Good thing I wasn’t driving. (Dave did an amazing job, btw) We were hoping to see whales, as it is their migrating season, but even though we had a few possible binocular moments, it was not to be. However…..
Hues of blue and shades of green, were some I’m sure I’ve never seen.
Little towns along the way, forgotten except by those who stay.
Liberal and leftover hippie, peaceniks dotted the landscape like daisy chains. Signs announced their views quite blatantly and we could smell some funny stuff.
I’d have to say the one overnight by the lighthouse was the best. Possibly the price to stay - free - helped our enjoyment. We fell asleep to the ocean’s lull after a gorgeous sunset; and awoke to walk 15 feet, coffee in hand, to overlook the tiny cove and watch the waves come rolling in. SO peaceful.
But we had to move on….
Southern Cal is well……Southern Cal. Tons of traffic, expensive everything. Despite that, we shared some great times with some great friends we hadn’t seen in 16 years. Then hung out with three of our grandsons at Huntington and San Clemente beaches. They are growing and maturing right under our noses. God’s faithfulness is endless. Thanks be to God! Attended a tiny PCA in Glendale and Trinity Pres (OPC) in San Juan Capistrano. The Lord has His people everywhere. It was a delight to meet some brothers & sisters and be so instantly connected in Christ. Made us miss y’all WPC-uns, though. We are praying for you daily.
God’s providence brought an Airstream enthusiast into our lives. She’s lived in hers over 20 years and she restores them. Had we chosen different accommodations, as we had considered, our paths would not have crossed. A delightful woman with a head full of A/S-specific knowledge willing to share with us newbies. Thank you, Lord!
Next up - a brief 2-day excursion in Joshua Tree National Park. Gorgeous!! Cold! Windy! Glad we packed the down coats etc. We’ll need to go back in late Spring when the flowers are blooming and the longer open trails more enjoyable to hike. Bring a compass, lots of water and make reservations a year in advance for camping. There were lots of folks even in January.
Now, in Yuma, Arizona. The weather has been mild and wonderfully sunny! Mid 70’s and about 40 at night. We spent the first few days getting settled, getting groceries and some RV parts. The plumbing, which is pretty important :) was having some issues. And there were a few broken things; a drawer glide here, a broken latch there. Not unlike Dave & I. Spending all day every day with someone tends to ruffle feathers a bit and possibly bring out some more of that sin stuff. The Lord is with us and we are learning to let little things go, as difficult as that is sometimes. We want to think we know more or are right more than we actually are. Stop, drop and pray always helps. But we humans can be a stubborn lot. Again - Thanks be to God! For His mercies, His presence, His gentle reminders. Moment by moment. We NEED our Lord Jesus.
Yesterday we attended service at Yuma OPC, a church plant. Went back for evening study, as well. Good solid teaching from a young pastor, Jeremy Baker. Very welcoming. The only reformed congregation in Yuma. They meet in the basement of an old pueblo style church building occupied by another church. Most of the attendees are temporary - either military (the Marines have a huge training camp here) or snowbirds. A very different perspective for those in leadership. Please pray for them to grow, become a self-sustaining body and be encouraged as they meet a need in this community.
We appreciate your prayers for us and all our family. We need them. This transition time for Dave & I is very different. Ups and downs. Spontaneous, adventure, but also uncertainty. We truly desire to trust & obey as God leads us each step of the way…... being Christ’s ambassador to all, including each other.
Love from the B’s
ps - photos on Instagram “binabsaved”
Hello from beautiful desert-like Yuma!
Where palms and mimosas do play;
Where often is heard
The mourning dove’s word
And the skies are not cloudy all day.
After many-miles-per-day our first week away, then visiting with friends and grandsons the next ten days, we are settled here at The Southern Mesa for a few weeks.
The Pacific Coast Highway is stunning! We headed West from Eugene and then South….all the way to Malibu. Snake roads and white knuckles ruled. We prayed like The Good Book says: fervently and without ceasing. The Airstream only took a few small hits, one of which we’ll just say is our initiation toll. Learning….learning….learning. Sometimes just feet away from the edge of the cliff - the very high cliff skirting the wide and wild ocean, and sometimes inland a bit, but always a challenge and opportunity. Although being able to say we accomplished it the first time out, we’ll also be able to say once is enough (with a trailer in tow, anyway).
But the Deep Blue Sea never disappoints. Wave watching is mesmerizing. Good thing I wasn’t driving. (Dave did an amazing job, btw) We were hoping to see whales, as it is their migrating season, but even though we had a few possible binocular moments, it was not to be. However…..
Hues of blue and shades of green, were some I’m sure I’ve never seen.
Little towns along the way, forgotten except by those who stay.
Liberal and leftover hippie, peaceniks dotted the landscape like daisy chains. Signs announced their views quite blatantly and we could smell some funny stuff.
I’d have to say the one overnight by the lighthouse was the best. Possibly the price to stay - free - helped our enjoyment. We fell asleep to the ocean’s lull after a gorgeous sunset; and awoke to walk 15 feet, coffee in hand, to overlook the tiny cove and watch the waves come rolling in. SO peaceful.
But we had to move on….
Southern Cal is well……Southern Cal. Tons of traffic, expensive everything. Despite that, we shared some great times with some great friends we hadn’t seen in 16 years. Then hung out with three of our grandsons at Huntington and San Clemente beaches. They are growing and maturing right under our noses. God’s faithfulness is endless. Thanks be to God! Attended a tiny PCA in Glendale and Trinity Pres (OPC) in San Juan Capistrano. The Lord has His people everywhere. It was a delight to meet some brothers & sisters and be so instantly connected in Christ. Made us miss y’all WPC-uns, though. We are praying for you daily.
God’s providence brought an Airstream enthusiast into our lives. She’s lived in hers over 20 years and she restores them. Had we chosen different accommodations, as we had considered, our paths would not have crossed. A delightful woman with a head full of A/S-specific knowledge willing to share with us newbies. Thank you, Lord!
Next up - a brief 2-day excursion in Joshua Tree National Park. Gorgeous!! Cold! Windy! Glad we packed the down coats etc. We’ll need to go back in late Spring when the flowers are blooming and the longer open trails more enjoyable to hike. Bring a compass, lots of water and make reservations a year in advance for camping. There were lots of folks even in January.
Now, in Yuma, Arizona. The weather has been mild and wonderfully sunny! Mid 70’s and about 40 at night. We spent the first few days getting settled, getting groceries and some RV parts. The plumbing, which is pretty important :) was having some issues. And there were a few broken things; a drawer glide here, a broken latch there. Not unlike Dave & I. Spending all day every day with someone tends to ruffle feathers a bit and possibly bring out some more of that sin stuff. The Lord is with us and we are learning to let little things go, as difficult as that is sometimes. We want to think we know more or are right more than we actually are. Stop, drop and pray always helps. But we humans can be a stubborn lot. Again - Thanks be to God! For His mercies, His presence, His gentle reminders. Moment by moment. We NEED our Lord Jesus.
Yesterday we attended service at Yuma OPC, a church plant. Went back for evening study, as well. Good solid teaching from a young pastor, Jeremy Baker. Very welcoming. The only reformed congregation in Yuma. They meet in the basement of an old pueblo style church building occupied by another church. Most of the attendees are temporary - either military (the Marines have a huge training camp here) or snowbirds. A very different perspective for those in leadership. Please pray for them to grow, become a self-sustaining body and be encouraged as they meet a need in this community.
We appreciate your prayers for us and all our family. We need them. This transition time for Dave & I is very different. Ups and downs. Spontaneous, adventure, but also uncertainty. We truly desire to trust & obey as God leads us each step of the way…... being Christ’s ambassador to all, including each other.
Love from the B’s
ps - photos on Instagram “binabsaved”
Friday, February 22, 2013
222
Not just the Room. The date and the time.
In 1991 (22 years ago) when I was working at Lincoln Center, Kathy Miles was our receptionist and I was in the back being the leasing assistant. I really wish I could remember just exactly how this whole thing started, but basically we began to notice that whatever actual time of day it seemed, one of us would glance over at the clock and it would be exactly 2:22 pm. As we discussed this mystifying phenomenon, we laughed at how either the day felt like it was flying by or creeping at a snail's pace - depending on what time we thought it was before we looked at the clock. As the days and weeks and months continued to roll along, it continued to happen every day. When I'd get off the phone with the leasing agent as he had called in that morning, I'd take a break and go get my second cup of coffee. When I came back to my desk, I'd think about a project due time and I'd casually glance over at the clock - WHAT????? It just couldn't be 2:22 pm already! Kathy would do the same type of thing. We began to think someone was messing around with the clocks. We replaced the batteries. It kept happening. Finally we decided it was some sort of message or omen or prophecy - we were grasping at straws, but honestly, it was pretty weird.
Being fairly new Christians, we thought we'd better search all the scriptures referenced as 2-22 in the Bible. Maybe the Lord was trying to get our attention. Although all that time in the Word was quite beneficial, neither of us could come up with any specific point we thought the Lord might be trying to make.
As life moved on, I began to think of things like:
* I had two kids
* I had two sisters
* Each of my kids had two close friends
* I once had lost my two front teeth
I don't know.....I guess I was just trying to figure out if it meant anything. It just kept happening. And not only at work, but we'd be driving and I'd pass one of those Bank signs with the weather, date, time etc. The time would read 2:22. Or I'd be taking a nap on a Sunday afternoon after church and when I opened my eyes, I'd look over to see what time it was: 2:22. Not 2:30 or 2:20, but always 2:22. Things like that. Constantly. Everywhere.
Today is February 22. 2/22.
16 years ago Dave asked me to marry him. He had called earlier that week to say he'd like to take me out to dinner on Friday night. Okay. Well, on Friday afternoon, he had some sort of distraction-type thing (I can't recall what it was....car related, I think) - anyway, he called to say he'd have to come on Saturday night instead. Okay. Nothing special seemed to up, so Saturday it was. He came and picked me up and we went to Hunan's in downtown Portland. Great dumplings in hot peanut sauce!!! After we'd eaten, he asked me to marry him. I'm not going to go into all the particulars (there really aren't many anyway), but of course I said yes. Now the part of the story that is interesting as it relates to my 2-22 mystery, is I didn't know about the original plan of proposal on Friday night, which he had apparently specifically planned for Friday night. That would have been Feb. 21. But as he began to tell me the reason he had to change the night from Friday to Saturday, I realized it was out of his control and that the actual date for his proposal to me was - dare I say "destined" - to be on Feb. 22.
And now as I end this post, I am still mystified at the many such "happenings" in our life since then, all having to do with the number 2 - in duplicate or triplicate. And some things have changed:
* Dave and I had twins
* I have four girls...two older than my son and two younger
* I've had two husbands
* Dave & I have lived in two houses, the one we live in now we moved into on Feb. 2, 2002
* I went to an eye clinic in Hillsboro last Tues. to meet two people (my sis & mom) for mom's doctor appt. and my sis gave me directions. I got there early and was waiting outside for them. I looked up at the side of the building as I was waiting and pacing the sidewalk looking for my sister's car....the address of the eye clinic was 222 on Eighth St. The funny thing was, after waiting past the set meeting time, I text'd my sis and told her I was here waiting outside - where was she? She apologized and said she had actually given me the wrong street name. There is another eye clinic on Seventh. That was where she & mom were - waiting for me.
I know......silly stuff.
In 1991 (22 years ago) when I was working at Lincoln Center, Kathy Miles was our receptionist and I was in the back being the leasing assistant. I really wish I could remember just exactly how this whole thing started, but basically we began to notice that whatever actual time of day it seemed, one of us would glance over at the clock and it would be exactly 2:22 pm. As we discussed this mystifying phenomenon, we laughed at how either the day felt like it was flying by or creeping at a snail's pace - depending on what time we thought it was before we looked at the clock. As the days and weeks and months continued to roll along, it continued to happen every day. When I'd get off the phone with the leasing agent as he had called in that morning, I'd take a break and go get my second cup of coffee. When I came back to my desk, I'd think about a project due time and I'd casually glance over at the clock - WHAT????? It just couldn't be 2:22 pm already! Kathy would do the same type of thing. We began to think someone was messing around with the clocks. We replaced the batteries. It kept happening. Finally we decided it was some sort of message or omen or prophecy - we were grasping at straws, but honestly, it was pretty weird.
Being fairly new Christians, we thought we'd better search all the scriptures referenced as 2-22 in the Bible. Maybe the Lord was trying to get our attention. Although all that time in the Word was quite beneficial, neither of us could come up with any specific point we thought the Lord might be trying to make.
As life moved on, I began to think of things like:
* I had two kids
* I had two sisters
* Each of my kids had two close friends
* I once had lost my two front teeth
I don't know.....I guess I was just trying to figure out if it meant anything. It just kept happening. And not only at work, but we'd be driving and I'd pass one of those Bank signs with the weather, date, time etc. The time would read 2:22. Or I'd be taking a nap on a Sunday afternoon after church and when I opened my eyes, I'd look over to see what time it was: 2:22. Not 2:30 or 2:20, but always 2:22. Things like that. Constantly. Everywhere.
Today is February 22. 2/22.
16 years ago Dave asked me to marry him. He had called earlier that week to say he'd like to take me out to dinner on Friday night. Okay. Well, on Friday afternoon, he had some sort of distraction-type thing (I can't recall what it was....car related, I think) - anyway, he called to say he'd have to come on Saturday night instead. Okay. Nothing special seemed to up, so Saturday it was. He came and picked me up and we went to Hunan's in downtown Portland. Great dumplings in hot peanut sauce!!! After we'd eaten, he asked me to marry him. I'm not going to go into all the particulars (there really aren't many anyway), but of course I said yes. Now the part of the story that is interesting as it relates to my 2-22 mystery, is I didn't know about the original plan of proposal on Friday night, which he had apparently specifically planned for Friday night. That would have been Feb. 21. But as he began to tell me the reason he had to change the night from Friday to Saturday, I realized it was out of his control and that the actual date for his proposal to me was - dare I say "destined" - to be on Feb. 22.
And now as I end this post, I am still mystified at the many such "happenings" in our life since then, all having to do with the number 2 - in duplicate or triplicate. And some things have changed:
* Dave and I had twins
* I have four girls...two older than my son and two younger
* I've had two husbands
* Dave & I have lived in two houses, the one we live in now we moved into on Feb. 2, 2002
* I went to an eye clinic in Hillsboro last Tues. to meet two people (my sis & mom) for mom's doctor appt. and my sis gave me directions. I got there early and was waiting outside for them. I looked up at the side of the building as I was waiting and pacing the sidewalk looking for my sister's car....the address of the eye clinic was 222 on Eighth St. The funny thing was, after waiting past the set meeting time, I text'd my sis and told her I was here waiting outside - where was she? She apologized and said she had actually given me the wrong street name. There is another eye clinic on Seventh. That was where she & mom were - waiting for me.
I know......silly stuff.
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