God  shared with me a few years ago that my travels needed to be ordered and approved by Him. I sort of concluded that meant I would be travelling less. I expected that I would be shelving my love for wandering… at least for a while. Nothing could have been further from the truth. If anything my journeys have increased in number; But now they are with a purpose.

This week’s trip sent me north to Waldoboro ME, to help out my brother-in-law who was recuperating from surgery. It was not a vacation in the strictest sense of the word. It was something far better.

I arrived at Midnight on the 21st.

Midnight in Waldoboro

I met and chatted with my brother-in-law’s friend, Janet who had been his driver to and from the surgery and who  stayed with him until I could get there. I walked Gideon (the dog), stowed my gear and finally bedded down on the couch about 2:30 A.M.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were spent walking the dog, making meals, visiting with Cliff and making sure he was taking his medicine. I am the mean nurse :). We did shoot out to the bank and the store on Friday to make sure he was stocked up for the weekend storm. We shared faith and watched a lot of movies. I finished my sermon and kept tabs with my office by cell phone. All in all it was a quiet three days in Maine farm country.

Here are a few photos:

I left Cliff much recovered on Saturday morning and headed down the coast stopping in Haverhill MA to see my daughter and her beau for lunch. Not to worry folks I kept it limited to veggies and fruits in keeping with Lent! Can I just say, travelling for God’s purpose is so much more fun than just going on vacation!

James Franklin and Melanie Lillie

What have you been doing for excitement this winter?