Day 24, Sunday
April 24, 2005

The alarm went off at 4:00. I snoozed it once. Then again. The third time, I reset it for 5:00. At five, I got up and went to the bathroom. I should have gotten up at 4:00, I have so much catching up to do on journals. I also have so much catching up to do on sleep. Six hours has become the norm. Back in my room, the snooze is going off again. I reset it for 6:00. I went back to sleep for a while, but guilt soon robs me of sleep. I get up.

About 7:00, Mom appears and tells me everyone is up drinking coffee. I am close to being ready to leave after church and lunch. I grab my computer and head to the kitchen. I resume working on journals while trying to participate in conversation. I know it’s rude not to be fully present to others, but I must press on with my writing. After some questioning about who wants what for breakfast, we settle on toast and fruit. Uncle Ken makes the best grilled toast. Before I realize it, I’ve downed four pieces and written two pages. I had a lot of watermelon – what a treat…again. After breakfast, I moved to the sunroom to continue working on my journals. Ken had earlier asked if I would be willing to speak to his Bible class if he could get the teacher’s OK. “Sure,” I said. During breakfast, the teacher had called. I could have five minutes as long as I wasn’t soliciting for money. Agreed. I continued with my journals.

After shooting a couple of photos, we were off to church. We arrived a little early (which is always my preference) and I got to meet several people before class. Class began, announcements were made, prayer requests taken, and prayers prayed. Then it was my turn. I frequently am given five minutes to tell a story than can hardly be condensed to less than an hour. I gave a brief presentation. The websites were posted on the board. The man making announcements stopped me from sitting down and offered prayer specifically for me, the journey and the Dry Bones ministry. The teacher then brought a comprehensive and insightful lesson on the kingdom parables from Matthew. There were lots of excellent comments. After class, where I was not allowed to ask for donations, I received several gifts of cash or check. I also met several people with whom I had indirect connections and/or acquaintances. We moved back out into the Foyer. Aunt Sherley said something like, “This way to the worship center.” I knew exactly what she meant, but I could not pass up the opportunity to respond, “Sherley, I live in the worship center.” She knew exactly what I meant as well. I wish we could get all believers to realize that our bodies are ‘the worship center” and that God designed us to be engaged in worship 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We do not need an external place or scheduled time to worship. If we do, we do not yet understand what true worship is all about. There was no question that my hosts have a keen grasp of this reality.

There was a baptism this morning (there had been another in the early assembly), and the new brother did participate with the entire family in his first Lord’s Supper as a believer. After the assembly, several more who had been in class offered donations.

Soon we were loaded up and headed home. When we arrived, I got everything packed up and ready to go and started checking and answering email. Then the call came that lunch was ready. Another great meal. My mom’s family used to have large get-togethers once, twice, sometimes three times a year. We haven’t done that in ten years or more. I suddenly realized how much I missed them, had always taken them for granted and never really appreciated them as I did at that moment. Lunch was done. Sherley went hunting the DVD I had left them several weeks before. They had not watched it but apparently after this morning, or perhaps at the urging of my mom, they were going to watch it now. I’ve seen the video probably a hundred times or more and still I have to fight back a lump that forms in my throat each time I see it. I think it made quite an impression. They had many questions afterwards. It was after 3:00 o’clock, my projected departure time. I encouraged them to share the video with others in their church.

I loaded up my stuff, got Walker ready and we said our goodbyes, got in the car and headed back to Brownwood. It was interesting driving from Lampasas to Brownwood – seeing the same scenery in less than an hour that had taken nearly four full days of walking to cover. Driving is easier but it is not nearly as rewarding. We got to Brownwood about 4:40 and I called Bo Shero, the minister at the Brownwood church of Christ for directions to the building. We arrived and I let Walker out. I had no idea what this church’s response might be to a dog in the church building during the assembly, so I decided to leave him in the car. He seems to have passed the barking and sliming stage now. I’m not sure why but somewhere between the chicken coop in Bertram, and the friendship with Titan, the Boston Terrier, at Kevin Haynes house, Walker had grown up a lot. I had left him alone in the car several times on the trip to College Station and he had done just fine.

I put Walker back in the car. It was cool and cloudy so there was no concern about the heat. I met a couple going in to the building and followed them to the auditorium. There I first met Bo. He wanted to introduce me after the lesson and have me speak for a few minutes about the ministry. The magic number seems to be five minutes. He had not seen the video and did not even know if the church had received it. This was becoming a common pattern. I wonder where all of the packets and DVDs ended up that we sent. The assembly was a pretty typical Sunday night assembly. After we were dismissed, I went looking for the brother of a friend from my home congregation. Turns out that he was doing prison ministry that night but I did get to talk with his wife, who works as an advocate for abused children. During the meal, I got to talk to several people who were very interested in our work. The grandfather of our staff member, Matt Wallace, used to preach here, which gave us a measure of credibility. I also met the couple with whom I would be staying the following night in Santa Anna. I had packed my packs so I could go ahead and give him one that I would not need until I arrived at his house the next day. One of the men I met and talked to was a veterinarian. We talked a little bit about Walker and the challenges he faces as the result of the journey.

Finally, the crowd began to thin out and Bo and I made our way to the parking lot. We headed for the ‘Bo-tel’ or the ‘Shero-ton.’ These are the names his guests have given to the little apartment next to his home. It was very nice, with a small kitchen, bathroom, full size bed, chairs, couch, TV and table. It was great. I just wish I had more time there. I turned on the TV thinking I might be able to see the weather. There was no phone or Internet access in the apartment. That meant catching up on email would be double tomorrow. The TV had no cable and no broadcast reception. There was a VCR, however, and there was a tape in it. I ejected it. It was episodes from M*A*S*H, the TV series. I put it in and started it while I got ready for bed. I wish I could have carried my smaller pack with a lighter load tomorrow, but I needed everything I had for tonight and tomorrow. Oh, well. It was quite cool tonight and I turned on the heater. I got into bed and really enjoyed the coldness and the covers. Hopefully, tomorrow would be cool and rain free. I fell asleep before the first episode of M*A*S*H was over.

I was awakened about and hour later by that awful pink noise of a TV with sound but no signal. Another one of my addictions or insecurities is sleeping with the TV on. Drives my wife crazy. I can’t explain it, but I am a very light sleeper and am frequently awakened by sounds such as our cat walking across the carpet at night. So I frequently fall asleep with the TV on. Sherri usually turns it off when she comes to bed, which usually wakes me up. Then, I lay there awake for a while listening to the sounds of silence, which keeps me awake. Usually, I end up turning it back on and then going right back to sleep. The interesting thing is that since I’ve been on the journey, I have rarely had access to a TV. I really don’t miss it. And, I sleep really well every night. I don’t suppose that has anything to do with walking 20 miles everyday. But, for whatever reason, I kept rewinding that M*A*S*H tape that night and playing it over and over. I never got to see more than about the first two minutes of the first episode, and then I would fall sound asleep until once again awakened by the pink noise. Isn’t that ridiculous? Oh, well, if I were normal, I wouldn’t be walking to Denver…sweet dreams.