Road Trip – The Trappes are trippin’.

Noteworthy San Diego happenings:

1) I GOT MY T-SHIRT! I saw a t-shirt on display at the coffee cafe at Mars Hill Church in Seattle.  The shirt says “You Can’t Go Green Enough to Save Your Soul.”  * I am and have been “green” since my mom and I carried our own bags into the Asheboro, NC Food Lion about 15 years before it was cool.  I did my Girl Scout Gold Award project on Earth Day education.  I am a little obsessive about recycling, and I even wrote a letter when I was in elementary or middle school encouraging Asheboro’s powers-that-be to organize curbside pick-up for recycling. But, I believe the message on the shirt to be a very worthwhile one, and so I wore my new shirt to the San Diego Zoo.  

2) WE GOT FREE TICKETS TO THE ZOO! The wife of the artist who designed the aforementioned T-shirt gave us 2 free passes to the zoo.  Wow! What a gift!

the mommy panda sat right on top of the baby panda

3) I SAW A BABY PANDA, A MOMMA PANDA, AND A PAPA PANDA!  Enough said.  I cried, because I have always wanted to see a panda.  

4) WE VISITED DEL MAR, CORONADO, AND OCEANSIDE! The San Diego community really uses their beaches! Since I am a total beach bum, I appreciate their appreciation for what they have….gorgeous surf, fine sand, vast beaches, and sunsets.  They are out on their beaches playing volleyball, walking, and picnicking.

5) WE WENT TO CHURCH! At that church, we were offered:

a) an invitation to lunch with a family

b) a surfboard for Todd to borrow

c) a place to stay on Sunday night with the family that we went to lunch with (including a shower and an extremely comfortable bed and an amazing visit with an incredible family)

d) help on finding Zoo discounts

e) a bag lunch packed for us to take with us to the Zoo on Monday

WOW! We were humbled.  San Diego was good to us! The Lord was good to us! We have visited very friendly churches all across this nation.  We weren’t expecting anything when we visited these churches.  We just wanted to worship God and be encouraged, but we both hoped silently that eventually someone would ask to go to lunch with us and/or offer us a place to stay.  And at the end of our fourth month on the road, it happened.  They took a chance on us.  They took us in.  I really pray that I will grow up to take those chances and to offer what I have to those who need it, but more importantly, I hope that I can understand that God has given abundantly to me.  I hope that from this abundance I will share and spill over.  By that I mean, I hope I will allow Him to let the gifts He’s given overflow into lives around me.