SLICE OF LIFE

Summer 1985-
I have been teaching about five years.
In my "spare" time
I volunteer with Young Life,
a Christian organization
that works with high school.
The area director is from the Pacific Northwest
He has been to the Malibu Club
eight hours north of Vancouver
on the Princess Louise Inlet
many times
decides we should take a group of kids 
We head north early one morning
 two vanloads of kids
one pulling a luggage trailer
three drivers
we are planning to switch off
every few hours
until one woman announces,
"I really don't like long distance driving,"
and so two of us drive
twenty-five hours each way.
Two hours north of Denver
a lady runs a red light
bashes into the luggage trailer
destroys the back axle
I leave John with a few of the guys
and continue northward.
We miss a turn and make a two hour detour. 
He finally catches up with me in Seattle.
The kids have a great week
and pretty soon we forget
how hard the drive has been.

Summer 2014
Thirty years later.
I have been a teacher,
a graduate student
and a mom.
Now I am back to Young Life.
On Thursday, I leave for six days
of camp in California
We were going to ride a bus
but we have too many kids
(a really good problem!)
so early Thursday morning
I will load up a rental van
with five sixth grade girls
and we will head out for San Diego
Twenty hours of driving
Just me and my crew
The girls will see the beach
probably for the first time ever
then spend six amazing days at camp
Next Thursday
I will drive us home
Keep us in your prayers!