Oregon

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Here we are at the end of the Oregon trail! Can I just say again, “America is beautiful!” Snow-capped mountains, fields of green, budding trees, clean air. Aaaah. We spent a night with another couple of friends who make frequent trips to China to encourage and serve. It has been such fun to see friends whom we've met on the far side of the Pacific in their America-homes on this side of the Pacific! It has also been great to make these stops to visit, and have a home-cooked meal and a warm bed. Our friends treated us to a walk across the road to a grassy playground and walk around their small town. Coming from a major metropolis in China, a small-town walking tour is a delight! The stream running through town is home to salmon who return here to spawn in the fall.

The next morning the men worked on the car. We had lost one of the cylinders again in Northern California. By God's perfect timing a friend of our friend came by to help and he realized that a spark plug problem we've been having was the same one his brothers had on his 1990 Ford F150 some time ago. Ford even issued a service bulletin on the problem, which has to do with the number 7 & 8 spark plug wires being too close to one another cause thus causing the number 7 wire to trigger an additional spark out of number 8. Sound like some great sermon material for the preachers out there. Perhaps something about the Church and how we can exhort and encourage each other to live extra-ordinary for Christ! Or maybe how when we try to mimic others without the strength of Christ and His Holy Spirit how we will burn out just like our spark plug … I can think of a few more … but now back to my wife 😉

We drove in typical northwestern rain from Oregon to Washington. But God was so kind to us: when we stopped at Multnomah falls along the way, the rain suddenly stopped, the sun came out and we enjoyed a beautiful walk around this lush area and falls. Soon after we got back on the road the clouds rolled back in and it continued to rain.

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Comments

[Aunt Nancy]

Enjoying your Blog
Hi We were at your mom's for Easter, had a nice day there, I said to your mom, that reading your blogs was really nice and it sounded like your really enjoying your trip. The USA is a beautiful area, there is so much to see, I think you could cross the country a dozen times and not see everything. The trips Uncle Al and I have taken on the motorcycle will remain with me for the rest of my life, it's just like reliving our trips when I read your blogs about the things you are seeing. We hope when you return to your mom's that we will be able to come down and see you all, looking forward to hearing all your stories. Take care and safe journey. Love, Aunt Nancy

[MomE]

Marvelous
I'm marveling at God's goodness as He's blessed you with weather by His grace, fabulous and helpful friends who have added flavor to your visits by helping you to experience a little of their hometowns, and patch-up jobs on your trusty rolling "home". I've taken your advice and am absorbing Phillipians 4:6&7 desiring to continue to manage the details of the next weeks!

[Pop Pop]

Amazing, Grace
I love the photos...even the one of the fouled plug...heh, heh. Glad you had Micah, your master mechanic, along. Am trusting the one true Master to bring you safely back east...eventually!