Old and New Friends

Tuesday June 18, 2013 Location K to L Norman, Oklahoma to Cartersville, Missouri
then Cartersville to Fayetteville, Arkansas Point M Day 12

We took our time to check out from the hotel in Norman this morning to get some more much needed rest before heading out on to I-35 North to Missouri. We passed the Home of Toby Keith sign and the roadside view of the tornado destruction in Moore after Oklahoma City. We all agree that any photograph taken does not come close to describing, depicting or representing the devastation suffered by the people who survive tornadoes of these magnitudes. Or any magnitude, for that matter.

Oklahoma was rolling hill country the whole way into Missouri. I drove so Lesa could do some writing on her laptop. Every three miles or so, a sign would pop up to remind drivers DO NOT DRIVE INTO SMOKE, as if we forgot not to do that the last 50 times the sign appeared.

We never saw any smoke. Evidence of previous wildfires scarred the otherwise beautiful landscape. Acre after acre of scarred dead trees stood like a monument to careless cigarette tossing or random lightening strikes, kindling after the three year drought. There has been no shortage of rain this year. 

We exited the Turnpike at Vinita, Oklahoma. No signs indicated we would be driving on the infamous Historic Route 66 to find bathrooms and lunch. We ended up choosing a dive diner beckoning us with its oversized EAT sign. The food was both plentiful and flavorful. It was featured on one of those Food Network shows and had been voted best in the nation for Chicken and Stuffing, which I opted for and enjoyed.

It never ceases to amaze me how our Daddy God cares about what we care about. It's the little things that bring us such pleasure. I got excited about all the Echinacea Purpurea (purple coneflower) growing wild along the road. 

And the opportunity to go see American art for free on the way to our next stop.

Missy and Mary got excited about the Route 66 thing. 

Lesa was jazzed up by the Food Network featured diner. Its the little things that make big and lasting impressions.

We rolled into Carterville about an hour before our pre-arranged meeting time with several women from that area. We stayed with a couple I have known for twenty years or so from Virginia Beach.They ended up here to take care of an aging parent. 

Alita was so excited to have us come, she has been making arrangements and planning for two months, as soon as she knew for sure we were coming. She replaced all her towels, and bought more to make sure we had enough. She bought new linens in Egyptian Cotten (high thread count, the very soft kind), new pillows for each of us, new bed spread cover, pillow shams, pillow cases, new shower curtain liner, provided a basket full of personal hygiene products, stream cleaned the carpets, scrubbed her home top to bottom, and made sure we felt at home. I swear, if she had a red carpet, she would have thrown it out for us too.

 “Is anyone on your team allergic to cats?” she asked again and again. I assured her and reassured her that, no, none of us are allergic to cats. She wanted to make sure that the cat hair would not bother us, and went ahead and steam cleaned the carpets anyway, covered the bed with a plastic sheet to keep the unwanted cat hair from bothering us anyway. Her concern was unwarranted but we welcomed her heart of hospitality and love and honored her for her thoughtfulness, going above and beyond, even after I told her over and over,”You don't need to go through all that trouble for us. Keep it simple. We are happy to come as it is.” She did not hear any of that and made sure we were comfortable and felt at home. The team really loved meeting Alita and enjoyed her sweet nature and kindnesses.

She rented a room next to Papa John's Pizza for us to meet in. She asked us what we wanted to eat. We said we would share a cheese pizza. And She bought each person their own pizza. Plus one extra. She provided bottled drinks, and purchased table covers for each table to make it look nicer for us. Again, above and beyond what was needed, expected or imagined. 

Alita gathered a group of wonderful women. Ina, Wilda, Ginger, Judy. Two were married for nearly 50 years, one a foster mother to 13 children, one a faithful Bible teacher and educator, one a former semi truck driver through Colorado to the south, over a route packing explosives on the most treacherous roadways in America.. She is a risk taker, adventurer. A knitter, sewer and crocheter.And in spite of her years, intended to learn how to ride a Harley one day. Each one of these women inspired us all in their own unique ways. Lesa encouraged them and read a passage from Galatians to them out of The Message version.It was a perfect passage of Scripture to read them.

We each prayed over each one and encouraged them all. The evening ended way too soon even though we had two hours together which was extended twice to make three hours in all.

We returned to Dic and Alita's home and talked until past midnight before we all called it a night.


Day 12 We ate breakfast together at a diner in Webb City, and again, enjoyed plentiful amounts of tasty victuals.

A stranger walking into the diner, as we were walking out, started up a friendly conversation with us and recommended a couple places to stop in Arkansas since we had an hour or two extra before our next planned meeting. He recommended Crystal Bridge in Bentonville, Arkansas, an American Museum of Fine Art donated by the Walton Family of Wal-Mart Fame.

We left Alita and Dic after taking Communion together and praying over them individually and as a couple as well. I could see they were both moved and inspired by our visit and did not want us to go.

We drove on to Bentonville, Arkansas, ran over a poor turtle and saw the fine art before meeting Jennifer, a friend Lesa met at a SOZO Retreat on the Outer Banks. We met her at Bliss, a cupcake shop in Fayetteville. We listened to her story, lived in her dreams, got inspired by her hopes and prayed for her, encouraged her and loved her.

Then we made our way to Little Rock, our overnight lodging place after we ate dinner.

And joked all day about the poor turtle, who did not stand a chance against our tires.

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Memphis bound tomorrow. Good night.