We have just returned home from a weeklong trip to visit with thatgrizzle bearded, mule skinner, logger and pastor, the Rural Missourian, Thomas McConnell and his flock at Covenant Reformed Church (CRC) Rayville Missouri. This is the second springtime trip to this part of the country with a view toward finding land in the countryside on which our family can lay down roots and raise future generations. We were welcomed with open arms and warm hospitality by all the members of CRC Rayville and enjoyed lots of good fellowship, food and teaching.

Our family has been enjoying pastor McConnell’s sermons in mp3 format for over a year and we would all attest to the fact that his teaching is very riveting and quite unapologetically biblical. (Thanks Tom for standing firm on God’s Word!) We were excitedly looking forward to attending Sunday services in person.

As you have probably read on Tom’s blog The Rural Missourian, Sunday was lent an extra air of excitement when the second of two buildings to burn to the ground temporarily interrupted the services. Of course my being a professional firefighter ensure a heightened interest on my part as I observed the volunteer fire department from the neighboring town (8 miles and 13 minutes away) show up after the fact for the second time in less than 12 hours. However, even with all this excitement happening, the high point was still fellowshipping with God’s people and hearing His Word preached with holy fervor from a man who obviously loves his Lord and King!

We were blessed as a family to be invited into the homes and lives of most members of the church and enjoyed good food prepared by hands that were serving their Lord and by hearts that had anticipated our coming and had planned accordingly, making us feel very much wanted and at home. Getting to know each one was a great blessing!

Another highlight of the trip was of course getting to know those long eared ballerinas, Sam and Sadie. In fact each one of us were given the reins and allowed to drive the wagon through the beautiful Missouri countryside, while listening to a man who obviously loves his mules and knows them intimately. We were also astutely versed in the colorful and exciting history of the Rayville area during the Civil War, or “War of Northern Aggression” as it is locally known! Mr. McConnell even spent an afternoon giving Tyler hands on experience in caring for, harnessing and driving a mule team through the beautiful Crooked River Valley – an immense treat for my eldest son who greatly desires to use horse power on his own farm some day!

On our return trip we drove through 100 miles of blizzard and extremely slick roads in Wyoming. At 2:00 AM there was a serious accident which happened just in front of us involving two semi trucks which destroyed one tractor though no one was seriously hurt. There were other minor accidents as trucks attempted to stop on the ice. We had to drive into the dirt on the edge of the freeway in order to get traction to stop ourselves. The ambulance, one fire department engine company and a haz-mat team were called to the scene delaying us for three hours with over a hundred other semis and other vehicles while debris was cleared from the roadway. We are very thankful to our Lord for his mercies to us! Although we spent 25 hours strait traveling home, with all the excitement during the middle of the night, I had no trouble staying awake! We arrived home at 10:00 in the morning andspent the remainder of the day unpacking, cleaning up and spending time with the animals. After staying awake for the better part of 40 hours, it was very good to fall into our own bed!

As Dorothy said in The Wizzard of OZ - “There’s no place like home!” click, click “There’s no place like home!” click, click

Allen