Simplify

This is a picture of our home in the repair shop this past spring. Looks small, doesn't it? It's a funny feeling to put your "home" in the garage. We were in the shop for 2 weeks while parts were being ordered and work done on the rig, and the good folks at All Seasons let us live there on site. We had to put in the slides if they were going to use the sides and back of the garage, or disconnect our water hose if they needed the spigot. 

This leads me to some thoughts on simplicity. This virtue became a strong desire of mine in the last years of living in our big, 4 bedroom house. We took in a few relatives, a few mission volunteers, and a few homeless people over the years. (Not all at once!) That was God's will for us those first years of our marriage. When Keith's job came to an end we decided to launch out into the full-time RVer lifestyle. It was difficult but very freeing to dispose of the vast majority of our belongings in order to move into our 5th wheel (a gift from God!) We tried to figure out the minimum of what we needed and that would not violate the weight restrictions of our trailer. Being complete amateurs at RVing, it was all a challenge. 

The first time we set out on the road with Keith driving BigTruk and pulling the 5th wheel, me driving the Focus behind him, my startling thought was, "All my earthly possessions are traveling down the highway!" I have found I do not miss anything I sold or gave away nearly 4 years ago. What I have left is important to me but is not anything I couldn't live without. Every time we set out for a new location I find myself going through the trailer and picking out more things to give or throw away, especially if I haven't used it. Our rule is that if we get something new we have to get rid of something else. I got a new, pretty South Dakota t-shirt so I put an old t-shirt in the give-away pile. We got a new blanket for the bed, with bears all over it, so I parted with other blankets I no longer needed. And so on. Not only does that keep our weight down for traveling, but it also keeps us from becoming attached to "things". Our earthly stuff is all a gift from God, but is never to be a substitute for seeking first His Kingdom. I'll be putting down more of my thoughts on simplicity in my next post.

Girls on Vacation!

The highlight of our summer here at Bear Country was the visit of our 2 daughters and 2 grand daughters from Washington. We waited eagerly for weeks, sent brochures, gave travel advice and talked about what we'd do. The girls finally arrived, pitched their tent beside our RV, and our fun began. The best part was just visiting, but we also saw Mt. Rushmore and attended a church service there just under the noses of the 4 presidents. We toured Custer State Park where we were treated to the fascinating sight of about 200 buffalo on the road. Traffic was nearly at a standstill while we waited for these huge, majestic creatures to meander on their way. I noticed some very nervous motorcyclists ahead of us trying to keep out of the path of the giants! Crazy Horse Monument was next. It's amazing to see what has been done there and what will be done before the monument is completed. The 4 heads on Mt. Rushmore would completely fit into just the head of Crazy Horse. During the girls' stay we also went to Bear Country twice, Old MacDonald's Farm, Fort Hays Chuckwagon Supper and Show, Sitting Bull Crystal Caverns, and Storybook Island. Boy, were we tired! That was a lot of "going" for 2 old coots like us! It all came to an end after 5 days. We parted sadly, the girls setting out on the trip home, and Keith and I back to work. The blessings of happy times with family are about the best treats we can have. Thanks be to God Who invented families!

Our home on wheels!

This is our home on wheels! In this photo we are parked at Happy Holiday RV Park near Rapid City SD. The month is May, hence no leaves on the trees. Right now, in July, we have lots of shade. The park is beautiful and quite full of other RVs. In about 2 weeks we will be overrun with motorcyclists who are attending the huge Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. There will be a loud roar constantly while the cyclists tour through the Black Hills, getting their fill of each other and of the awesome sights in this area. The Rally is quite a phenomenon! There is not much room for regular tourists at this time. Bear Country has 2 or 3 large buses for transporting the cyclists through the park, since they can't ride through the bears and wolves and other animals on their motorcycles! It is a very fascinating time, watching the folks, checking out their rigs and learning where they are from. Some have even come from overseas.