Dear Huck,
Its me….pre-adventure Huck. I wanted to write you this letter so you would remember the stress, the sleepless nights, the worries and the guilt you felt right before your trip. You don’t remember them now because, well that is just the way those sorts of hard times* go. One day you feel like there is this insurmountable challenge and the next there is another insurmountable challenge which takes your attention away from the previous challenge you surmounted (I did not think that was a real word, but it is!!). So this is your friendly reminder to look back and remember one of the low points (honestly, I’m doing you a favor).
We do not have a renter yet…we have some prospects but nothing for sure yet. Lots of folks that want pieces and parts of the 6 months but we’d really like someone to rent for the whole 6 months if possible. The truck has had some issues…we’re praying we have a reliable and safe vehicle. We have not been able to take a test run with the setup and have no experience pulling such a big beast. We’ll take some driving and parking lessons with our good friend Eric once we get the hitch for the truck. We’ve begun packing up stuff to stash in the basement and to load in the trailer but it feels like such a huge undertaking….where to begin? Our southern destinations are being hammered with tornadoes and blizzards. We are leaving so many friends and family behind. I won’t get to have Friday morning coffee with my brother, we’ll miss our small group, our school friends, church friends and our bible study groups. Is this really healthy for our kids, for our family, for our marriage? These are just a few of the things I lay awake in bed worrying about. Oh, and while writing this I got an email from a tenant with minor toilet and furnace issues…I needed just a little bit more on my plate!
So, drop me a line, future Huck, and let me know how small and trivial all these issues were. How they were nothing compared to the real issues you encountered (and overcame). Tell me how your prayers were answered in surprising, plot twisting ways that blessed your socks off. Explain how much you and your family grew through these experiences and how glad you are that you took the chance on an epic adventure.
Warmest wishes,
Pre-adventure Huck
P.S. Maybe ask the kids to drop me a line too….when they are older…telling me how much they appreciate that they got to be part of such an amazing adventure.
* You and I both know there are REAL problems in this world and we are so thankful to only be faced with these sorts of trivial issues.