Last day in Louisville

My last day in Louisville.  I feel bittersweet about leaving.  The city is ok, but I have found the people to be wonderful.  When I first came, I encountered lots of insider only groups.  It was hard to make any friends.  Then, it seemed after I started attending Kenwood Heights Christian Church, friendships started to grow.  I was included in the group on the bus to and from work.  I was getting closer with the people at work.  The friendships at the church grew the quickest.  Of all the things I will miss from Louisville will be the people I have made friends with over the years.  Louisville is the only city I have lived in that I have made more friends in.  That is why I needed to blog this trip.  Too many friends to keep track of.  What a wonderful problem.

I gave up my keys to the apartment after church.  I don't remember how many times I have done this but this time it is different the rest.  A melancholy settled over me.  I certainly won't miss the heat of the summer or the biting mosquitoes.  I'm wondering if the difference is that I don't have a new place in mind, but a journey.  I won't be settling down in a new city, in a new apartment, making new friends like I have done in the past. 

Yesterday I finished packing the trailer with my belongings.  Yes, I do have too many boxes.  I also got a sense that I didn't fully obey God in letting go of my belongings.  I know I have insecurities about the future after the bike trip.  Will my belongings be a thorn in my side?  (see Judges 2). 

I was able to say good bye to a bus friend, Eddie Smith.  I dropped off some of the left over food to his house.  It was great to see him and his wife, Carla. 

I went to visit my ex-boss' family, the Sapps.  Aimee, her husband, Deuce, have four children.  Aimee invited me over for dinner and to say good bye.  It was a relaxing evening after a hard day.  The interesting part of the day was spending time with Roman, the only boy, playing Angry Birds Space.  I had played many of the levels in Hawaii on my brother's Ipad.  Now, I was able to teach the levels to Roman.  Interesting that God allows our playtime to eventually teach others to play. :) 

The time spent at the Beards has been an extra blessing.  It is a peaceful home, bathed in prayer and the Spirit.  A refugee at the end of a hard day.  I was able to share the movie The Way with the Beards.  Watching the movie again helped me regain some focus on the journey or journeys that I will be taking. 

This evening will be spent with Randy Beard changing the tire of the trailer.  He noticed on the first day that the tire didn't look right.  God definitely was pointing out a potential problem.  The drive to WI would be very different if Randy didn't notice the tire. 

Tomorrow, I will be driving away from Louisville.  For the last time, who knows? 

To all the friends I have made over the years here in Louisville, thanks for being a friend to a wandering soul.