Day 3 ~ South Coast Rock Tour

South Coast Rock Tour
~ Day 3 ~

HotSpot Vision…Little Rock, Arkansas…Breaking in new shoes…Stella.

Hi friends! I just crossed the Texas border and am currently at the Big Texas Welcome Center Rest Stop. While it would be more sequential to write at night about that specific day, I’m finding it easier to write a day or two after. Yesterday wasn’t super busy, but it was beautiful. 

Woke up totally discombobulated. Laid in my sleeping bag for about 30min as my mind was racing, yet due to the grogginess, the race track was full of 90 degree turns, pit stops, and pot holes. With a final lap, I pulled myself out of my twisted sleeping bag and sat upright only to see two large white painting vans parked right in front of me with the guys sitting in the front seats smoking cigarettes. I saw them and they certainly saw me for the look on their faces was priceless. Gave them the farmer wave like “Hey, how ya doing?” and one guy gave me a slowly raised hand, but more out of awkwardness than a hello. Lit up my own morning cigarette after crawling into the driver’s seat of Tumbler and backed up into the next parking isle because the painting dudes were slightly encroaching my personal space. 

So the Sprint HotSpot device I had activated back in Woodstock was working fine before leaving, but it came down with a debilitating flu on day 1 and it wasn’t looking like it would recover any time soon. If not for promising some people that “day posts” would be written on this journey, I probably would have tossed the device and hid my laptop in one of the bins full of rocks in the back of my truck. Internet was needed, and in order to not have a daily membership at various Starbucks, the acquisition of another hotspot was the first thing I needed to do today. Hey, I’m at Walmart… might as well go brush my teeth and head to the electronic department. A lady named Joy was seen there. Didn’t spend a whole lot of time with her, but she was everything that her name indicates. We talked about internet devices and although they didn’t carry such a device, there were several opportunities to compliment her on her physical beauty as well as a particular fragrance that was not earthly. Joy had the joy of the Lord. Not having any rocks on me, I gave her a hug and was going to go back to the truck to get rock for her, but a text message changed my mind’s trajectory. It was a “Happy Birthday Katie” from my friend Don. I had totally forgot it was Dec 29th. Calls and texts started rolling in and while grateful for the love, today was just a gift of another day. Big air fist pump to each of you who took the time to post, text and call in love and encouragement. Love all of you so much.
The next stop was to Best Buy, as Joy had said they would have what was needed. Jeepers, this next part of the day could take a lengthy paragraph to relay all that unfolded, but will try to give cliff notes. Waited in line for about 10min till tech person was available. I’m going to name her Shawna, for I honestly couldn’t pronounce her name, let alone spell it. It was unique… as she was too. The first part of our lengthy time together was spent picking out a hotspot and Shawna trying to explain the details to non-tech-savvy farm girl. She was very patient to my plethora of primitive questions. As she started activating the device, the conversation took a deep dive into a more substantial question…”What are you passionate about that you have yet to pursue?” I asked. Shawna looked up at me with one eye slightly squinting more than the other. Her response after a long pause was amazing… and thought out, as if having been waiting to voiced for quite some time. Shawna has always wanted to open a Women’s Shelter for those battered or emotionally bruised. The hotspot still in her hand, but no longer being activated rather just flipped from one side to the other, Shawna poured out this pent-up vision to me for the next 5min. It was beautiful and we could have been at a coffee shop instead of the tech table. She shared. I listened. Only when she took a deep breath and looked down at the hotspot still in her hand, did Shawna go back to “tech mode.” Processing her words spoken, I let her finish the activation and transaction. I then felt led to share Habakuk 2:2-3 with her. Look these verses up yourselves ‘cause they are powerful, but in a nutshell, it’s about writing out your vision. I told Shawna that we don’t use stone tablets in this day and age, but a simple cardboard construction board would suffice. She loved this idea and said she would do it New Year’s Eve. We high fived each other and this turned some heads of other customers and tech personnel for it was a really loud one. Shawna bagged up my things as I reached into my purse (had been intentional to put some rocks in it after not having any for Joy in Walmart). The rock pulled was “Have Courage.” Setting in on the table, Shawna looked at it then picked it up with both her hands as if a toddler trying to pick up a caterpillar…. Which is metaphorical, for Shawna was like an already beautiful caterpillar with a future of being a butterfly soaring on the winds of a vision that will come to fruition. I just believe it for her and hope Shawna holds onto that courage to believe it too.
So much for making this post shorter than the last. People are just so cool! Every person has a story. Every person has dreams and visions. Every person has a past as well as navigating the present. Every person is an opportunity to acknowledge them deeper than the name tag they wear or the title they have or the regular person who is standing behind you in line at the grocery store or the person pumping gas next to you. We may not always have the opportunity to have a lengthy conversation with them, but may we all be more vigilant to acknowledge people with a smile, a nod, a hug, or a deeper question. Try it… pretty sure you and I will not be disappointed if we do.
Okay, going to breeze through the afternoon spent in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas. Did a lot of walking… like A LOT! Had gotten some new kicks before I left and they were ones I knew were not going to stay new looking. The few days of walking in them had already scuffed up the sides and the laces have gone from bright white to gray-smudged. They still need to form better to my wide Hansen feet, but today’s afternoon walk-about sped up this slow process. The temperature was in the high 20’s but I still had on the extra layers put on in Memphis. There were a scattering of people walking the streets and dipping in and out of stores and buildings. Wanting to find the library, knowing homeless people tend to congregate there, I saw a cop standing by his patrol car in the distance. He didn’t look happy. Trudging up to him, asked him if he could point me in direction of the library. He threw out a haphazard hand to his left and said “6 blocks up, kid.” Man, did I want to ask him if he was okay and if he needed a hug, but I sensed from his mood that this broad-shouldered man wouldn’t want to share his present pain with a homeless-looking, now 37-year-old, “kid.” Gave him a “Thanks buddy” and onward I walked for those 6 blocks to the left.
The library was unknowingly passed as I wasn’t counting the blocks and ended up walking a full loop of Broadway and the Riverway (the Arkansas River was winding along the downtown area). Must have been over an hour before asking a homeless guy under am overhang where the library was. It was now again 6 blocks away, but finally it was reached. This was a street people handout for sure and I could have stayed a long time here, but felt led to see how the library staff interacted with said people. So, I went “undercover homeless”. Went up to a female librarian and asked her where I could find a women’s shelter to sleep out of the cold tonight. Again, could write in depth about this conversation, but will keep it brief: This lady was super kind and compassionate. She took me to a wall in the library that had a list of shelters and I pointed at “Abba House” (cause I liked the Heavenly Father insinuating name). This librarian took the time to ask me specific questions that were not too personal to make me feel uncomfortable, but personal enough to make me feel important and cared for. She looked up the address on a computer, printed out directions, and when I told her that 3.1 miles was a doable walk, shaking her head, she offered to call Abba House and ask if they could provide transportation for me. While all of this was amazing, it was her eyes that would receive an A+ on the undercover test score. Her eyes were so caring… full of compassion. I only interacted with her for about 15min, but in that time, never did those eyes hold judgement, disdain, or that I was not worthy of her time. When I took the map and piece of paper with the address and phone number of the shelter from her, I thanked her for being so kind and patient, then asked if I could give HER something. She nodded and I plopped down my heavy backpack, reached inside and pulled a “Peace” rock out. When it was placed in her soft hands, her head jolted back. “You trace this?” With a smile, said, “No, Abba guides my hands.” Thanking her again, I walked away, silently thanking God that He had created such a beautiful lady with warm, kind eyes to be so much more than a librarian to the people who walked into this library and needed help from someone who could see past their appearance and who truly cared for their hearts.

Walked a few blocks and saw a guy who had a shoe shining chair set up on the sidewalk. Wanted to hear this man’s story, but wanted to make a rock for him before going over to his spot. Walked back down to the river and found a gnarly cove of rocks that had benches in front of it. Scribed a “Shine” rock in black with white outlining. Thought this would be cool to give to the shoe-shiner. The rocks take time to make and all the squirrels that were bustling around the rocks were also a big distraction cause I love squirrels and their erratic and jerky behavior. My nickname on this summer’s excavation crew was “Squirrel” for they are a combination of ever-happy and sometimes obnoxiously hyper. These crag rock-dwelling squirrels and I shared a blueberry Belvita granola bar together in between letters of the “Shine” rock. When dinner and the rock were finished, I went back to the shoe shiner’s spot… but the guy was gone for the day. Standing in front of the empty chair stand, let out a “Bummer!” out loud. But with my next breath said, “Well God, you already know who this rock was made for.” And the next day, this truth would be revealed. So cool how when things don’t go as planned, it isn’t that they went wrong, rather that they didn’t go as WE had planned… but God’s plan is always bigger and better. Isaiah 55:8-9 says “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” And while many of you may be going through way deeper things than not getting a rock to someone, this verse is a promise that we all can trust and hold with hope that God is faithful to bring purpose to every pain. I sense that there are some of you reading this right now that do not believe that to be true. Even in your unbelief, it still remain to be the truth. God loves you. He wants to be a part of every detail of your day, whether it’s a good day or a painful day. Wow, my heart is hurting for you who are angry at God or don’t believe in Jesus, the only healer of our pain. Sending out a huge cyber hug you, dear one. 

Onward of the day’s experiences, I walked back to Tumbler who had been parked in 12 hours for $8 lot. Knew the 12 hours wouldn’t be needed, but felt like this was the place to park. Boy was this a perfect Holy Spirit set-up! It was 6:30pm and Oklahoma City was in my heart to drive to tonight, but “Day 2” still needed to be written and as ya’ll can already see, these posts tend to be wordy even with the shorthanded versions of daily experiences. Pulling out my laptop and new healthy hotspot device, I started typing with a smile. After an hour, I saw movement by my passenger seat in the now empty parking lot. It was a lady in a wheelchair and she was cruising at a pretty fast speed for an electric legs. Stopping at the passenger window, I could barely see her head, so I got out of my truck and walked around to her, but she had gone the other way and I started laughing as we were playing round robin due to her speed and mine being the same to keep us from missing each other for a couple rounds. Finally yelling “Meet you on the driver’s side!” we connected with smiles on both our faces. Her name was Stella and she was a diabetic who needed the wheelchair due to both of her knees needing replacement. She wanted to know if I could help her get some food. Yes! This was why Tumbler had been parked in this specific lot at this specific time for this specific reason. Opening up the hard top of the truck bed, I grabbed a box of granola bars and the last few of chocolate cookies that had been given to me before I left by some dear friends of mine (shout out to beautiful Kari Shaw and her beloved daughters Hadley and Nora). Stella was very grateful and I put the food in the back pouch of her chair. We talked in that parking lot for a good 20min about how God provides for our daily needs and how our faith can shine brighter when we are going through hard times… it’s easier to praise God when the waters are calm than when the waters are rough, but those around us are witnessed to more fervently when they see our faith remain steadfast in all seasons. Stella was a worshipper for sure! She was quoting Bible verses and I felt like she was feeding me more so than I giving her food. Went inside my truck to get a rock and “Faith” was the perfect word for Stella… a woman of faith in the midst of a long season of struggle.
Stella zoomed off and the writing commenced. It was almost 9pm when Tumbler starting zooming himself down the highway. Drove for 5 hours with only one stop to get gas and leave a rock in the bathroom stall. Kept praying for a rest stop with a bathroom, but the only rest stops were “no facilities” one. My eyes were itchy and red for the last hour and sleep was needed. Pulled off at a gas station slash truck stop that had a swanky casino across the street. This place super sketchy… 2am and the place was bustling with loud muffler cars and dually trucks, people walking around who had their fill on alcohol and drugs, and a police car patrolling the area who was overlooking the normal unlawfulness. I used the bathroom and could hear the other women using their substance of choice in the stalls on either side of me. Memories of myself doing the same thing flooded my groggy mind. If not for the heightened exhaustion, this area was surely a mission field that could have been staying at for days. It was made very clear to me that I was merely to sleep here by the parked semi trucks in the back and then move on. So that is what I did. Tomorrow was another day that would hold much purpose and deep sleep came to prepare me for it. 

Opportunities are ever in front of us.
All we need to do is be willing to see them.
Unshakeable Peace and Purpose
Cling to the Rock
Psalm 18:1-2