I Believe He'll Make a Way

Money... why does everything have to cost so much money? For those who weren't aware, I'm graduating from Lipscomb in May. Due to some complications, I'm just now getting officially signed up for everything (I've never graduated from college before, so there were things I had to figure out on my own about getting officially prepared for graduation). Well, I just got slapped with a $195 "graduation fee." I understand that there are things that have to be handled financially, it just came as a surprise. So into my savings I must go. For me right now, that's a big chunk of change. Saving for this trip isn't going to be a piece of cake by any means. But I'm praying about it and practicing my faith. I believe He'll make a way. Whether I have to end up doing some odd jobs at the beginning of Summer, trying to sell stuff on eBay... whatever needs to happen, by the grace of God I'm going to try my best to make it happen. So... anyone who reads this, if you need help with anything starting in May, I'm your man (and Jennifer, I still owe you some yard work, so I'm not talking to you)!

I've given this some thought, but know that it may just have to wait until closer to time... but since I've got this blog, I'm going to throw it out there for anyone interested:

We've kind of been planning on taking my Grandmother's car (it gets GREAT gas mileage), but we haven't really asked her yet because she is very particular about it. She did let Jesse, Daniel, Kevin, and me borrow it for last year's Packers Family Night trip... about 1,200 miles total. But this trip is a little different... well, about 5,300 miles different. We're actually going to have to change the oil a few times on this trip. We need a very dependable vehicle and Grandma's car would be perfect, but she would be a nervous wreck for two weeks. So, here's what I'm getting at: if anyone has any suggestions or would be willing to let us borrow a dependable vehicle for 6,000+ miles in the middle of the Summer, please let me know (that's not asking much right? -sarcasm, yes). Other than my Grandma's car, we have direct access to no other dependable vehicles. So I'm gonna hit up my friends! If anyone would be willing to help, we would gladly take it. Renting a car isn't really feasible (it would cost a small fortune for us), but we would be willing to pay someone a bit if we could borrow a vehicle. Just getting the word out for some to think about. As big of a trip as this is, I know we're going to need the help and support of friends! Thanks ahead of time everyone for any help in making this dream trip come true!

A Long Link for a Long Trip

This is it. Here's the Google Maps link for what I've got planned. I could have made a shorter link, but that would have taken something away from it. It's a super long trip. It deserves a super long link.

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=2745+Heights+Cir+Dr+%4036.451442,-86.717678&daddr=Sioux+Falls,+SD+to:44.46842,-110.06699+to:Bozeman,+MT+to:Seattle,+WA+to:48.05496,-124.34156+to:44.27624,-124.11306+to:Eureka,+CA+to:38.62862,-123.38432+to:San+Francisco,+California+to:35.85998,-121.4244+to:34.14505,-118.21926+to:Las+Vegas,+NV+to:35.9674,-112.12926+to:36.92706,-109.18619+to:36.9990904,-109.0453034+to:Denver,+CO+to:37.38353,-102.54785+to:37.12219,-101.62781+to:35.32374,-101.66376+to:Garland+Rd+to:2745+Heights+Circle+Dr.,+Greenbrier,+TN+37073&hl=en&ll=44.762337,-119.94873&spn=8.47023,21.643066&sll=37.002553,-101.513672&sspn=9.522466,21.643066&geocode=FXI0LAIdEsvU-g%3BFReFmAIdWXg8-inXrL3gmLSOhzHP_LKoOv-V3g%3BFcSIpgId0oJw-Sk9lvTMCgtOUzEGyGIreYktkw%3BFQQTuQId_YBh-SkTiLpPTERFUzGqYDv3ZND1Yw%3BFcJp1gIdWVy1-ClVM-iTLBCQVDGa1URpRmUlEA%3BFbBC3QIdyLKW-CmZaOJ_JYqOVDEBpiSgcEWEOA%3BFRCaowIdXC-a-ClJ4OFWa5PBVDGJvODBptH71g%3BFReXbgIdp2mZ-CmnTv_mg__TVDGVBim4ZgeGKg%3BFQxtTQIdAE6l-CkpQXa0VrSGgDGAXIaOQPhsmQ%3BFVJmQAIdKAe0-CkhAGkAbZqFgDH_rXbwZxNQSg%3BFQwuIwId8DXD-Cl7JQLAIL2SgDE15JF6r5_XxQ%3BFRoDCQIdBB70-CnRhbvZccHCgDH5dXuOHSQZ3w%3BFdYQJwIdMJoi-SnRffWkgre-gDGjebPV5tXMOg%3BFajRJAIdFAtR-SlDNHIZ8BszhzEqfwj-heLjmw%3BFVR2MwIdcvN9-SkJnJMscRg6hzEXZaeceLbMPA%3BFbKPNAIdyRmA-Smtt3HN0iU6hzHKFh9qEwpjwg%3BFRJfXgIdgQ---SnPFx8jqoBrhzHWNoon-PSOEQ%3BFWptOgIddj7j-SmjnNaxjeMOhzEOumLyVkjKvQ%3BFY5wNgIdXkjx-SlVQ0bdkesIhzHoqG41ax8WpQ%3BFVz_GgId8Lvw-SndiBvYHzUBhzGnAZuqQzlXWg%3BFfB89QEdNO88-g%3BFXI0LAIdEsvU-ilF48hJQU5kiDG_TgiZXfXahQ&mra=mrv&via=2,5,6,8,10,11,13,14,15,17,18,19&t=m&z=6

Pocket of Change

Each time I'm able to put a little money back for the trip I feel more and more like this thing is within my reach. That makes me think of the Jason Aldean song Not Every Man Lives... "Have you ever chased a dream too high to reach for and pulled it in..." I'm pullin this dream in slowly but surely. "...Take everything one lifetime has to give," and I'm doing that with this trip. Of course, this is just one stop along the way in my lifetime, but it's a stop well worth the time.

Nothing to Say

I don't have anything to say right now, I'm just thinking about the trip...

Crater Lake and Friends

Bro. Randy was talking to Jesse, Keith, and me the other night about Crater Lake in Oregon. After hearing just  some of his description, I knew we had another destination to add to this trip. This is the kind of trip that allows for that. We wanna go here... well shoot, we're doin it. And yes, right now the plan is for Jesse, Keith, and me to go on this trip, and I couldn't ask for better travelling buddies. I knew going into this thing that I would basically be living with a couple of friends for 2 full weeks, so having just the right combination of personalities was pretty important. No matter who you're with, after a while, personalities will occasionally clash. Going with Jesse and Keith will minimize that as much as possible. And it's not that I don't love my other friends or that I don't think it'd work with anyone else (because I'd love to do this trip with some other friends too), but I've already lived with Jesse my whole life, and for the past year, Jesse's lived with Keith at Austin Peay. Us being around each other for long periods of time is not a problem at all - it's what we're used to. Heck, I don't really expect any problems, I'm just trying to be as prepared as possible since it's going to be such a long trip.