the 45th week

the Youghiogheny River

Monday. I biked to and from The Anchor and worked until 5:30 with the twins in Norwood. I headed straight down to Winton Ridge from there, and the Gang got together to celebrate Blake’s birthday: John cooked hot dogs and hamburgers, Traci made her vodka drinks, I sipped a bottle of wine, and we played video games, got a little buzzed, and fellowshipped. I honestly feel kinda weird calling it that, but that’s what it is: the gathering of friends to celebrate. When I’m feeling down, I remind myself that I have some of the best friends and family in the world, and those blessings are the sort of which you don’t know their value until they’re taken away. 

Tuesday. I went exploring at the McCullough Nature Preserve in Norwood before my 2-7:00 with Ben. We made a trip to the library and to UDF, and we picked up Firehouse Subs for dinner. We watched The Town (the one with Ben Affleck and set in Charlestown; Bunker Hill gets a few cameos!), and I fixed us banana splits topped with a Krispy Kreme glazed donut. His dad picked him up early, so I spent the evening at the Hobbit Hole watching Ancient Aliens and laughing my ass off. My favorite episode yet: “Dinosaurs & Aliens.” A paraphrase: “Scientists postulate that the dinosaur extinction may have been orchestrated by ancient aliens to pave the way for the Human Project.” You can see why I’m laughing. 

Wednesday. I went to The Anchor and cleaned the Hobbit Hole before my shift with Aaron: we went to La’Rosa’s for lunch and went fishing in the pond for a little while. I wasn't able to meet with him last Saturday, and I'll be gone in Pennsylvania all weekend. When I told his mom this yesterday, Aaron had a fit. "He loves you so much, he's always just talking about how much he can't wait to see you. He idolizes you, and whenever you can't come, he takes it personally." I felt bad, so I cancelled my afternoon hiking plans at East Fork Lake and spent the afternoon with him instead. Ams came over this evening, and she fixed dinner out of my pantry and we watched The Land of the Lost. 

Thursday. I went to The Anchor for coffee and scripture before working one hour at Ridgecrest, preparing Ben for the Jewish New Year by clothing him in garments far more fashionable than any that I own. I spent my afternoon cleaning at the Hobbit Hole, had Subway for lunch, and watched the 1970s film Patton (a good companion to An Army at Dawn). I packed my bags for vacation and timed the "packing procedure": three minutes and seventeen seconds. I headed up to Mason to visit Tyler, but he had to cancel: Julia’s sister’s boyfriend was killed downtown in a motorcycling accident. At this point I pretty much think motorcycles are of the devil. Thus I spent my evening at Mom & Dad’s, hanging out with Sky and reading David Platt’s Follow Me on the front porch. 

Friday. Dad and I headed east in the morning, stopping in Wheeling, West Virginia for a lunch of fried fish and Chimay beer. He endured my tirade on the pioneer history of Wheeling as we continued on to Pittsburgh. We drove through the Fort Pitt Tunnel and across the Fort Pitt bridge, and we parked downtown and went to the Fort Pitt Museum and explored Point State Park and stood within the ramparts of the now-demolished Fort Duquesne. Rush Hour traffic slowed our departure to the cabin along the Youghiogheny River, and once we unpacked we went on a leisurely dusk bike-ride around the campgrounds before building a fire, drinking Blue Moons, and talking early American history, discipleship in the church, and the unexpected rhythms of life. 

Saturday. I woke around 7:30 and took a prayer walk down by the River before reading some Follow Me around the smoldering campfire from last night. Dad fixed bacon and eggs on a skillet over the grill (the cabin lacks a stove), and we enjoyed the cool morning before heading to Fort Necessity National Battlefield, visiting Braddock’s Grave, and exploring Jumonville Glen. We grabbed lunch at a Pub & Grill in Connellsville on our way back to the cabin. I spent the afternoon reading Follow Me down by the river (“Were you in a van?” Dad asked), and then we made a fire and grilled brats paired with a pilaf of seven whole grains and drank beers around the campfire.

Sunday. I went down by the smoky River to pray and read scripture before Dad and I went on a long bike ride up and down the Youghiogheny. We packed up our things and headed back home, swinging by Cabela's in Wheeling to enjoy some Elk burgers. We parted ways in Dayton, and I drove down to the Hobbit Hole and relaxed by watching movies. Sarah came over later in the evening, and we lit oil lanterns and sat in the quiet and talked about all the things that God has been teaching us over the years. She and I always have really good conversations on faith & spirituality. On that note, all weekend I have been reading (and finished in the car drive home) David Platt's Follow Me. He has a great chapter on what it means to be adopted by God, and the Christian doctrine of adoption is one of the most beautiful realities of the Christian faith--and also one of the hardest to embrace. Sitting on the water-polished rocks down by the River, I prayed that God would help me see Him not as a stingy Master but as a loving Father. While at Cabela's Dad bought a pair of hiking shoes for himself; he only goes to Cabela about once a year to get a pair. When we got back to the car, he looked down at my shitty, dirt-stained, and sand-filled tennis shoes, ragged and worn from years of use. "If you'll give me the shoes you have on," he said, "I'll give you this new pair I just bought." I accepted the transaction, of course, and when we parted ways at the House in Dayton, I headed back to Cincinnati thinking about how that's a great representation of the gospel: God takes our dirt and grime upon Himself and gives us that which we didn't pay for nor deserve. As I drove, I was just overwhelmed with gratitude for having a father who models our Father.