MegaTrip: Memories in Louisville

Part Two in a series chronicling our first big family road trip. 

Who would have thought that the sight of a simple apartment building would bring tears to my eyes, that I would be excited just to walk into a bookstore, or that a chicken sandwich would mean so much. I was full of surprises this day, I guess. 

After two days of driving, we were finally free to feel like we were on vacation. Our conference was a day away, so we spent a day seeing many of the people and places I loved in Louisville.

After a cup of coffee, a little Acts of the Apostle,s and some Huckleberry Finn, we took a simple walk around Southern's campus with Meghan Johnson and her two daughters. Walking the halls, seeing the renovations, and raiding the bookstore. We also saw our host Raymond's new office- a symbol of his new job at the school and departure from the restaurant world. I told Emily stories of fireflies on the big hill, and Raymond told us the strange tale of the Mummy on display in Southern's library (ask us about that one.)

Before driving to lunch with some friends, I suggested to Emily that we drive by our old apartment for a quick look. We have several memories here: a bathroom crumbling from mold, a porch somehow smaller then the hammock in it, and re-purposing an office/guest room to make an office/guest room/nursery. But when we pulled up, it came over me to tell Sarah the story of bringing her home to it in the baby carrier. "Sarah, this is the spot we pulled into on your first car ride, to take you home. Actually, it was that spot right there." That was about as far as I got before the vividness of the memory took over so greatly that I broke down. I don't know if I've ever had a more clear memory of something. People who I didn't know and haven't seen since were shouting for us, Emily's mom had made a sign to welcome her home- I had forgotten how joyful we were. Emily had to ask a few times if these were happy tears, because I just couldn't stop them.

We were about halfway to Chick-Fil-A before I finally did stop. Lunch with the Johnsons and Metcalfs was a treat. It seemed like such a short time since none of us were married, and now there are 5 children between the three of us. I think the most comforting thing about this part of the trip was the ease with which we could pick our conversations right back up.

That evening I got to take Sarah down to Eagle Heights Baptist Church to see our brothers and sisters there, and the into Morton's for a quick visit. Emily and Josiah stayed back to get some rest, but I had a hunch that everyone really wanted to see the little girl who had won their hearts as a baby. Sarah hammed it up with ease.

After talking late into the night with the Johnsons again, we headed to bed and did our best to rest up for the conference. It was a conference about Adoption in the church, and we slept wondering how God would lead our family and our church when it came to the growing Christian adoption movement.

Farewell to Morton's

Thursday Emily and I had the chance to visit Morton's one last time- and take advantage of our last complimentary dinner.  We found that watching my now former co-workers do what they do best was the best possible way to say farewell.  

For nearly five years I waited tables at their Louisville restaurant, learning much from a company that is particular about everything.  At Morton's everything has to be done just so, and it has to be done very well- a standard that anyone would benefit from being held to for five years.  As a result, they saw local business rise during a recession, filling some of the gap left by sharply declining convention business.  They are the number one diner-rated special occasion restaurant in Louisville, and it's because of the good work they let me be a part of.  

God used Morton's to allow me to work for a rural church for three years, one that couldn't have otherwise afforded me a livable salary.  He used Morton's to allow me to graduate seminary and start our marriage with savings instead of debt- something almost no one in seminary gets to do.  Through it I was allowed to bring the Good News of Jesus to so many lost co-workers, bear a testimony of wise work to all who watched us, and find good jobs for many other seminary students.  They are just a company, run by lost executives, but they work hard and they work well.  And God uses that.  

But He didn't just use them to provide for me- he taught me through them.  I work better at everything I do because they have raised my standard of meticulousness.  I better understand the feast awaiting believers, provided by God himself, because I've gone in five times and eaten Morton's feast on their dime.  Why can I learn such important life lessons from a non-Christian company?  Because it is run by humans who are made in the image of God.  When they run things well, they image Christ- who is at the same time the ultimate human and the very God they are rebelling against- and they don't even know it.  

Now we sit with our bellies still full from last week's feast and our thoughts filled with memories, but then all we could do was enjoy ourselves.  It wasn't a time for bittersweet tears.  Now, however, that time is here.  I will miss these people dearly.  Oh, how I want them to hear and perceive the truths God has made plain to us.  How I wish God would use the Christians who are still among them, many of whom I introduced to the company, to bring the Gospel to them.  He is full of grace, and I have watched Him work there in the past.  May He continue to.  

But now we move on, and we say farewell.  Thank you for five good years, Morton's.  May all of you taste of the better feast.