Celebrating the Epiphany of our Lord

Celebrating the Epiphany of our Lord

Introducing Brim Leigh Buchanan - our newest grandchild!

Introducing Brim Leigh Buchanan - our newest grandchild!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Amazing Love! How can it be that you, my Lord, should die for me?

How many times do we say that to ourselves? The hymn by Charles Wesley rings in my ears like life-giving blood. George and I are so grateful for your prayers - they were surely answered in many profound ways. Here's the journey in brief . . . Our departure was delayed for a day as the winter storm descended upon the east coast on Feb. 6th, so we left Sunday morning and oddly enough, Hwy 81 was totally clean and dry and the skies were sunny and warm. We stayed in Philadelphia with friends after they had been hit with 4 ft. of snow, and left early Monday morning, when oddly again, they received 4 more feet of snow as we're crossing the Canadian border.

We stopped at the border ready to 'hang' for a few hours, and they gave both of us our working documents and not a question was asked about the 2 dogs in the front seat or the truck full of stuff. On our way within an hour, we stayed in beautiful Montreal.

Despite the 9 hour driving days again on dry roads, we made it through Baei Comeau, most northern city of Quebec and into Labrador City by Wednesday. We were met by some friends from Happy Valley who came simply to get us over the last 586 kilometers - the infamous Labrador Transcontinental Highway. This is where our Southern naivity showed in abundance.

The highway was snow-covered ice. Short of it is, we spent 3 hours in a snow ditch, but met some really interesting and lovely people passing by. After the 2nd descent into a ditch, 2 French truckers (36 wheels combined) hooked up all of their chains, used their walkie talkies, and pulled us out. The 6 ft. ditches seemed to be a gift, as we could've been in one of the many ravines or cliffs. That nite we stayed in Churchill Falls to regroup, and for George to muster his confidence a bit. Day 2 on this highway, our friends stopped to point out all of the pitfalls (mountainous inclines/declines/plow patterns/ and moose crossings) and drove ahead of us the rest of the way. We saw 2 caribou, a moose, and a silver fox. The many white partridges we saw reminded us of doves; giving us a glimmer of hope along the way.

Overall, God's hand surely was upon us this trip as the skies opened for our passage and then shut behind us, and bringing us an escort across the highway which we wouldn't have made otherwise. I'll post pictures soon, but the highway looks like a sea of white.

We are in our new home now; the manse, the dogs are already climbing snow drifts, and yet it has rained all week. Strange.

George and I covet your prayers. Come to Jesus.
love, us