As I write this article I am still at Village of the Trees RV Resort in Declo, ID.
Before reading this blog, in order to understand this one, you need to read the previous one, or at least the last half where I talk about losing my credit card and finding this campground.
I know from experience over the years that God always has a reason that something happens the way it does, sometimes we get to know what it is, and sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we find out the reason soon, or perhaps a long time later, and often we don’t know. I realized a while ago that life is a play or script and that God is the playwright and I am the actor. God seems to not want to let me know my part until I need to know it, he frequently changes it as the scene unfolds, and that’s okay with me. I try to stay aware and just watch for the miracles along the journey through my life, and also watching it in others lives. My friend Jean frequently tells me that no matter what it was “It couldn’t have happened any other way.”
If you read the previous article you now know that I lost my card, was able for the first time to use a Passport America campground from the book. I joined PA before leaving on my trip because there are thousands of campgrounds around the USA that belong to PA and it gives me half price camping, usually for 1 night, and only Monday-Thursdays. But it was still a way to save money and have a campground book when I needed to find one.
You might remember from early posts that I met these two ladies (Pat and Carol) online that were a great inspiration to me before I started this journey. They each travel around the country in their RVs alone with their pets. One seems to do the southern part of the midwest, and the other the northern parts, and also TX. I had not emailed with them in about 5 weeks, and I had not been checking their blogs since I took so much time when I was working on mine at a MacDonalds, or where ever I could stop.
When I arrived at this campground and they had wi fi, I updated my page with the previous post and uploaded photos. A soft voice in my head told me to send an email to Pat and Carol and tell them where I was headed into Utah and ask what I should be sure not to miss seeing besides what I had already planned such as Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. So I sent the email and did not hear back on Wednesday. Since I had to wait for my new credit card to arrive in the late afternoon, we are the last stop on the route so deliveries are between 4 and 5:30 p.m, I decided to check my email. About noon, I found an email from Pat. She told me she is in Idaho at Lake Walcott off of I-84, about 200 miles north of Salt Lake City. I knew I was north of Salt Lake City, but didn’t know how far, and I was off I-84 too, in fact, I can see and hear it from my campsite. She told me if I am anywhere nearby and want to come there, I can.
I got out my map and looked along I-84 and found Lake Walcott, then when I looked to see what town it was near, guess what??? That’s correct, it’s about a 20 minute drive from where I am. How about that!!! I sent her an email and told here I would be there Thursday afternoon after my credit card arrived. She said she would reserve a campsite for me since there are only 23 of them in that campground. It seems that this weekend, there are several available sites. Next weekend, it’s booked up and there are none. How about that for timing. Also, it turns out that Pat is the campground host and she is saving the space next to her for me. Well, UPS came about 4:10 p.m. on Thursday and there was no envelope for me. I called Chase and they checked with UPS and it seems that there was a sorting error in Salt Lake City and my package was not sent to the correct facility, so it will be delivered today, Friday. I sent Pat an email telling her and she is still saving my space. Since I have to stay here for another day until it comes late today, it gives me an opportunity to post this blog telling you why I lost my credit card, or at least why I think I did. I also was able to take a shower and wash my hair today which is also a great treat since I don’t always find showers at campgrounds.
Now, if I had not lost my credit card and found out as soon as I had, nor contacted the credit card company for a replacement, and found a campground nearby that had wi fi, and where I could get a package sent to me, and listened to the voice that told me to send an email to Pat and Carol, my trip would have been different. I’m sure still interesting, but this way, I am going to get to meet Pat and exchange stories in person, find out some great places to visit and like me, Pat is a Texan.
If the timing of any events was different, I would not be connecting with Pat. If I had not lost my credit card and had to wait for a new one, I would have left City of Rocks and headed east to a different state park towards Pocetello, then south into Utah. I would not have found this campground that had wi fi, so I would have most probably not had Internet connection until next week. I would not have been able to check email and send one to Pat and Carol, and would not have known that Pat was close to where I was until I was a long way away. If I connected with her by email later we would have found out that we were close to each other weeks ago and missed the opportunity to meet. So once again, Gods timing is perfect!!! I have a small clock at home that says that phrase. The batteries have long since run out and I leave it that way. Twice a day the clock is correct and it’s just fine.
I could not have planned the way this has worked out. All I did is the next right thing, took care of my business the best I could, and left the results up to God. I do wish the credit card came yesterday, but I am okay with it not happening. I learned more about patience, and just spending time resting which did my body some good. I have not hurt in 2 days now, and I am getting to update this story and let you know the latest happenings. I also cooked myself breakfast, and I’m sitting under a tree at a picnic table writing this story. What a blessed life I have!!!
Before I left home, my mom and others kept asking me what will I do if something happens on my trip. I told them that I would handle it the best way I can. So far, it’s all worked out okay. Repairs were made at the right times, and when my fridge was out for 2 1/2 weeks it was during a time when I didn’t need it anyway, and I could get it fixed near where I was a which was a long way from where I was when it went out, and now the events with the credit card. I can tell that God is working in my journey, I see it all the time.
Since I have been at this campground, a few times a day one squirel comes to my campspot to say hi. Yesterday it came when I was eating nachos for lunch and I gave it some of the tortilla chips which it really enjoyed. It took a chip, ran under the camper to eat it and then came back for another one, this happened several times. When Don and I lived in Texas we used to have bird and squirel feeders, and we also put them out just before he died. Whenever I see squirels I think of him, and since I have left on this trip, I have felt his spirit with me, along with some others.
Hopefully, about 4 or so this afternoon, my credit card will arrive and I will be on my way to Lake Walcott State Park for the weekend. When I get Internet again, probably sometime next week, I will let you know about my visit with Pat and post photos from the weekend.
PS: After I finished typing this story, I checked my email, and there was one from Pat. She informed me that she mentioned to the park ranger that she had a friend coming for the weekend, and he insisted that I have campsite #18 with electric and water hookups for free until Monday morning. They put a reserved sign on it with my name. Campsite 18 is the same number spot I had at Hells Canyon campground. Generally, state campground fees average $22-29 night, and state parks don’t honor the National Parks Access Pass which provides a discount for camping at National Parks or US Forestry Service Parks, usually half price. I will thank the ranger and Pat when I get to the park. Another unexpected gift!!! I continue to feel so blessed and most definately continually feel extremely grateful!!!
