Traveling the Rock Road

Adam and Becky had been married for over 30 years and always had a wonderful relationship. When they had first wed, money was tight so they couldn’t go out except on a rare occasion. But one thing they could do and always enjoyed is to go driving around the small mountain roads there in their home region of Missouri. The scenery was breathtaking and they had a favorite pull-off place where they could look out over the Ozarks. Often, they would sit on the hood of their old car and watch in awe as the sun began to go down. At a point it would be at a position where it seemed like sunbeams were bouncing off the majestic hills. As the sun sank below the horizon, the sky would light up in a brilliant yellow and slowly change to a soft red and orange. And as shadows started to cover their mountains, the image was one that every skyline in America would envy. They may not have had much money, but they felt rich with emotions from their weekly date night.

Time moved on, they built a home and raised two daughters that often they would take to their secret Shangri-la land. The girls would squeal and laugh with delight watching the beautiful colors of the sky, then sit quietly in reverent awe as the stars began to fill the heavens. On the ride home they would always fall asleep, but years later both would tell how those moments were the most memorable of their young lives.

The girls grew up, married and moved away leaving Adam and Becky to enjoy the empty nest years ahead of them. Unfortunately, Adam was suffered a severe stroke which left him partially incapacitated. Over time he grew stronger from rehabilitation but would never be able to work or drive a car again. That left Becky as the sole breadwinner for the two of them. Adam became well enough to stay on his own so she took a job that demanded many hours from her. She’d come home exhausted every day, but good old Adam would have the house clean and dinner waiting on her.  Still, Adam would get restless just sitting home all day, so occasionally he’d say, “How bout we go up to our spot and watch the sun go down?” Now the last thing Becky wanted to do after coming home from a hard day’s work was to go back out. “Adam, I do enough driving back and forth to work, to the grocery store, your doctor appointments and to church on the only day I have off. And you know I don’t like driving on those roads after dark. I’m sorry, but no!” Sometimes he would call one of his daughters to see if maybe one of them could come home for a couple of days and take him up there. But they were busy with their own families now and couldn’t take the time to grant his request. Adam was an understanding man so he would drop the subject, but still hoped they could get up there just one more time. Sadly, he finally did but not the way he had envisioned.

Becky tells of the day she came home from work to what she thought was Adam sleeping in his chair; sadly, he was gone. She would speak often of how she should have taken the time to go up again to their spot in the mountains; and that brought her great sadness. Several days later she and the family made their way to the sight to spread Adam’s ashes and remember all the times they had there. But through the tears and the heartache, she tells how she could see Adam smiling.

Philippians 3:13 “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.”

Adam and Becky were strong believers in Christ, and they had assurance that one day they would be with Him in heaven. Even though she was sad that he was gone, and she never gave Adam his last wish, she knew he wouldn’t want to come back for all the beautiful sunsets in the world. Becky found peace in knowing Adam was happy, and Home. C.S. Lewis wrote, “We do not want merely to see beauty … We want something else which can hardly be put into words — to be united with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it.” Becky truly believed Adam was now part of the beauty of God in two ways; He was with the Lord, and while being at the place that he loved on earth the most. She of thought of that every time she went to visit him on the hillside.

It’s been some years since Adam went to be with the Lord. As for Becky; well these two “Travelers of the Rock Road” were finally united again; on their favorite mountain, and at the throne of God. Awesome!

I wrote this story after reading another that reminded me when one of the daughters shared theirs with me; how much her parents loved each other. She also said that it helped her to consider even the little things, the things that seem more a bother than what they’re worth. And it helped her and her husband to always consider the feelings of each other. So, let me close by sharing that with you. You’ll see why I named this story as I did.

“A good friend of mine unexpectedly lost her husband. A couple months later we were running together, chatting about nothing. She asked me what my dinner plans were, and I told her hubby wanted chili, but I didn’t feel like stopping at the store. When ran a few more minutes when she quietly said, “Make the chili.” It took me a few more minutes to realize we were no longer talking about dinner. It was about going out of your way to do something for someone you love because at any minute they could be unexpectedly taken from you. So today I’m sharing with you that wisdom handed to me by my dear friend, that I’ve thought of many times since that day. Next time someone you love wants to go for a walk, or watch a football game, or play a board game, or just want you to put your phone down and give them your undivided attention, just do it. Make the chili.”

See ya next time

I hope.