Morning, Memphis, and the Mississippi

After our adventure in the backwoods of Tennessee, the rest of our trip that day and night was relatively uneventful.  We met Thomas at the bottom of the Lookout Mountain considerably later than we had planned.  (Thank you, Tim for delivering him to us and saving us the hour or so the trip up and down the mountain would have taken).  We filled up with gas.  We got back on the road.

Before long the rain started.  Then the traffic stopped.  Again.  This time there was no going around.  We just sat.  I was, at this point, in the way-backseat, pillow under my head, dozing to the muffled sounds of NCAA basketball.  It rained and rained and the traffic stood still.  I prayed for patience for Coty. I heard him say, "If this traffic starts moving, shake me.  I'm going to close my eyes."  I think he actually turned off the car and fell asleep for a few minutes.  Who could blame him after the earlier excitement and adrenaline rushes?!

At last, all the trucks started moving.  We never did figure out why we were stopped.  All of a sudden we just started moving, no traffic back-up, no stop and go.  One minute we were stuck in a traffic jam in the rain.  The next minute we were cruising down the highway.  Go figure.

We made it to Memphis, losing an hour along the way, and rolled into our home for the night...a cute little house right downtown, backdoor unlocked, beds ready for us.  Our accommodations were the kind gift of hospitality from a woman we'd never met, a member of Grace Church, Memphis (one of our Treasuring Christ Together sister churches).  When Coty asked Grace's pastor, Jordon, about someplace we might stay on Thursday night, Kelly offered her home.  She wasn't even there.  She just left it unlocked for us, gave us the alarm code, and welcomed us with a sweet note.  We slept well!

In the morning, we went for a walk along the Mississippi River...

Don't they look happy?  A little chilly, maybe, but happy.

Coty and I walked a brisk 3 miles along the river.  I liked being beside a great big river.  If I lived in Memphis, I think I'd walk along the river every day.  I don't think I'd ever get tired of it. 

Not all of us walked, however...

 

 Some of us sniffed out a coffee shop and settled on a nice bench to look out at the river.  No doubt about the relationship of these two.  Brothers in sync on a Memphis morning.