Tuesday - We didn't do much today. It was again warmer than we like, highs in the upper 70's. We did do some walking around the campground. It is a delightful place to walk. There always seem to be interesting sights. There were empty sites all around this camper. Why they put them on a site where it took this type of Rube Goldberg setup to drain their tanks is a mystery.
We dug out the atlas and looked at potential routes to get from Mom's to the Mississippi. I'm sure I spent at over an hour searching for campgrounds along the Mississippi River.
Wednesday - More campground searching in the morning and afternoon. Weatherbug is forecasting highs of 83 and 84 at Mom's on Friday and Saturday, before dropping back down into the high 70's for Sunday, Monday & Tuesday. Electricity back at Mom's pond is limited to a single 120v circuit. We can't run our AC without unless we run the generator.
For the days we would be in Nauvoo the highs are forecast to be in the mid 80's, again higher than we would like. If we can find a campground in MI or IN, before getting to the Gary/Chicago urban mess, we might spend a few days in that area. Forecast temps in New Buffalo, MI top out at 78 during the time we would be there.
We went to lunch at Peegeous, a small restaurant only a couple of miles from the campground. I had a French Dip sandwich and Kathy had some fancy sandwich. She really liked hers, mine was okay, but not as good as the one I had at the casino in St. Ignace. If you ordered two sandwiches you got a deal on a personal pizza. We ordered one of them also. It was pretty good. We each had a piece at the restaurant and brought the rest home.
Also had some "housekeeping" chores to do today. I regened our water softener. Last time I did it was when we were at Country Village in Ishpeming, the first week of August. We didn't use it during the week we were at Soo Locks Campground. We didn't test the hardness of the water, but it didn't seem to bad. Since we had no sewer hookup we knew Kathy wouldn't be doing any laundry and I took showers at the clubhouse to reduce the amount of flow to our gray water tank. It isn't difficult to regen. I use a whole house water filter unit, one that would normally take a 10"x2" filter. I dump 2 boxes of table salt in it and fill it with water. I hook it up to the water hydrant and to the outlet of the softener unit. I put a length of discharge hose on the inlet side of the softener to direct the brine to somewhere that it won't kill vegetation. Then I open the hydrant so that only a small stream of brine flows backwards through the softener. It takes 30-45 minutes to run the brine through the softener. Then I remove the filter unit, hook the softener back up to the hydrant, flush out the brine and reconnect it to the coach.
The car needed swept out so I got out the small shop vac. Since I had it out I vacuumed the steps into the coach. There is a 120v outlet in the storage bay next to the door. Then I got out an extension cord to reach the car. I turned on the vac and nothing. I wiggled the plugs, still nothing. I plugged a USB charger into the outlet and learned that the outlet was dead. It is labeled as being on a GFCI circuit. I knew that the kitchen outlets were also on a GFCI circuit. I checked them and they were dead. There is a resetable GFCI outlet by the shower room sink. I checked it and it was okay. Then the search was on to find another GFCI resetable outlet. I finally found it in a cabinet by the kitchen sink. I plugged things back in and popped the breaker again. I had replaced the male end of the extension cord in the past and apparently the GFCI breaker didn't like the cord. I drug the cord around the coach and plugged it into the 20 amp circuit in the campground electrical box and the vac worked fine. Guess I need to check out my cord modifications.
And of course I spent at least an hour searching for campgrounds near the SE shore of Lake Michigan.
Part of my New Testament reading today was the story Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Verse 35 particularly caught my attention. Why did Jesus weep?
I think many Christians have an ingrained negative attitude on the subject of death. We need to fight the concept that death is some type of punishment for us. For us death is passing through the doorway to a land so wonderful that it is beyond the comprehension of the human mind. Paul talks about death in Philippians 1:20-24 "For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that causes me shame, but that I will always be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past, and that my life will always honor Christ, whether I live or I die. 21 For to me, living is for Christ, and dying is even better. 22 Yet if I live, that means fruitful service for Christ. I really don't know which is better. 23 I'm torn between two desires: Sometimes I want to live, and sometimes I long to go and be with Christ. That would be far better for me, 24 but it is better for you that I live."
Who could be disconsolate knowing that a loved one has entered Heaven. We may be somewhat sad knowing that, for a time, we will miss one on one fellowship with that person, but we certainly should not be grief stricken over such a joyous event. John 16:22, I Thessalonians 4:13-14
I think Jesus wept because He understood that Lazarus would have to "die" a second time before entering Heaven for eternity. I don't know where Lazarus was between his death and resurrection, but I am certain it was not a place of torment.
When I die I don't want a "funeral' or a "wake" (there will be no need to keep watch over some ashes dumped in the trash), I want a bon voyage party! Actually bon voyage isn't correct. It is a wish for a good voyage, I will have already arrived before any party can be arranged.
God is good. I pray that He blesses you and yours.
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