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So I went on a little road trip this weekend.  A buddy and I took our 49cc scooters and drove from Tacoma, WA to Cannon Beach, OR taking all back roads due to the fact that we topped out at about 30 miles per hour.  A 200 mile trip never took so long on a motorized vehicle.  We packed our sleeping bags, sleeping pads, tools, snack food and other essentials, strapped them to the side of our hogs and away we went.  We stopped just outside a little town of Elma, WA for the night and slept in the back parking lot of the First Lutheran Church of Elma.  When we awoke in the morning, it was foggy, cold and our tummies were growling so we went into Elma and stopped for a nice breakfast at the Bee Hive Restaurant.  When we entered the locals all looked at us as if we were from outer space.  They have probably never seen two young men drift into town on bikes so small.  But soon after they continued their 12th cup of joe and forgot we even existed.  This is when something happened to me.

As I was sitting there in this greasy spoon sipping my warm cup of coffee waiting for my corn beef hash and eggs, I started to well up.  My heart was being tugged by the simplicity of these old men sitting around shooting the breeze, the smell of fresh coffee,a lingering sense of peace, and the fact that no one in this place could be in hurry even if they tried.  I started to remember my home town in upper Michigan, a town of about 1100 people and my family there and all the memories that were made.  I started to see the blessings in living in that small town, or any small town for that matter.  I was being drawn into the reality that I have a complicated life even though I try to steer clear of that as much as possible.  I wanted a more simple life in that moment.  I felt like I wanted to drop everything and move Elma and start over, fresh and simple.  But that wouldn’t solve my problem.  I can live simple in the city.  It takes work, but it can be done.

I learned a valuble lesson in this oasis from caos.  Slow down, take time for meaningless chat with the guys and 12 cups of coffee for a $1.25 plus tip.  Peace come from one source, and He tends to give it when we slow down enough to reflect on him and what he has given us.  It takes meaningless chat and cheap coffee and turns it into life giving bread for the soul.