A Calling

Well I figured I should cronicle our first trip to visit a prospective church. It is in Hooker, OK, which if you're not sure where it's at, look at the panhandle of Oklahoma and it's in the middle. As far away from family as I've ever been. This church was introduced to us by Jim Evans. It's wehre he got his start, and he loves this chruch. The whole reason we got started on this is because AJ surrendered to the ministry and everything that is associated with that. He had a conference call, sent them a video of him leading Encounter, and the search comittee is coming on April 19 to view AJ leading worship at FBCKC. So knowing all this, we decided to go see the town and it's people.

We left the boys this morning at school and Mrs. Lisa's. Luckily they have wonderful Godparents who will watch them for the 2 nites that we will be gone. So AJ and I set out on this loooong trip. And when I say long, I mean it. 8 1/2 hours!! And if anyone knows me they know that I don't like to be in a car for any lenght of time. Going to see Mom is long enough. So out we go. I luckily got to drvie our new van to Joplin. Wasn't too bad. AJ took over from there. Once we enter Oklahoma it starts setting in that this might be our new home state, and we will have to invest in a PikePass! Thanks Kristal and Jared for borrowing yours! So not too bad yet. We get to Tulsa and it looks like any big city. Old homes right next to the freeway. Tall buildings on the sklyline. I pretend that it's Little Rock or St. Louis! Once we're out of Tulsa the winds start up. Now we've been warned of these winds! I think the joke is that you lean into them and that's what helps you stand up. We really experenced them in Enid when we got fuel. They will blow you over. Girls, it's a whole new hairstyle even if you didn't need one. Now I'm getting worried. Not to sure abou the wind. I don't mind a little breeze, but this was like hurricane force! Oh, well, I just won't drive any where!! So now we're on out way out, out west. We knew that they had a Blizzard last Friday. (I checked the weather to see what we're looking at) But anyways, they hada Blizzard in March. And they still have it on the roadside. And not just a little, but a lot, and I'm really thinking, what are we in for. Missouri is cold enough, and they don't get Blizzards! So we finally make it to Guymon, OK. Which is where we're staying the night, b/c Hooker doesn't have any "nice" hotels. Guymon is about 20 miles south of Hooker. It's where the WalMart is and the FairGrounds. It's nice, but not Branson that's for sure. No billboards for shows and attractions. No SDC. We get here and have time to kill before we meet the WHOLE search commitee. Boy, that'll make you nervous!!
The first person we meet is Dick Fisher. He's the one that AJ has been on the phone with about weekly and the head of the committee. Really nice fellow. The kind you would picture working on a cow farm. And that's what he does. His wife's name is Billie. Now I'm thinking I'm back home. Their daughter is also on the committee along with her husband. The wife teaches at the Hooker school. K - 12 music, band and coral. She has her hands full! Really nice. She's also heading the churches youth group while they don't have a youth minister. All in all there were 12 people that we met tonight. Really great people. And down to earth. Not knowing what the future holds it was great to meet them. Tomorrow we're going to Hooker and actully see the town and visit the school and church.

If Hooker, than God.