7:40 AM – Checked out of Holiday Inn Express, Durham, New Hampshire. Never got my make up on. Wrote Siestas too long. Hair’s gonna need to go in a clip.
7:45 AM – Event team loads into a mighty caravan of minivans. Vans all have signs on them. Event team’s van says “Secret Servants” (i.e. Secret Service, get it?), Praise team sign says “Praise Corp” (press corp, get it?) and ours says (you better know that I didn’t come up with any of this. It was Rich) “Beth Force One.” We are the van with all the baggage. Oh, Lord have mercy. Is that ever an understatement. One of our vehicles is unmarked because it belongs to our coworker’s fiancee who joined us yesterday. Ron’s calling it The Decoy.
7:47 AM – Missed exit.
7:48 AM – Lost.
7:52 AM – In Maine. Not on our event schedule. Turned around.
7:57 AM – Finally made it back to bridge. As we drive up, bridge closes, lifts and lets tug boat through. Making good time.
8:10 AM – Starving. Got a lot of miles behind us. Road warriors. Stop for breakfast at The Friendly Toast…in Durham. That’s right. In DURHAM. We’ve not made it out of the city yet.
8:30 AM – Fantastic menu. Got served one of the best danged breakfasts of our entire lives. Nicest waiter I’ve ever had with a “Teardrops of Satan” T-shirt on. Ate well-done veggie omelet with fried country potatoes and HOME MADE thick wheat toast with a side of gingerbread waffles and pomegranate syrup.
10:15 AM – finally paid out and made it back to vans. Parking tickets on all vans. Went over our two-hour parking meter by five minutes.
12:00 Noon – Tooling down I-84 West well on our way. Looks like we may not make it to the Big Apple by lunch time. We only have 137 miles to go.
Miscellaneous:
Mad at Travis. He’s in other van with praise team and he’s baiting me. I rode in their van yesterday but am in van with Rich and Ron (our team member who does security) today. Trav sent me a cell pic of Dunkin’ Donuts bag. They stopped without me. They only stopped because they know I love it. They’re so mean. Right after that, I saw the Po-Po (Ron’s a former law enforcer and said that’s not disrespectful. I asked him before I printed it. I am a respectful law-abiding citizen who cries when she gets stopped for a traffic violation.) So I texted Travis and told him I hoped they got pulled over by the Po-Po for Dunkin’ Driving.
Sent Trav and team a pic of my open Bible and told them to read theirs.
Rested my eyes a little while. Whole back seat to myself. Heard Ron singing with the Supremes on satellite radio. Way out of character. Made me riotously happy.
Stopped at Tim Horton’s without telling praise team van. Got variety of donuts and fresh coffee which helps make up for the fact that it’s a tad on the weak side. Texted praise team a picture of donut selection. Eating and drinking without shame.
Dizzy.
Talked to all three of my family members. I never go to NYC without A&M if I can help it. Miss them so much. We’d shop until we had broken feet and had to soak them in the hotel bathtub. Miss my man, too. And Starzy and Geli. Talked to the dogs on the phone night before last. I think they are pouting at me. Didn’t say much.
Oh, and I forgot to tell you that on Sunday at the ranch, I stepped on a mesquite thorn. Went straight up through my shoe and into my foot. WAY INTO MY FOOT. Keith had to jerk it out. Three toes and top of foot fire engine red by next morning. Sore as heck. Told A&M about it and both of them swore I could get a staph infection and shamed me into calling doctor today. Have to take antibiotic. If, when I get up in the morning and go to the restroom, I look down and any of my toes are missing, I’m to hobble straight to the hospital no matter what town I’m in. The drama never ends.
Rich likes a variety of music. Just a few vocalists we’ve sung along with so far: Barry Manilow (he writes the songs that make the whole world sing), Olivia Newton John (she loves us. She honestly loves us. She’s not trying to make us uncomfortable. Not trying to make us anything at all), Dionne Warwick (she said a little prayer for us), Chris Tomlin (what a relief), the Eagles (good Bible lesson: you can’t hide your lyin’ eyes), Carly Simon (another good Bible lesson: you’re so vain. I bet you think this post is about you), and The Carpenters (good choice: Joseph was one).
12:30 PM – Driving past Hartford, Connecticut and waving to beat the band. Can’t wait to see you Friday!
Thinking about Delaware. DELAWARE. I can hardly believe we get to go there.
12:48 PM – Just saw sign. 98.6 miles to New York City.
1:03 PM – Just texted The Decoy and instructed our darling engaged couple to please go over their memory verses together. I feel they’ve been unsupervised too long. (They are such a handsome couple they could be on the front of a magazine. Nate is our young stage manager and the biggest blast to ever love Jesus. Raised on the mission field in Africa. Cool to the bone. His bride-to-be, Shelly, is active in our blog community. You’d know her if you saw her. If you were at the Siesta Fiesta, we mentioned that they’d just gotten engaged and we made her come up front and get a door prize. Beautiful girl who also totally digs Jesus. Already faithfully serves Him.) They text me back their verses. Clearly they are taking them out of context. I ask them to pull the car over and let me in. They don’t. But they laugh.
1:04 PM – Bored stiff.
1:07 PM – Giving way to vain imaginations. Dwelling on the last time Keith hurt my feelings. I’m getting madder by the minute. Why didn’t I get madder at the time?? Thinking what I should’ve said.
1:08 PM – Rich bored, too. Has now begun to sing really loud and off key (on purpose). It’s so terrifying that I’m startled out of my downward mental spiral.
1:09 PM – I love Keith so much. I wish he’d call me.
1:10 PM – Am now laughing hysterically at myself. Where is my medication? JK. Don’t write me about that.
I fear if I keep this up, I could risk digressing into the trivial (that even made me laugh) so I’ll sign off for a while and catch you up on our thrilling day in the Big Apple later. At this rate, a LOT later. You are a patient people.
10:35 PM – Yes, that says 10:35 PM. HOURS have gone by, People. HOURS!!!! You are not going to believe this but when I got back to my car after our NYC shopping extravaganza my computer battery was as dead as a door nail (it’s one of those long-lasting ones so it shouldn’t have been) and, hence, I didn’t get to give you a play-by-play all the way to Delaware. I think God thought you guys had been through enough. Of course, at this point only 5 of you are still reading the post and you are all related to me…and embarrassed for me.
SO, since God apparently got weary of my drivel, I’ll limit my comments on the rest of the day to a couple of paragraphs:
Our feet hit the streets of Manhattan by about 2:30. I got a hotdog at one of those sidewalk vendors immediately because I just have to. It’s not even good. Just necessary. Mustard and sweet relish. Then we grabbed some Starbucks and got focused. The team and I had no intention of wasting time at expensive stores. We wanted hip and CHEAP. So we hit a little boutique called “Strawberry” and totally scored. Kinda fruity but not seedy. Some really cute stuff and just the right price. All of us girls got something there. Two of us got the exact same pair of boots – I do mean DARLING boots – that had been a hundred and something dollars and they were marked down to $56. I also got a gray sweater and a…and a…let me go look in my bag…oh, yeah, a new pair of fuzzy slippers. That’s another story. I’m obsessed with this one pair of fuzzy slippers I’ve had a long time (I bring them on the road) and they’re nearly worn out. I call them “The Pinks” because, well, they’re pink. I’ve been really upset because I’ve known they’re on their last leg. Or foot. And I haven’t known what to do. I wanted an exact replacement and couldn’t find them anywhere. Well, today I found some in black. The Black Pinks. I’m so happy. I have them on right now. Especially after my thorn in the flesh.
The praise team and I then went to H&M and Zara. I did very minimal damage at either place but Trav, Seth, Stephen, and Nate made some fairly impressive investments in their personal wardrobes. I don’t think they call what they got “outfits” but they should. Well coordinated if I do say so myself.
After walking somewhere around 43 miles, we were famished and decided to seek out a great little Chinese restaurant. The kind NYC is famous for. Well, we didn’t exactly find one. We found more the airport variety where you walk down a line with an orange tray and get your soy sauce and hot mustard in plastic packs you have to open with your teeth. Alas, we were too worn out to resist. I’ll not name names but a character from Seinfeld was working the counter. She nearly scared me to death. I simply inquired with appropriate southern manners as to whether or not the Chow Mein was prepared with white meat. She yelled, “You having chicken broccoli!” So I had chicken broccoli. It was pretty good but I didn’t eat much of it. She’d given me the nervous stomach. She ended up winning us over. You had to respect her work ethic. Move ’em in. Move ’em out.
And the team and I sat at eight tables for two and laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed. Duets were sung. Combo dinners shared. Pictures were taken. Delirious. So happy to be together. So happy to be in Jesus. He brings people together who would never have crossed paths. I cannot express to you how much I love these people.
And, then, we loaded up the vans and began our several-hour excursion to Delaware. Checked in and started writing to you. And now I’m about to drop in the bed. This very day we’ve been in – count ‘em – SEVEN States. And every mile worth it.
Oh, Delaware, we can’t wait to meet you. God of laughter, friendship, community, come receive Your praise. And, Lord, thank You for humoring us today. I hope at least once we really got You tickled.
Tags: New England Nights, Rich Kalonick, Travis
Sounds like you had an interesting day. I read it all the way to the end. Have a great and blessed time.
Becky
Attalla, AL
From 1 Texas gal to another, “yeehaw”! I love to read the blog to see what your latest adventure is! Although I don’t really know who you are, or what this jesus stuff is (embarrased to admit that), you seem to have a good time doing it. So keep up the adventures!
Wow! What a day! Reminds me of the time I went on a mission trip to Maine. We got lost too. (I think we had 3 – 15 passsenger vans trying to stay together, and by the way we were stopped by the Po Po.) I love NYC and could have told you about a great Chinese place where we ate. (No nazis)
Sounds like you are having a great time and making great memories. Ya’ll should try having a contest to see which van could write the best song about the trip. Could be fun.
Praying for you and everyone involved tonight in Delaware!
Much love!
Kristi B.
Love the pics. You all have so much fun.
Oh my!! What fun you all are having. I’ve got to add that now I want donuts–any type of donuts!! Why do I read blogs when I’m hungry??? Have a great time as you finish up the New England tour. Oh, and I LOVE the names of the vans. Too funny!!
Much love,
~Cheryl
Ok… I am not feeling up to par today as is evident by the fact that I left you a blog comment for this note on your previous blog!!! =) Praying for you all…
i LOVE that my dad was singing along to the supremes!!!! hahaha. i remember taking car rides with him and singing along to oldies. grazin’ in the grass is a good one. he used to boggle my mind when it got to the really fast part. i guess every girl is amazed by her father sometimes, right? glad you’re having fun!
im pretty sure youre hilarious and probably the best blogger ever…
pretty sure…
You have officially cracked me up! Thank you!
Is that a Starbuck’s cup next to the pretty tree in the 2nd picture? Cracks me up 🙂
Oh how I love FALL!! These pictures are AWESOME!! What a great group to travel with. You guys are a crack up.
Oh, and Beth, how did you know I wanted you to bring me back some fall leaves? Lol!!
Love you 🙂
Linda
Wow. Its confirmed how much I love you because I just read that whole thing. The average person would have skimmed down, seen the length and not read. I on the contrary got excited and loved every bit of it. NYC is my favorite place ever. LOVE that strawberrys store! Always go there when I go to NYC…Looks like y’all had tons of fun! So glad! You rock Beth Moore. Dont ever forget that.
Thanks for the play by play day…it sounds like you guys had a much deserved day off!You have gotten me so excited about NYC. We will be taking our first trip to NYC this Christmas…I cannot wait!Do any of you siestas know of some places to get great Italian food? It was recommended to go to Grand and Mulberry Street…loads of Italian! Also some good,rich pastries are a must…Beth, I just know that you can help me out on this one!Thanks a bunch!
Love and Prayers
Cady
OH my laughter
Bethie, Bethie, Bethie … i am so very much in love with this post. I read all the way to the end and enjoyed every stinkin’ minute if it. You made me smile so big!!!
The pictures were awesome!!! The ones of the jumping and the B/W of the walking on the street are amazing! So fun!
I was in ginormous need of a smile today – thanks for bringing one directly to me. I can always count on you!!!!
Play Day doesn’t even begin to describe your day! So fun…
My fav picture is the very first one but I have to tell you, I would be picking those leaves just like you did. I’m like a little kid over God’s wondrous creation!
Soak up all this goodness. Nothing beats The Favor of God in a person’s life.
And…Happy Birthday to Amanda!
Loved the beautiful wedding picture, Melissa! Thank you for sharing it with us. You two young ladies are divine…simply divine.
Praying for you all!
Land sakes I nearly shed some tears of laughter over this post! Oh to be a fly in the van – any of them! LOL! Thanks for giving us the play-by-play! LOVED it!
Oooh, I just looked at the clock and things are well under way in DE! Father God, I ask you to show yourself STRONG in that arena tonight! Empower your servant Beth in such a way that she will be invisible and you will shine like the noon-day sun! Speak tonight Lord to the women in that place. Use the entire LPL team in a mighty way by your Righteous Right Hand Lord and we will turn back and give all the glory and honor to You alone! Father I pray that you have sent ladies there tonight who don’t know you and that even now You are preparing them for Your Word!! Speak Lord!! I love you Father and I ask these things in the strong name of your Precious Holy Son, Jesus! AMEN!!!!
Love to you all!
Val
NC
Oh, I can’t believe we were that close. Holiday Inn Express, rm. 311.We left the conference about 10pm and were starved. They roll up the sidewalks in Durham at 9 like we do here in Otis MA.We were starved and could not get anything hot to eat. We walked what seemed to be forever until I suggested we get the van and find someplace. However I left the GPS in the room. I think we ended up in Dover at McDonalds. Had no idea where we were and not sure how to get back. We made it though.3 ladies over 60. We didn’t get to bed till after midnight. As we laid our heads on the pillow and turned out the lights, the smoke detector started bleeping. The dreaded dead battery bleep. I called the front desk and the girl said there were no maintenance people there and she did not know where the batteries were. I hated to tell her I would pull the battery but there wasn’t much else I could do. She was ok with it. I am 5’1 and the thing was on the ceiling. I called her back, she didn’t know where the ladder was. I told her I would try but that I would be her worse nightmare if she did not call me first if there was a fire. I climed on the bed and disconnected the battery. 10 minutes later it bleeped again twice. In the mean time the television was glowing red on the ceiling. Help me Lord!!
We finally got to sleep. In the morning about the same time you were fleeing I recieved a call that my mom passed away that morning at 6:45. I’m o.k. We visited some friends and got home just in time for Bible Study. You will not believe this: It was the same exact verses from 2 Corinthians. Some times God needs to hit me in the head with a baseball bat to get my attention. Tommorow is Friday and I will see you in CT. Your lucky I didn’t know you were in the same place. I would have laid out in front of your room on the floor till you opened the door. You are so loved. I can’t wait to tell the girls they were right, you were in that Hotel. The breakfast was great in the dining room. I was shaking so much I dropped it on the floor. I thank God that I was with friends. They were so supportive.
See Y’all in CT.
Nancy from Otis
Those pictures are great!
Bethie, you look good, girl! I want to be your workout partner.
THAT WAS AWESOM!!!! Good for you Beth!! I’m so glad you all had time to play!!! I have never been to the BIG APPLE so I loved hearing the play by play!!
I continue to pray for you on this Fabulous tour!!! 🙂
Blessings to you Sister.
Deb W. from MI
P.S. My Womens Bible study group is absolutely LOVIN’ your Daniel study. Thank you Jesus for this AMAZIN’ Woman!!! 🙂
OH…you are such a riot! You and your team of misfits for Jesus! This post was full of funny stuff! I love that I can count on you to lift my spirit with humor at times and other times with deep, serious, initmate words…Just love you to pieces!
Thank you so much for letting us accompany you on this trip/tour of yours….I feel like I am there with you!
The pictures are awesome! I would venture to say that those are courtesy of our newlywed Rich…thank you Mr. Rich!
So so so funny Beth!! Thanks for writing to us instead of putting on your make-up.
I think the siestas should pray for the “Teardrops of Satan” waiter. Maybe one day he know about the drops of Jesus’ blood and it’ll change his life. 🙂
YOU guys are the funniest stinkin Jesus Freaks Ever! Keep em coming! This post was knee slappin’hilarious! I sure do love ya’ll… and thanks for making my birthday funny!
You definitely tickled me! That’s some good stuff.
You are such fun! Thank you for the minute-by-minute…Reminded me of our youth group trips! Lost, missed the exit, wishing we had the food from the other van…and then when reunited at our destination, having a ball! Loved the pictures too! Thank you so much for sharing!
Praying for Delaware tonight!
I absolutely LOVE to read your blogs…I’m glad to know that I am not the only one who can mad about getting my feelngs hurt after the fact…more mad than when the event actually happened.
Beth Moore, you make me want to love JESUS more…thank you for lifting HIM high and for being faithful and true to HIM.
You look just like Amanda in that picture where you are holding the autumn leaves!
you are so nutty I can’t help but adore you more…i read the WHOLE post and by the end i’ve decided i need to go to bed..i’m worn out.
You look kinda like Mary Tyler Moore jumping. You just need the hat, but that would mess up your hair. I wouldn’t wear one either. All I can say is, I love New York!
LOL! To funny!
Dunkin’ Drivin, Secret Servants and Beth Force One, awesome shopping in NYC, chinese food nazi, what an amazing NYC trip! Thanks for letting us in on your great day and for making me laugh out loud more times reading a single post than I ever have before.
Love the play by play!!! And…I’m so glad to know that it’okay to say Po-Po!!
Keep the updates comin’…we are women of details here and need to know!!!! haha 🙂
I’m putting that picture of you and Travis in a frame, I PROMISE I AM.
Love y’all.
Delightful post!
My man and I are off to New York November 1st —- has been a lifelong dream —- will pass on the hot dogs and Chinese after reading this post.
Peace!
As a Texas native, I am always amazed out how much closer the states are when you head East!
And if God wasn’t tickled, the rest of us sure were. You are a HOOT! I bet road trippin’ with you is an unforgettable experience!
I cannot believe you take such priority in letting us have a peek into your exciting life. (My husband just said, “you’re NOT sending her a message are you?”)ANYWAY! Your travels make this at-home-mom want to take a mission trip again. Being with other Jesus Freaks and taking goofy pictures, staying up late sharing what God did that day, laughing and crying and living for God. “hmmm. pink.” I quote that line from Steel Magnolias when I’m feeling reflective. Anyway, I’ll probably never meet you in person though I’ve seen you live 2-3 times and have done several of your studies. I’m a big fan of yours and love this blog and have loved getting to know your beloved daughters. I love that you still love your man, and that you still get mad at him. Oh boy. Marriage is a trip.
Thanks again for all you do for women of faith. Party-on Beth and crew…do yo thang!
I felt like I was reading a book. A book I couldnt put down!!
That was awesome! Thanks for all the delirious details – you bring us such joy!
Praying for you all!
Love ya,
Siesta Vern
What a wonderful post! I read all the way to the end–every last word. You have no idea how much I needed that at the end of a very trying day. But of course Jesus knew. So, I was held up from reading it until the exact moment that I needed it. Praise Him! PLEASE continue to update us on your adventures!
Dana
In your Southern manners, you left off the gentleman in the restaurant who “apparently has no fear of making any bodily sounds in a public place” according to Travis’ blog! Hilarious! I am LOVIN’ the play-by-play and read to the ever-lovin’ end! I think my favorite is your 3-minute intervals on the road working up a mad at Travis. You could have totally come up with a better comeback! Blessings and HEALING on your foot! Ouch!
I so enjoyed you rattling the play by play trip and read every last word of the post, could have handled a lot more paragraphs! Even just reading about people who love Jesus the way you guys do is a hoot to get to read about! Hope you are having a blast, even if Amanda, and Melissa didn’t get to be there this time! Will be praying for you and your group!
your silly posts like this one lift my spirits and make me smile!
Love you guys!
Delilah
Oh how you make me laugh!!! At the end of a long day and frankly a long week or so with the stock market, elections, more bad news after more bad news, it felt so good to read your post and just laugh. Nothing important (no offense), just the silliness (is that a word) of life!! and I needed to laugh! Thanks for taking us on your journey!
Kimberly from northern Michigan
Sweet (hilarious) Beth! I loved this post. Laughed out loud reading, “Your so vain. I bet you think this post is about you.” Come to think of it I LOL’d many times. What a hoot. Oh yeah, the notes about Keith killed me. Hey, I need a picture of “the black pinks” pretty please. Try to get your thorn in the flesh in their too. :O) Love to you and the Bethie Bunch! Hugs, Jax
TOOOO FUNNY!! And just plain fun!Everyone is in bed sleeping, so I couldn't just bust out laughing, so I had one of those shoulders-shaking good laughs! Hey, does that count as exercise?
<3 ya! Cindy
http://mylifehisstory.blogspot.com/
Ok, that blog was hilarious!! If that wasnt’ a family road trip nothing is…. I am so glad you had fun… Well, since I’m sorta new at this posting stuff I wasn’t sure what blog to put this under. I just wanted you to know that your Believing God Bible study rocks!!! We watched lesson 4 video on, we are who God says that we are. That session was very moving. Thanks for allowing God to use you. What a perfect message… of truth.
Thanks,
Kim
LOVE your pics!! what a graceful jump you have;)
i hope you know we will want a play by play at every event now! i love the New England states
Beth, you are hilarious! I loved every minute of reading this fun journey! Makes me want to be part of the “team”! I just found out yesterday that you will be here in our area (New Orleans) in April and me and my friends CAN NOT WAIT!!!!
Beth Moore – you are hi-lar-e-us! Yes, I have laughed several times over this entry. You are such a joy to know. Keep teaching us and guiding us to go deeper with God and also keep sharing with us. Love you, Siesta Dana
That sounds like glorious fun!
The Dunkin Driving hope….was the BEST! You go girl!
I’m thankful for this ministry and know that God is powering you all on! Keep on a truckin for Jesus!
Ooooh watch that foot, too!
Thanks for sharing I felt like I was on Vacation. I love how you are always yourself CRAZY FUN!Can’t wait to hear the rest of the story.