Pit-Stop Appointments

I had a long day yesterday. Out the door by 7:30, travel mug of coffee in hand, I drove 170 miles to a small town up in North Central Washington for a business meeting. Got there on time, taking work calls while I was in cell service and listening to the latest John Sandford novel on audiobook when I was not.

Onward to the next meeting, about 40 miles down the road. That one took more time, and we were coming up to mid-afternoon before I could head home. Along the way, at the base of a mountain pass, there was a roadblock that took over 25 minutes to clear (someone’s RV had broken down, and the tow truck driver had to block the road to hook it up and pull it to town).

No cell service, and on one of the typical Fall days in the Northwest where you end up using your heater and air conditioner on the same day. In fact, I think at one point I had the seat warmer on and the air conditioner blasting with the windows down- all at the same time. Sound silly? Welcome to any season change in the Northwest!

The tow team finally yanked the RV out of the way, and off we go! I was, however, stuck behind a logging truck as we wound our way up the mountain. I had work piling up, and I was hungry, and still had another three-plus hours of driving. If it weren’t for the John Sandford novel, I’d have probably started getting impatient and grouchy.

At the top of Sherman Pass, there is an overlook I like to stop at. I usually take a few pictures, have a quick potty break, and breathe the fresh mountaintop air before I get back in the car and keep driving. As I was coming close to the overlook, I had a decision to make. It had been a long day, I had a couple of delays, and I wanted to go home. I also wanted that potty-and-fresh-air-break, so I decided I would make a very fast stop.

As I pulled into the parking area, I noticed a man making adjustments to a camera on the trunk of his car. He waved at me as I got out of the car, so I called to him, “Isn’t this a beautiful view?”

In what I thought was an Aussie accent he said, “Oh, it’s amazing, and I found these fantastic looking mushrooms up the hill. I’m trying to get some pictures of them, they are like nothing I have seen before!” I told him I would go check them out in a bit.

After finishing my first quest of the pit stop, I was ready for the fresh air portion of the delay, and went to take some pictures myself. I saw the man taking pictures, and we started chatting while snapping away. I learned he is actually from New Zealand, is an artist, and is on an adventure in the US and Canada right now. We talked quite a bit, exchanging details about art and our creative outlets, and took a few pictures. I realized that time was slipping by and I should probably get back on the road. As we walked down to our cars in the parking lot, he asked me if I wanted to see some of his paintings he had with him. Of course I said yes, and he proceeded to show me some absolutely stunning mountain landscapes he had painted. I gave him a copy of my first book, which I happened to have in a box in my car. (Ok, that is supposed to sound wry, but, am I the only writer that has some of her books in a box in the back of her car?)

He gave me a painting. He signed it and I was so touched by this gorgeous piece of art! He asked about the widow’s mite coin I wear as a necklace and I explained the significance of it with what Jesus said while observing the tithe at the temple in Jerusalem. We talked a little about God.

Then I hopped back in my car and started making my way down the other side of the mountain. If I had not stopped, I would have missed the opportunity to take some awesome pics, to meet Grant the artist from New Zealand, to tell a quick story about Jesus, and to have this beautiful piece of art sitting on my desk.

That little stop took about 45 minutes. If you had asked me at any other point during the day if I would have had time to carve out the better part of an hour to take pictures and chat up a stranger, I would have said, “No way!” But I believe in divine appointments. You see, sometimes, what looks like a simple pit-stop along the way is actually an opportunity for an appointment God has set for you.

Don’t pass up the opportunity to take pause, enjoy beauty, and meet interesting people! That little pit-stop may end up having more value to you than the few minutes you would have saved by passing it by!

#writing #photography #travel #JohnSandford #adventure