Presenting at Jacksboro UMC on Alaska Mission Trip

Rev. John Crabtree and I will be presenting on the Alaska Mission Trip 2009 tonight. It's at 7:00 pm in the fellowship hall of Jacksboro United Methodist. We'll show lots of pictures and share stories about the trip. There will also be a display of maps and brochures that we picked up along the way.

Cookies and other light refreshments will be served. It should be fun. See you at Jacksboro UMC when we present on the Alaska Mission Trip 2009.

My View on Health Care Reform

By now, we've all heard about the Health Care Reform possibility. Some people are skeptical and others are for it. It's a hard call to make. Whether reform happens or not there will be a price to pay in lives and in dollars.

My family is just one of many families who are making a juggling act. Hubby and I have chronic health issues. So do both of our daughters. We have health insurance through Hubby's employer. Our daughters are covered until they age out as long as they stay in school. For this, we are grateful and scared.

One of my daughters has epilepsy. I don't know if heath care reform will help her. I pray it will. The pharmacy automatically changed her medication from the brand to the generic version when it became available. By the end of the month she had seizures and there was a very noticeable decline in her functioning. Her work and her job performance both suffered. She failed three other medications before finding the brand that worked.

At refill time she requested the brand name. Then, the nightmare began that I can only hope some part of health care reform will address.

Under the terms of our insurance our daughter can get the brand name medication. According to the insurance rep "all" she has to do is pay the difference between the generic cost and the brand name cost and the co-pay. It totals $160 per month. With her other medication she'll pay about $200 per month for prescriptions. This is on top of the $35 co-payments to see a doctor for care.

She doesn't qualify for state programs. We were also told that she doesn't qualify for patient assistance programs because she has insurance. Our insurance company will not budge on the payment amount.

Our family is like most. A recent big trip was only possibly because of huge fundraising efforts on the part of our church. We are not well off. We are just barely getting by.

Will healthcare reform help with a situation like this? If it doesn't, will people like my daughter stand a chance. With the medication she can live her life and contribute to society. She wants to teach music and feed the hungry. Without the medication she can't function.

Millions of other Americans are in the same or similar boats. We are all hoping for the relief that only a broad based healthcare reform package can bring.

For the people who are in the same position as my daughter, health care reform cannot come too soon.

Links:
Wikipedia Health Care Reform
United Methodist Church.Org

The Salmon Bake in Denali, Alaska

Photos for The Salmon Bake in Denali Park, Alaska have been posted online. View them here. This was one of our favorite restaurants on our Mother-Daughter Trip of a Lifetime. My daughter and I joined up with Hubby and the rest of the mission team at the Anchorage airport. After the mission part of the trip was completed the 3 of us spent an extra day in Denali National Park.

It was then that we got to try out The Salmon Bake. We had heard a good deal about the restaurant. I'm happy to report that it lived up to expectations. The food and service were excellent with prices that were reasonable for Alaska. Soon, the full review will be available online. Until then, please view the short slideshow which is available here.

You can visit The Salmon Bake virtually by visiting them online.

I'm Participating in the Hope for Healing.Org Blogathon 2009

I'm going to be participating inthe Hope for Healing.Org Blogathon 2009. Are you?

Hope for Healing.Org is a great cause. I'm proud to support them by blogging on August 15. They need more people to make this event a success. Email blogathon (at) hopeforhealing.org to sign up. It's a fun way to raise money for a good cause. Hope for Healing.Org helps victims of domestic & sexual violence, they work with juvenile offenders and do a lot for the Strawberry Plains, TN community.

Knoxville, TN Jesus in the Park July 2009

Jesus in the Park is a free event in Knoxville. It happened on Saturday, July 18, 2009 at the World's Fair Park. Although anyone can go, it's really geared to the homeless in Knoxville. This was my second year to attend.

My job at Hope for Healing.Org was offered a booth space. This gives us a chance to reach victims of domestic violence. Some of these ladies ( and men ) really needed to be reminded that Jesus loves them and can be the source of strength to get them out of an abusive relationship.

It's hard to say enough about this great event. It's touch, moving, heartbreaking and possibly one of the best things I've done. Yes, I felt God there. He was reflected in the faces of the people I spoke with. One by one, several people came by our booth. A bookstore donated Christian books to us so we gave them away. There were also brochures and hotline numbers to be handed out.

Normally, I don't write about work events on my personal blog. This time, I feel compelled because being at Jesus in the Park was a way for God to move me out of my comfort zone and into His zone.

To me, the World's Fair Park is intimidating. I'm never sure where to park. I was running late because of getting away from the ministry center late. Strangers make me nervous. Setting up the display with my back is always a challenge even though it's a simple one. There are a million and one reasons for not going. But there is an even bigger reason for going...

Jesus said, "Love thy neighbor as yourself..." Darn it! That gets me every time.

See, I grew up homeless. As a kid we had to live with my grandparents because my mom just wasn't able to keep a roof over our heads (she thought). When we lived in that situation I would have welcomed a word of encouragement.

So to me, loving my neighbor means trying to be an encouragement. Even though it gives me butterflies it's something that I feel I need to do. About 5 minutes into the event I immediately felt better about being there and could focus on the task at hand.

Jesus in the Park is an awesome event. I met some amazing people. Most of all, I met Him. It happened while I was standing there by the display table berating myself for being late, dropping the books and having an icky back.

In the middle of that moment God soothed my nerves, calmed my soul and removed all my doubts.

I can't wait for the next Jesus in the Park. It happens in August 2009. My nerves will probably be falling apart but I know that Jesus will be there to glue them back together. That's just what He does.

See you (and Jesus) at the Park!

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Killer Smoke BBQ Restaurant Cantwell.Alaska Restaurant Review

Killer Smoke BBQ in Cantwell, Alaska was a great place to stop for lunch. My family stopped in thinking we would be treated to pulled pork, beef or chicken that's covered in a tangy barbeque sauce (like we have here in the south). We weren't.

Instead, the term BBQ is used to mean food that is grilled. Initially, we were disappointed but our food turned out to be good. The atmosphere was eclectic. It all made for a fun experience.

If we're in the area we'll probably stop in again.

You can read more about my review of Killer Smoke BBQ by clicking here.

Catching Up at Hope for Healing.Org

I'm hoping to get more posted about the trip as I can. I'm having to do quite a bit of catching up at work. Things got a little harried while I was away.

Thanks for understanding!

Glacier National Park, Montana Photo

More photos from Glacier National Park. It is such a pretty area. Estimates are that the main glacier will not be here in another generation. I'm very glad to have gotten the opportunity to visit the park.

Old Faithful Yellowstone National Park Video

We took this video on our Kodak Camera while visiting Yellowstone National Park. Seeing the eruption was a really cool experience. The park is are able to time the eruptions to within 10 minutes of eruption.

You'll notice that we are not standing next to the railing but are away from the geyser a little bit. This actually gives you a better view.

Back Home in Tennessee. Alaska Trip Mileage 11,754.

After arriving yesterday, we're now back home in Tennessee. I've got so many things to write about! The trip was beyond amazing. The total miles traveled were 11,754.

In addition to our plans we had some unusual experiences. There was the controlled forest fire in Canada, the Alaska 5.7 earthquake, hailstorm, Glacier National Park rock slide... None of those moments were anticipated but they certainly added excitement to the trip.

Then there were the really cool moments.

One of these came in the middle of nowhere. We were driving through a dull stretch of road when my daughter popped in a CD. I was pleasantly surprised that to hear this mix of not-so-oldies music and began singing along with my college age daughter. That's when she looked at me with wild eyed amazement and shockly proclaimed "Mom, I didn't know you liked Styx!"

Then, there was the house which was the reason for the trip. Housebuilding in Alaska is very different than housebuilding in Tennessee. For starters, let's talk about 21" of insulation. Next you cover that in plastic to provide a vapor proof barrier. This keeps out the moisture and is a necessity in Alaska.

Staying in the church fellowship hall with the rest of the team and using the church's port-a-potty were definitely new experiences too. Meeting everyone, participating in worship, seeing my daughter grow in confidence... Those memories will be with me forever. Anticipation of those memories are what spurred the trip.

The way back was just as exciting. Hubby joined us for the drive home. The driving help was appreciated. My daughter can't. The state won't allow it since she has epilepsy. Without John all of the driving was up to me.

Our trip was worth it though. We saw things that I never dreamed I'd get to see. Canadian Rockies, the Continental Divide, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, open fields and vast expanses of prairie all combined to truly make this the Mother-Daughter Alaska Trip of a Lifetime!

For a Google Map of our trip click here. Because of the size, small computer screens may have difficulty getting it to show up.

Here are a few photos. More are on my Picasa Web Album.



Photo of a Canadian firefighter working the forest fire.










This is where we were when we felt the earthquake. It turns out that Alaska is famous for them.









In Glacier National Park we ran into challenges with a hailstorm which was followed by a small rock slide.




We've decided that this saying is true...

A bad day on a Mother-Daughter Trip of a Lifetime beats a good day at the office!

What a trip this was!

Bear Dines at Canada Roadside

Here's a short video that Hubby took while we were in Canada. A black bear is eating by the side of the road. We saw may wildlife on the trip. Moose were the most common. Bears were second.

This definitely gave us second thoughts about camping by a lake. Instead, we decided to stick to official campgrounds.

Now we're in St. Louis, Missouri!

Tonight we're in St. Louis, Missouri. It's an interesting town. We drove through much of the side roads after an accident closed down all lanes of the interstate. Some areas were prettier than others. It will be good to see the town as we drive through tomorrow.

Our plans are to be home tomorrow. Today, we just came into cell phone range on Virgin Mobile. Normally, I love their cell phone service. Not so on this trip. Being without a phone has just about pushed me over the edge. Now maybe I can relax some.

Lewis & Clark Trail Visitor Center in Nebraska City

The Lewis and Clark Trail Visitor Center near Nebraska City, Nebraska is a neat place. We decided to stop in this afternoon and check it out. The admission is $5.50 per person with $1.00 for students with a valid ID. Allie fished her ID out and was tickled to get the price reduction.

The place has 3 floors plus outside exhibits. It is interesting and educational. We stayed about an hour. I'll be posting a full review later. In the meantime, you can find out more by using the links below.

http://www.mrb-lewisandclarkcenter.org/center.html
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM447T

Visiting Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park is everything we've hoped it would be and so much more!

Great views, spectacular unreal scenery and biodiversity are the keywords for this park. It made a fantastic birthday present.

If you've not visited the park yet then you are in for a treat. I'll post more and get pictures up as soon as we can.

The next stop on the way home is Mt. Rushmore. Check back for more photos!

Cracker Barrell in Missoula, Montana Great food & Service!

The Cracker Barrell in Missoula, Montana has great food and service. We visited there yesterday. It was good to have a good home cooked meal from a restaurant we are familiar with. Here are a few photos.

Glacier National Park in Montana

Glacier National Park is in Montana between St.Mary and Kalispell. The most striking feature of the park is the Going-to-the-Sun Road. It contains steep grades, a switchback curve known as "the loop" and incredible views. Of course, the park contains glaciers and glacier fed lakes.

Yesterday, we got to drive through the park on the way to Kalispell. The amazing landscape has us yearning to come back. The park is going through a multi-year road restoration project. We didn't have any problems with construction. Our only issues were with the rain and a small rock slide.

John navigated the falling rocks and we made it through safely. No other cars appeared behind us for awhile after that. We saw a park ranger in his vehicle and suspect that the road may have been closed just after we went through.

It was scary at the time but is now just another tale to tell of our mother daughter trip of a lifetime (now plus Hubby). We'll add it to the stories of the earthquake and of the forest fire. The trip has given my daughter a supply of stories to share with future generations.

More information:
Glacier National Park
Glacier Park, Inc. Concessioner

Overnight in Kalispell, Montana

We stayed the night in Kalispell, Montana. This is an interesting town in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. As you would expect, the scenery is spectacular. There is a lot to see and do here but no time. John is especially antsy to get back home. I know Sam is looking forward to our return.

Click here for more about Kalispell.
Kalispell Chamber of Commerce

St Mary, Montana

I’m sitting in St. Mary, Montana on the front steps of the Johnson’s RV Park and Campground. The view is beautiful but the sky is overcast. I'm doing laundry and surfing the internet while Hubby and Allie pack up the tent.

The internet connection is slow right now. It gave me the chance to talk with a gentleman. He and his wife travel around the continent in their RV. They are both retired and want to enjoy life. Their home is their camper and their address is their daughter’s.

Hubby and I have talked about trying this nomadic lifestyle in the future. It sounds appealing. I would love to be able to explore more of the US and meet people. On the downside missing holidays, birthdays and other life events would be hard. Still, the pull of the open road calls to me. Who knows what the future holds?