North to Kiamichi Country

fortsmith1

Like an aging salmon struggling upstream to return to the spawning grounds from whence he was hatched . . .

Today I, Mrs. Blather, and Female Offspring Unit #3 will be loading up the Expedition and heading north up U.S. 75 into southeastern Oklahoma, a.k.a., Kiamichi Country.  Several years ago I shared some thoughts about this drive in some detail here.

There will be lots of activity over the next few days. One of my sisters is getting married tomorrow. (A happy thing.) Her son, my nephew, is being baptized on Sunday to consummate a commitment to Christ he made at youth camp a few weeks ago. (A very happy thing.) And on Monday I will drive my mom and dad to Tulsa where Dad will have a “procedure.” (A not so happy thing.)

A few weeks ago we learned that Dad has experienced a recurrence of the cancer he had successfully fought off a few years ago. Back then, he had undergone a regimen of chemotherapy and radiation. It made him miserable and when he had finished he told my mother in very clear terms, “I’m never doing that again.”

So this upcoming out-patient procedure will attempt to utilize a laser to burn out the growth or growths. If it hasn’t spread, that will be the end of it. If it has spread . . . well . . . we’ll play it by ear from there. Actually, we’ll play it by heart.

So north we go, carrying with us a strange mixture of conflicting emotions. We’ll celebrate a fresh start and a re-birth. And then we’ll call upon heaven’s grace and wisdom as we walk alongside a father who approaches the end of his race.

Into the beautiful Kiamichi hills.  Where life goes on.

kiamichi_valley-lg