If you have been checking on a daily basis, I first would like to apologise for being away from you for so many days in a row. Who would have ever thought that being homeless and jobless would be the best thing to ever happen to me. For the first time ever, I have had to trust God to provide my every need.
Let me try to catch you up.
When last I wrote, I asked you to continue to join me on my journey. As soon as I posted that blog. I left Brownsville, Oregon. The journey continued with me going to Mt Shasta, Oregon. The drive had me going through some of the most beautiful forests and mountains I have ever seen. When I arrived at Mt. Shasta, it was one of the most awesome sights ever to behold. They actually print on post cards, "Mt. Shasta - Where heaven and earth meet!" They are right!
My quest is starting out with where I want to live. My psychiatrist, Dr. Harold Mozak would be SO thrilled with me. Out of the 50 states in the union, I have decided on one state. In therapy, I was never able to choose one thing, usually four or five choices was my minimum. The decision has been made. I choose California. Therefore, I left beautiful Mt. Shasta for the wonderful people in Oregon.
Where do I feel closest to God? I feel closest to God when I am by the ocean. Pacific Ocean. Without a map, I said a prayer and asked God to get me to Monterey. Before you know, I am twisting and turning on this marvelous local highway crossing the mountain pass enroute for Monterey. Monterey holds a special place in my heart as I bought a Monterey Mobile years ago to see my cousin Jeff at the foreign language institute for the military. I still remember his final test. He needed to handscribe 4000 of the 40,000 characters in the Chinese alphabet. Jeff is brilliant and still is an advisor to the United States in foreign affairs. I could tell you what he does but then I would have to kill you. No, really! Monterey is also where my friend Randy Sparks and I had journeyed when I was in my monastic pursuit. God had answered my dream and my prayer. I spent the night, literally, on the beach near the Pacific ocean.
Feeling like the male version of Goldilocks, I like Monterey a lot but it is too overcast, cold and expensive. There is a lot of employment possibilities so I may be back. If I were with Dr. Mozak, he would just smile. I was at it again. Now that I had decided on ONE state. The next question is which beach. "Let me check out every beach from Monterey and San Diego and I will decide, Dr. Mozak?"
Many of the beaches were easy for me to eliminate. The next quest was for me to check out Big Sur. Driving down highway 1 is a taste of heaven that everyone should experience at least once in their life. God has blessed me SO much that I am unable to tell you how many times I have been up and down Highway 1. Maybe as many times as I am up and down emotionally? Okay, not that many.
I made a deal with God. I told him to make it very easy for me. Instead of opening doors, I wanted him to close every door and every window that he did not want me to explore. After I past Carmel, I stopped by every establishment and asked if they were hiring. I would take anything. Full time, part time, whatever. Before I find a place to live, I need to find employment. Already I had checked out ever establishment in Brownsville, Crawfordsville, and Sweet Home to no avail. After stopping by over 20 places, I was told there were no openings of any kind. However, I did get two MAYBEs? Although I was happy about the potential, I chided God that was not not doing what I told him to do. No maybes! Just one yes and the rest no's. That's the deal. My deal. One of the Maybe's was for this high end art gallery's gourmet diner. I would be the only waiter! This high end art gallery sells some of the most beautiful things in the world! They sell original frog art. The prices range from $450.00 to $1500.00 dollars for a frog. I collected turtles and was ready to drop that collection to start with my first frog. It was priced at $750.00 dollars. With my tips, I could buy one. I am hopeless, I know. Pretty sure, this is going to be a NO too. Only because highway 1 is closed for the next 6-8 weeks because of the fall out. The road is closed 7 miles past the monastery I am going to see if I can be an oblate. Live at the monastery, work at the art gallery, feel close to God at what I believe is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Again, God had answered my dream and my prayer. I was living on the ocean at Big Sur, back at the monastery, waiting to hear from my Maybe job.
Back to the Goldilocks story, Big Sur is not going to be where I live. I did not need to tell you. You knew this already. I am a slow learner. The cool thing is that I closed the door. God is smarter than I give him credit for.
Another secret passage way through a mountain road. A road past the monastery I never knew existed. Thought I was going to have to go back to Monterey. God is the pilot on this trip. I am merely the driver of this over 4400 mile exursion/journey in the last month.
Now on highway 101, I am headed for Studio City. Long story short, I thought I might work at Sportsmen Lodge again. Closed door. Yeah. I want to live at the ocean.
Next stop. Hollywood. Unable to get a hold of Sue. My fault. Was texting wrong number.
Next stop. Pasadena. Fuller Seminary. Finish my Master's? Not sure. Back to Hollywood. No Sue. Again wrong number. My fault.
The computer at the library is going to cut me off in 5 minutes. My one hour is up. You are saying, "Thank You God for answered prayer." You probably thought I would never shut up.
"Seriously? Yes, Being homeless has been an Incerdible blessing. Jesus never had to pay rent or a mortgage, I feel closest to God when I am near the ocaen.
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