My Part of the Conversation

My first car was a Midnight Blue 1966 Mustang, 289 V-6 and Pony Interior. I loved how that car looked, drove, and sounded. I miss the feeling of reving that bad boy while the engine was warming up, the feeling of raw power underneath the hood, and just cruising around town.

Right now, I just miss working on it.

It seems like every week my dad and I would have some project to work on. I actually had one day that I installed 3 different radiators. We bled the brakes, rebuilt the carborator, constantly readjusted the timing, and countless other bits of work that needed to be done. Some projects were finished in a few minutes. Others took hours. Some needed to be done every week.

While I loved that time I was able to spend with my dad and I greatly appreciated all I learned, I don’t miss HAVING to work on it all the time. What I do miss is that I COULD work on it if I needed to.

Right now, I have a ‘97 Ford Contour that needs a new water pump. The water pump just happens to be located behind the timing belt (which was replaced last year). It’s quite a bit of work just to get to the water pump (read: mucho expensive). While I’m not worried about getting to the water pump, it’s putting everything back together that has me concerned about doing it myself.

So, the question I’m asking myself today is: “Am I brave enough to take the timing belt off my car not completely confident that I can put it back on correctly even if I can save a lot of money?”

Decisions, decisions.

But not self-centered.

We’re back.

We came in last week from you travels in Italy a little tired, a little jet-lagged, but very refreshed and content after spending so much meaningful time with good friends.

I’ll post more about the second half of my trip when I get home and can add my pictures.  Sorting through the 372 digital images takes a bit of time.

As I’ve processed the whole experience, I return home very much at peace and centered.  I was concerned that visiting Italy would make me unhappy in what I am currently doing and be overwhelmed by a desire to go back.  While Kate and I both miss Italy greatly, we were surprised at how we felt about returning.  Let me try to explain…

Since we left Italy, I’ve felt this continuous tug at the work there.  Those few years I spent in Italy were very foundational in who I am as a minister and how I view the church and its work.  However, the more time that passed since I left, the more I was seeing my time there as an event, not a ministry that is a part of me.  Any of you who have given yourself to ministry with a church (either full time or as a very active member), know that you leave a piece of yourself with them.  Or better yet, you take a piece of those people with you.  Parts of my heart are still in Texas and Ohio where I did short summer internships.  Because of the distance and nature of the work in Italy, I was somehow missing that it was a part of me, and always would be.  Returning and working again with the people that I ministered with, to, and with whom I developed great friendships helped me realize I will always be part of the ministry there.  I don’t have to choose between that and the teens I now love and serve here and Baton Rouge.  While there may be situations that force me to allocate time and to one or the other, and my position will dictate which needs to win out on any given occasion, love for both places can exist inside me.  I feel very centered and encouraged.

Kate and I both agreed that the trip was the perfect length of time.  One day more or less would have not been right.  God really used this time to bless our family, and hopefully encourage those we spent time with there.

Thanks to all of you who made it possible for us to go.

To our Italian friends:  Vi vogliamo bene, e speriamo di vedervi di nuovo presto.

Ciao for now,

Blaine

I know, I know.  Long time since I’ve posted.  It’s strange how the times I’m able to post the least are the times I have the most to stay.  Oh well, I’ll start catching up now…

 Oh, right now, I happen to be writing from Italy!

 After nearly three years, 1 baby, and heartaches to numerous to count, Kate and I made our way back to the country we fell in love in- and with.

The travel was a bit difficult to work out.  A few months ago, we both cashed in frequent flyer miles.  By the time we got it all worked out and found Hudson a ticket, Kate and he had to fly separately out of New Orleans while I flew out of Baton Rouge.  I got to Florence a few hours after she did.  She said Hudson did great, but it will be nice that we all get to fly back together.

Of course, the travel wasn’t perfect, but it all worked out in the end.  Paris lost half of Kate’s luggage, but we got it later.  She also missed a connection, but got on another flight about an hour later.

The first few days we spent in Florence catching up with friends there and making plans for the rest of our time there.  Then, we went to Rome Friday morning.  Of course, there was a strike that morning and we almost missed our train.  In Rome, we were picked up by Tonia Vittalone, and we had lunch with the Vittalone family.  They stayed with us last summer and it was great to reconnect with them.

That afternoon I left for a Men’s Retreat with Vittorio, Riccardo, and Earl Lavender, who had come from the States to teach at the retreat.  Several times during the lessons, I felt sure that if the only reason I had come all the way to Italy was to hear these lessons, it would be well worth it.  I’ll probably be a unpacking some of what we talked about in later posts.

It was so great to see all the friends there.  It’s nice being here to visit people and not trying to fit in as an Avanti worker in Florence.  It’s also strange, but in some ways I think I speak and comprehend more Italian than when I left 3 years ago.

After the retreat, I left with Franco Verardi to spend a few days at his house in Latiano, located in Puglia (the heal of the boot).  On the way, we stopped at a little town to visit two Christians there.  Actually, they are the only two members of the church in that town.  One is an elderly woman who just lost her husband.  The other is a young, single woman trying to hold on to her faith despite the adversity she faces every day.  I forget sometimes how easy we have it in America, where there are churches on every street corner, and many of them are very large.  The church there actually has a very small building they meet in every week, with a man that drives in from another town.  It’s just the 3 of them every week.

Now, I’m at Franco Verardi’s house.  It’s been great to spend time with him and get to know his family a little better.  Kate and Hudson are in Florence, I miss them, but will be back with them on Thursday.

Keep us in your prayers.  I will have lots to tell you all about later!

 IN HIM,

Blaine Tucker