July 19th, Monday

Some sights along the road to Bremen, IN today. Crop duster and sunflowers. I am still walking 3 to 4 miles a day and am anticipating getting back to my long distance hike. Every road I am on I look at it closely and think if it would or would not be a good walking road. I think about wanting to get on the I and M Canal Tow Path in IL and walking that and on to the Mississippi. Also I would like to walk the Natchez Trace from Nashville to Natchez and the list goes on. There is so much to see and so may paths to take it is hard to decide which one is going to be the best.

Yesterday my wife and I attended church services at my son's church in Morton, IL We participated in a bible study group prior to the service. This is something I never do, but in this case I am glad I did. The ? was: have you had an experience in your life that proves to you that God exists? Well my response to that was: yes, everyday, when I get up and walk about, and look at nature, listen to birds singing, watch the sun come up and enjoy the marvels that surround us. These things were certainly not made
by man. The other people at the table all had some experience that validated God's existence to them. The sermon was quite instructive as well, it was about listening. Do we really listen when others talk to us, or are we so wrapped up in our own mind, formulating a response that we do not really hear what the other person is saying? Do we sometimes become so enthralled with the sound of our own voice that we can't wait to speak, thus only biding time until the other person quits talking. Guilty! When we do this we don't really hear what the other is trying to convey to us. And, sometimes, what others have to say is quite important. I guess the point is: pay attention, you just might learn something of value.