Will it fit?  For those who are familiar with the DISC personality profile, I’m a high “C” which means I am very task-oriented, but I can, at times, get stuck in “analysis paralysis.”  I can research something to death.  Such was the case when we purchased new hymnals about 10 years ago.  I spent significant time researching all the available options.  Just after placing our order of 1,200 hymnals, someone asked me whether we checked if the new hymnal, which now included the Sunday readings, would fit in our hymnal racks.  I absolutely panicked!  I hadn’t thought about that important detail in my research.  I quickly took measurements of the new hymnal and marched over to church.  I was sweating bullets.  Even though my calculations indicated the hymnals would fit, I was concerned they would be so tight that people would be bruising their knuckles trying to get a hymnal out of the racks.  When all was said and done, the hymnals fit … barely … but they fit.
 
I was reminded of this story last week when the “Griswolds” went on their annual summer trek up north.  My mom was released from the rehab center a week ago this past Thursday, and our journey north took place the following day.  As I have written here before, our family has rented an RV the past several years to make it more convenient for everyone during the journey.  Last year, because of the Faster Horses Festival in Brooklyn, Michigan, which was taking place at the same time I wanted to rent an RV, I was too late to get anything.  So this year, I decided I would get my rental in place before the end of winter.  It was a good thing I set a deadline for renting the RV because the Faster Horses Festival was, once again, the same weekend our family would be traveling north.  After some extensive research, I landed on a 29 foot Intent from General RV.  I was delighted to tell my family we had a Class A RV ready to go for the week.  Usually, I’m last minute Clark, and the pickin’s are slim.  But this time, I had the RV of my dreams.
 
A few days before our departure, my sister Jackie took my mom to a doctor’s appointment.  On a whim, they decided to stop by General RV after the appointment to see if they could look at the RV we were renting or at least see something similar.  My mom wanted to make sure she could handle the steps.  The staff at General RV couldn’t have been more accommodating to my sister and mom.  The very unit we would be renting was in being cleaned, so they had a chance to scope it out.  My mom was ecstatic because she was able to climb the steps with ease.  Given the limited mobility of her temporary knee, we thought she would have some difficulties climbing into an RV, but she was able to do it; she just needed some help and had to take it slowly.  On their way home, they called me to tell me about their adventure.  They talked about the extremely polite and kind staff and how they were cheering my mom on as she climbed into the RV.  Then they asked if I knew how big this unit was.  “It’s only a 29 foot RV,” I promptly said.  “At least I didn’t get the 35 foot one!”  Nothing more was said.  Of course, I knew how big it was!
 
On Friday morning, my sister Jackie picked me up at my house and drove me to General RV.  She waited in her car while I got my orientation tour.  As I was walking into the garage with my “tour guide,” I saw these two mammoth RVs.  I was used to my little Class C units; I haven’t been in a Class A in years.  My heart sunk.  “Is one of these the one I rented?  Please say it isn’t so,” I thought to myself.  My tour guide then took me to one of their two “Big Babies.”  Sure enough, one of those two mammoth RVs was mine for the week.  As I got my tour, I was very impressed.  Not only could I stand up in the unit, but, more importantly, I was able to fit in the driver’s seat with ease (something that doesn’t happen all too often for me).  After getting the full tour and signing all the paperwork, I got behind the wheel and drove to the parking lot where my sister was waiting.  “I told you it was big,” she said with laughter.  She wasn’t kidding.  I didn’t have a problem with the length; I hadn’t anticipated a unit that was 12.5 feet tall.  This thing was huge.  The electronics onboard also had me mesmerized.  When I drove up to my parent’s condo, it seemed like the unit took up the whole length of the driveway.  But I was very content because I was able to fit behind the wheel and even stand up inside every inch of space in this impressive RV.
 
As we were driving up north, I remember being around Saginaw when I started to panic.  “OH good heavens, Clark,” I thought to myself.  “HOW in the world is this thing going to fit up at Pine Needle Point?”  I started to sweat bullets, but there was nothing I could do about it now.  I began to speculate every single way I could park this thing.  This wasn’t going to be easy.  There are trees and a narrow driveway.  “Why didn’t I think about that,” I said over and over in my mind.
 
When we arrived at Pine Needle Point, my dad and sister got out and helped me maneuver “Big Baby” into place.  I felt like I was driving in Italy again.  This was no easy task, but I was able to maneuver it into place slowly.  With the RV safely in place where I wanted it parked, it was time to unpack.  My journey for the night was done.  How I was going to get this thing out of the Pine Needle Point’s Tunnel of Trees circular driveway was another story, but that was going to be my issue in a few days when we took our first excursion.  But for now it was safe; nobody … and nothing … got hurt or damaged in the process. Blessed be God!
 
Later that evening, I heard my sister Jackie talking to her husband Lonnie on the phone (he wasn’t able to join us for the week).  I heard her recounting the adventures of the day, and more specifically, the details of getting “Big Baby” into its parking spot.  Then, with laughter, she said, “I’m not sure how we’re going to get out of here.  We may have to be airlifted.  We might be here for a LONG time.”
 
And, so, the Griswold family vacation began; and it was only day one!
 
Enjoy the week.  Know of my prayers.
 
In Christ,
 
gmb
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