Day and weekend trips give me a chance to unwind, forget about work, and enjoy the present. Sometimes our trips are spontaneous, but most of the time they’re planned. Hubs always drives (although I have never quite figured out if it is a macho thing or simply the fact that my driving terrifies him), nevertheless, he always drives. During these trips, when I’m not stomping on the imaginary passenger side brake, insisting he “get in the lane he needs to be in before the last minute” or echoing "there’s a car in your blind spot” commentary, I gaze out the window and take in the scenery.​Several weeks ago, we headed out for a day trip. Waves of pouring rain splashed against the windshield, car wipers swished desperately back and forth trying to clear the view, and while my normal instinct would have been to turn around, I just gazed out of the window. The sound of individual raindrops tapping the glass in-between a steady stream of surging water somehow was calming.​Through the passenger window, I watched the dimpling effect of the rainfall as it pelted flooded fields. In the far distance I noticed a church steeple. There it stood, seemingly alone, yet elevated high above the trees, majestically visible through the drenching downpour. The picturesque view of the steeple resonated within my soul. The mere image of the steeple made me think of church, but more importantly, it moved my focus to God. As I gazed in wonderment at the beauty, I began to wonder about the history of the church steeple? Why so many modern churches no longer have them? In fact, most of us would have to look at our own church to see if it even has a steeple. (Ha, made you look). Of course, me being me, I decided to research it.Most historians believe that church steeples made their way to America sometime during the eighteenth century. Architecture played an important role, and the steeple was long recognized as part of the Christian Church. Because of the architecture and design, steeples require expensive upkeep and maintenance; therefore, while steeples still exist atop older churches, the steeple has more, or less, become a thing of the past for the modern-day church.Church steeples are symbolic. Back in the day, the tallest structure in an area served as a directional focal point (i.e. it’s about three blocks down from the steeple). In addition, a steeple was also a signpost, or a billboard, if you will, to help people find a church when in need. Today, we simply search the internet.Many believe the purpose of a steeple is to direct the eyes and attention upward, toward God. Biblical passages such as, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10) (NKJV) are often quoted in support of steeples.​While I fully expected my research to find historical precedence and symbolic meaning, I admit I was taken aback when I discovered a darker interpretation of church steeples; a discovery that left me both surprised and stunned.I discovered the origin of the church steeple dates back thousands of years to Egypt, Rome and pagan worship. To my surprise, many religious scholars have cited historical documentation that the steeple represents idol worship. Again, this viewpoint also uses Scripture to state their case, “You shall not set up a sacred pillar, which the Lord your God hates.” (Deuteronomy 16:22) (NKJV).Although both perspectives are historically true, it is important to understand that research is simply a valuable tool for discovery to help reveal the unknown. Researchers often use findings to present evidence of truth or fable or documentation to support pro or con. I never expected the twist that would result from this research, particularly about church steeples of all things, but it did! This exploration also proved that anyone could pluck a passage here and there, take it out of context, and make a seemingly valid argument for or against anything. Um, now there's a thought to ponder. For me, I kept going back to the majesty of the view. There was just something significant about seeing that church steeple standing seemingly alone, yet elevated high above the trees, majestically visible through the drenching downpour. Yes, the picturesque view of the steeple resonated within my soul and the mere image of that steeple wowed my very being with the shear majesty of it all. (Parts of that paragraph were repeated on purpose.)

Adventures on a budget do not just happen; you have to make them happen. I love to travel, but traveling can be expensive. This is why I love day trips. Day trips allow me the ability to experience different, unique events and attractions more often than if I were planning an extended vacation.          

Last Tuesday I arrived home from work stressed, tired and completely tapped out. The last thing I wanted to do was fix dinner. Typically, Hubs and I go out for dinner on the weekends, but Tuesday was different. I wanted; no let me rephrase that, I NEEDED a quiet place to just sit and relax. Kicking our budget restrictions to the curb, Hubs and I opted to dine out at our favorite pizza joint. This restaurant is not a "hidden" gem; in fact, with two locations in Evansville and one in Newburgh, this hot spot is known for great pizza and their signature in-house brewery. Yet, believe it or not, we managed to turn this impromptu escape into an Adventure on a Budget.     

In our quest for adventure, Hubs and I decided to take a drive to the river. As we turned onto Riverside, childhood memories of Sunday drives to Dress Plaza made me smile. Although I had driven this road dozens of times, I never really thought much about it. As we drove past the plaza entrance, we could see adult swings in the distance. We knew that was our destination. Pulling into the parking lot, I heard laughter from kids playing at Mickey's Kingdom and watched teenagers attempting, what appeared to me, as death defying tricks at Sunset Skatepark. This place was no secret, I was just late to the game.