Karen Graeff has an extremely busy life.

The parish nurse at Grandview United Methodist Church, 888 Pleasure Road, is on the faculty of the nursing program at Lancaster County Career & Technology Center's Willow Street campus.

She also owns and operates a wellness tutoring business.

And she and her husband, Joe, own and operate Egress Property Consultants, helping people avoid foreclosures.

She wasn't looking for anything else to do. But to earn miles to "Journey to Jerusalem," a Grandview UMC Lenten program, she began writing in a journal. And it's become a blessing in her life.

"It helps me think about what I did that day instead of just crashing into bed," said Graeff, of Manheim Township.

She said she writes about what she was grateful for that day and what she hopes to accomplish the next day.

Keeping a journal also has helped her deal with the recent death of her mother, Josephine Neider.

"I lost my biggest fan," she said. "I'm missing that love, the best unconditional love in my life."

The journey, with the subtitle, "A Lenten Challenge to Grow in Body, Mind and Spirit," is sponsored by Grandview's Parish Nurse team, comprised of Leslie Womeldorf, Elaine Spangler, Barb Smith, Tammy Horning and Graeff.

Miles may be earned in five categories: physical fitness, healthy eating/hydration, spiritual workouts, relationship/healthy habits and justice/kindness, and by attending church-sponsored events such as Lenten hikes and Dinner with Friends.

The goal is 5,820 miles, the distance from Lancaster to Jerusalem. As of Friday, March 23, the congregation had exceeded the goal, with more than 9,000  miles.

The first "figurative" stop, charted on a map at the church, was Appalachia, where Grandview youth will work on a mission trip this summer.

The next stop was the Democratic Republic of Congo,  because Grandview member Jay Horning recently biked 500 miles to raise $5,000 for "Imagine No Malaria" in the African country.

Next came Asia, where Grandview supports missionaries serving in Nepal and Katmandu. Other stops included Zimbabwe and Burma, with which the church also has connections.

Congregants of all ages, children through seniors, are on the journey.

The Rev. Andrea Brown, associate pastor, said children are doing jumping jacks in Sunday school.

"They're excited," she said.

Womeldorf, Grandview's other parish nurse,  organized the journey for the church as an assignment for certification as a Faith Community Nurse.

She also has a busy life. She and her husband, Craig, have two children, Samuel, 14, and Alyssa, 11.

Besides being a wife and mother, she is an adjunct faculty member for Harrisburg Area Community College's Lancaster County Registered Nurse program and a fitness instructor at Gold's Gym.

Womeldorf, of Lititz, received a master's degree in nursing last year, before enrolling in the Faith Community Nurse program.

She said her children were excited about counting miles, keeping up their logs and seeking other experiences, especially in justice and kindness.

"My daughter's best friend had a birthday last week. She had her over and did her hair," she said.

Brown spoke to one woman who is trying to give up cigarettes.

"I don't know how many miles that's worth, but it should be a lot," Brown said.

Brown said on Sunday in Lent,  Grandview's sermons have followed Jesus' journey to the cross and the Resurrection.

"Jesus is walking and telling his disciples how he will endure suffering — not glory — but pain and sacrifice." she said.

One week, they were in Caesarea Philippi, from Mark 8, which is near Syria.

"Think about what's happening there today," Brown said.

For more information, go to www.grandviewumc.org/resour....