Good church on the road has been a rarity. That makes it all the more special when I find it. It is a gift from God. I have had good church in West Memphis, in Medina, Ohio, and in a few other places. Most of the time there is no church within walking distance of the truck stops or else I am running hard and cannot attend the service.
It is Sunday, December 7 (Pearl Harbor Day!). I was headed for Quebec over Thanksgiving. My employer has kept me in the northeast since then. I have been to New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Connecticut and back to New Jersey. I dropped a dirty empty trailer at the tankwash in New Jersey Friday afternoon, and the computer in the truck began to beep. "Hook loaded trailer 25749 and proceed to ... Chattanooga!" Hallelujah! A return to the warmer southland. Better yet, the loaded trailer was just now coming into the yard which meant I could make Chattanooga by Saturday night and have Sunday off! Now, if only there would be some church to attend. I was hungry to meet together with other believers to sing, fellowship and hear the preaching of the word.
Chattanooga has no truckstops within the city. There is a tankwash, but the best hope for parking seemed to be Charleston, Tennessee, 25 miles north of Chattanooga, within reach of the customer Monday morning. There is a new Love's Truckstop there with a large parking lot
Saturday evening I arrived. I marched into the truckstop and approached the fuel desk. "Do you have a church here within walking distance?" The ladies behind the fuel desk shook their heads "no". Indeed, Charleston proper was located several miles away on the other side of the freeway. My experience in Ohio last year told me it would be good to ask a second time. In the McDonalds restaurant inside the truckstop I approached the lady at the counter, asked her about the availability of WIFI there, and then asked if there was any church within walking distance. She said no, but that I could go to church with her or her son. I wrote my phone number down and gave it to her.
This morning came. I waited, and just when I thought I had been forgotten, the telephone rang. It was Pastor Bob and he would be at the truckstop in a few minutes. Thank you, Lord!
The church was tiny. It met in a school auditorium. Pastor Bob was a former Methodist Youth Minister who grew up Ukranian Orthodox. Pastor Bob had a pony tail. An elder gave the Christmas message. We sang Christmas carols. There was an advent wreath. We had what I can only describe as "French Dip" communion. And God was there. It was very good church indeed. I left refreshed and ready for what the next week has in store.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Again in a foreign land ...
It is Sunday evening, November 30, and for two days I have sat at the Flying J truckstop in Vaudreuil, Quebec Province, Canada.
Freight is very, very slow. My company made it clear that there would be no loads to take Thanksgiving week (and, indeed, drivers who went home for Thanksgiving are still waiting on loads in Houston - the economic problems are hurting the trucking industry along with the normal holiday lull). After discussing the matter with my wife and children, I called my employer and discovered that there were two loads left running over the Thanksgiving holiday. I volunteered.
It is not my preference to be away from home on the Thanksgiving holiday, my favorite of the year.
Yet, on this trip I have already had several "divine appointments".
More about this later ...
Freight is very, very slow. My company made it clear that there would be no loads to take Thanksgiving week (and, indeed, drivers who went home for Thanksgiving are still waiting on loads in Houston - the economic problems are hurting the trucking industry along with the normal holiday lull). After discussing the matter with my wife and children, I called my employer and discovered that there were two loads left running over the Thanksgiving holiday. I volunteered.
It is not my preference to be away from home on the Thanksgiving holiday, my favorite of the year.
Yet, on this trip I have already had several "divine appointments".
More about this later ...
Monday, October 20, 2008
In a Foreign Land
Last weekend found me in a foreign land - Canada.
And it was not just any part of Canada - I was in French speaking Quebec. I do not speak Quebecois. The Quebecois do not speak Texan.
When I am in Canada, I always feel out of place. The language (even in English Canada) is different. The currency is different. The customs are different. The laws are different. I have to look at a different portion of the speedometer.
I know that I do not belong there and there is always a sense of relief when I successfully cross the border back into my own country.
The writer of the Book of Hebrews states or certain believers:
"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
Peter writes:
"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;"
Some modern writers use the word "aliens" instead of pilgrims, but the idea is the same. This world is not our permanent home. If you belong to the Master, you are a stranger here. You long to be in your own country. You do not become too attached to this temporary abode.
Like Abraham, you look "for a city ... whose builder and maker is God."
Let none of us who name Him as our Saviour become too attached to this world, lest, like Lot's wife, we have the wrong affections.
And it was not just any part of Canada - I was in French speaking Quebec. I do not speak Quebecois. The Quebecois do not speak Texan.
When I am in Canada, I always feel out of place. The language (even in English Canada) is different. The currency is different. The customs are different. The laws are different. I have to look at a different portion of the speedometer.
I know that I do not belong there and there is always a sense of relief when I successfully cross the border back into my own country.
The writer of the Book of Hebrews states or certain believers:
"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
Peter writes:
"Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;"
Some modern writers use the word "aliens" instead of pilgrims, but the idea is the same. This world is not our permanent home. If you belong to the Master, you are a stranger here. You long to be in your own country. You do not become too attached to this temporary abode.
Like Abraham, you look "for a city ... whose builder and maker is God."
Let none of us who name Him as our Saviour become too attached to this world, lest, like Lot's wife, we have the wrong affections.
Hurricanes
The weekend of September 13 was memorable. A great hurricane came to Houston.
On Thursday I was bound for Houston, but my company diverted me, along with a number of other drivers who were Houston bound, to Dallas. My wife, children, and disabled brother-in-law fled from Houston. They were rejected at their first stopping place, and wound up split between the homes of my brother and my sister in Dallas. Since there was no freight originating in Dallas, I spent Saturday and Sunday with my family while my company paid me (company policy applied). This, I felt, was beyond coincidence.
Tuesday my family returned to our home. Many trees were down, but the house was untouched. Only a large tree limb (over eight inches in diameter at the base) lay across the top of the carport. The limb was later removed.
But it gets better. Parts of our neighborhood would be without electricity for weeks, yet when my wife and children returned, we had electricity. There was no electricity to the north, south or west, but we had electricity.
But it gets better. My wife has a horse in the back yard area. The fence was down. I thought: "the horse will be gone but at least my wife and children are safe". The horse was standing in the fenced area when my family returned.
I understand that God is in charge. I understand that many Christian people lost their homes. I understand that had we lost our home, He would still provide.
Yet I thank and praise God for His great mercy, kindness and provision!
Jeremiah, a man with whom I look forward to speaking, had to witness the destruction of his beloved Jerusalem. He wrote:
It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed,
because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning:
great is thy faithfulness.
On Thursday I was bound for Houston, but my company diverted me, along with a number of other drivers who were Houston bound, to Dallas. My wife, children, and disabled brother-in-law fled from Houston. They were rejected at their first stopping place, and wound up split between the homes of my brother and my sister in Dallas. Since there was no freight originating in Dallas, I spent Saturday and Sunday with my family while my company paid me (company policy applied). This, I felt, was beyond coincidence.
Tuesday my family returned to our home. Many trees were down, but the house was untouched. Only a large tree limb (over eight inches in diameter at the base) lay across the top of the carport. The limb was later removed.
But it gets better. Parts of our neighborhood would be without electricity for weeks, yet when my wife and children returned, we had electricity. There was no electricity to the north, south or west, but we had electricity.
But it gets better. My wife has a horse in the back yard area. The fence was down. I thought: "the horse will be gone but at least my wife and children are safe". The horse was standing in the fenced area when my family returned.
I understand that God is in charge. I understand that many Christian people lost their homes. I understand that had we lost our home, He would still provide.
Yet I thank and praise God for His great mercy, kindness and provision!
Jeremiah, a man with whom I look forward to speaking, had to witness the destruction of his beloved Jerusalem. He wrote:
It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed,
because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning:
great is thy faithfulness.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
September 6
I am home unexpectedly. I am midway between scheduled time at home periods. My first load went to Tucson and then straight back to my home port. Now I do not have a load until tomorrow morning.
What this means is that freight is slow. Miles have not been good the past three months and I am paid by the mile. This presents two problems.
First, the standard practice at our company is that drivers must whine to get more and better loads. "The squeaky wheel gets the grease" is the common saying of the worldly wise driver. I think that as a Christian there must be some balance between being a doormat and being a money-grubber. Do we not need godly wisdom in such instances? And where does such wisdom come from? I think we must ask God for wisdom AND that it is important to check and make sure that one is in the Spirit, not in the flesh, when addressing such issues.
Second, my company has a pattern of flushing experienced drivers and bringing in a constant stream of new drivers. This makes it appealing to move on at this point. But this is one of the reasons that my company remains a fertile ground for witnessing. There are lots and lots of new drivers who always need help.
What this means is that freight is slow. Miles have not been good the past three months and I am paid by the mile. This presents two problems.
First, the standard practice at our company is that drivers must whine to get more and better loads. "The squeaky wheel gets the grease" is the common saying of the worldly wise driver. I think that as a Christian there must be some balance between being a doormat and being a money-grubber. Do we not need godly wisdom in such instances? And where does such wisdom come from? I think we must ask God for wisdom AND that it is important to check and make sure that one is in the Spirit, not in the flesh, when addressing such issues.
Second, my company has a pattern of flushing experienced drivers and bringing in a constant stream of new drivers. This makes it appealing to move on at this point. But this is one of the reasons that my company remains a fertile ground for witnessing. There are lots and lots of new drivers who always need help.
Friday, August 22, 2008
August 22
It is Friday evening. I am in Atlanta at my company's terminal. The company has ordered me to proceed to Port St. Joe, Florida, tomorrow to drop an empty trailer and then to pick up a loaded trailer Sunday morning. Sometimes I think my company is run by madmen. Tropical storm Fay should arrive at Port St. Joe about the time that I arrive. I have visions in my mind of having to lash myself to a tree to keep from getting blown away, and then having to outswim a hungry alligator in deep flood waters.
It is a good time to remember that I hold this job only at God's good pleasure. If the Master wants me to be fired or to wreck the truck, then He can accomplish that at any time. I will exercise what prudence I can muster and after that God is in charge.
To my company, which goes through drivers like most people change socks, I am a disposable asset. It is good to remember that God does not look at His children that way.
My company misplaces assets from time to time. We get messages asking: "Has anyone seen trailer number such-and-such?". My God does not misplace things. He knows every hair on my head. He knows every sparrow that falls to the ground. The scripture tells me so and I see evidence in creation (while driving the truck) of a God whose intelligence and creativity are incomprehensible.
It is good to remember these things. We serve a risen saviour.
Meanwhile, my wife and youngest daughter are at home sewing doll clothes.
It is a good time to remember that I hold this job only at God's good pleasure. If the Master wants me to be fired or to wreck the truck, then He can accomplish that at any time. I will exercise what prudence I can muster and after that God is in charge.
To my company, which goes through drivers like most people change socks, I am a disposable asset. It is good to remember that God does not look at His children that way.
My company misplaces assets from time to time. We get messages asking: "Has anyone seen trailer number such-and-such?". My God does not misplace things. He knows every hair on my head. He knows every sparrow that falls to the ground. The scripture tells me so and I see evidence in creation (while driving the truck) of a God whose intelligence and creativity are incomprehensible.
It is good to remember these things. We serve a risen saviour.
Meanwhile, my wife and youngest daughter are at home sewing doll clothes.
Monday, August 18, 2008
August 18
It is the last day of the three days of home time. Wife and children are well. I have enjoyed cooking and sharing meals with the family. I have to go back to work tomorrow.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
August 11
It is Sunday evening and I am in Dallas, Texas. I must go to sleep soon because I need to be in Snyder, Texas, early in the morning. The chemical in the tank is 98% acetic acid (vinegar is only 4% I am told) and a full protective plastic chemical suit is needed for the unload. The suits are unbearably hot. It has been over 100 degrees in North Texas of late. The plastic suit is ready. So are the Gatorade bottles.
I wish to write of the events of Friday. God was once again present in the delays.
Thursday evening I was not a "happy camper". I was already near Spartanburg but could not unload until 1:00 p.m. the following day. I sought permission to unload early. My employer denied permission. This meant sitting at the Pilot truck stop at Gaffney. You would think I would learn by now (surely I ride God's short bus - I am one of his special education students).
Friday morning I rose up early and took my shower. A customer in the Pilot suggested I try the fruit stand outside in the automobile portion of the lot. What a blessing! Fresh peaches - fresh tomatoes. Not the hard, woody peaches from the produce section. Not the plastic, pale tomatoes from the produce section. These were the real deal. I ate the last tomato and mayonaisse sandwich this morning. And the peaches, sliced and covered with UHT milk. Hmmmmm. Fresh produce in the truck. What a rare blessing! Little did I know when I bought the fruit that I would soon be discussing fruits in the parking lot - the fruits of the Spirit.
Out in the truck lot were two trucks from my company. I went up to the first and offered the driver a peach, which he accepted, as he had been eyeing the fruit stand himself. Then I went to the second truck, only two spaces from mine. It was a young man driving dedicated Walmart delivery. He had his ten year old son with him (minor passengers are permitted by the company in the van division). His name was Honorio and he accepted a peach. I went to my truck.
In a minute, Honorio was over to my truck, showing me his scale ticket. The shipper had loaded him too heavy in the front of the trailer. Honorio was overweight on his drive axles. It was time to slide the tandems (the tires at the back of the van trailer are mounted on slide rails which have holes in them with movable pins). This is best a two man job and I grabbed my gloves and headed over to Honorio's truck. Honorio got in his driver seat and I manned the pin lever at the back of the trailer. The task was soon accomplished, and a reweigh on the truck stop scale confirmed that Honorio was now legal on all axels. He backed in again near me.
We spoke again. Now I am not a big "relational", "touchy-feely" kind of guy, but the modernists have one thing right: It is easier to share the gospel with even a touch of relationship, and the opportunity to help Honorio was the opening I needed. I gave Honorio a tract, but surprise, Honorio was already a professing believer. No matter, I gave Honorio some more tracts to give to other drivers. We looked at some scriptures together, including Galatians 5 ("fruits of the spirit, works of the flesh"). We prayed together. I always pray that God will perfect the other driver and use him, all to the glory of God. Honorio seemed encouraged. We went our separate ways.
But the day was not over. God was not yet finished.
At 1:00 p.m. I arrived at the customer. The unload went without problem.
By 4:00 or so I was back out on Interstate 26 south of Spartanburg, heading for tankwash in Augusta. I-26 is hilly. I was empty (constant speed). Soon a faster owner operator pulling for my company approached me from behind in ancient GMC-White-Volvo. He swung out to pass me on the downhill. He was heavy laden and did not realize I was empty (I still bear the hazmat placards until I arrive at the tankwash) and he quickly bogged down as we went up the hill. I was in no hurry, and I slowed so he could get by. A "thank you" came over the CB radio.
That "thank you" started a 90 mile conversation. Roger and I were headed in the same direction and we switched chanels so we could chat. Roger is from Indiana. He had gone broke once, been a company driver, and was now an owner operator again in a truck so ancient I had never seen one like it before. But Roger was clever. Auxillary power units to cool a truck cab without idling cost over $8,000.00, but Roger had used a Walmart pull start generator and a 110 volt air conditioning unit to build his own for less than $500.00. Now this I wanted to see.
Roger was nearly done with his day, but I had not pulled out of the Pilot until after 10:00, so I was not nearly ready to stop. Nevertheless, when Roger pulled into a small truckstop on U.S. 25, I followed him in so he could show me his creation. It was quite the invention, but I could see Roger lacked a means to keep other drivers from stealing the generator when it was situated on his catwalk. I just "happened" to have an extra cable lock which had been riding in my sidebox unused the past three years. Roger gratefully accepted the cable lock, and once again I had my opportunity. Roger was not a believer. Roger and the other company driver who pulled in about the same time both got a tract. Then I was on my way.
But the day was still not over!
I reached the tankwash in Augusta about 6:00 p.m., still on-schedule, Roger notwithstanding, dropped my dirty tankwagon, signed it in, and found my loaded relay. But I was not the only driver at the tankwash.
My company has horrific turnover, and to make up for this there is a steady stream of new drivers. Many need help at some point. Here was Kelvin from Louisiana. He was supposed to hook a clean tank, but it had not been washed. It was Friday night. There was no day staff available to answer questions. Kelvin was also headed for an unfamiliar unload location.
I walked Kelvin over to the tankwash personnel, only two of whom were still on duty on Friday evening, and soon they were washing his tank out. Then Kelvin and I sat for an hour while we went over his route and I drew some quick maps of the customer location. It was the third opportunity of the day! When I left, Kelvin had a clean tank. Kelvin knew how to get to the customer. I told Kelvin exactly Who had kept me these past three years in the truck. Kelvin had a gospel tract and my telephone number.
I am not a skilled evangelist. At best, I plant seeds. What I do, you can do. This is not rocket science. A child can do this. It is simply a matter of making an effort to stay close to God, and then asking Him for opportunities. If you genuinely ask God for these opportunities, I think He will give them to you. I think all you have to do is tell the other person what God has done for you, and then I think a written tract is still a marvelous tool. You can get the tracts very cheaply at local Christian stores.
The exciting part is that you never know when you are going to have those divine appointments.
Oops! It is already 9:30 p.m. and I want to pull out of here around 03:00. Time to retire. You don't want tired truck drivers sailing down the road with 45,000 lbs of acid in the tank!
I wish to write of the events of Friday. God was once again present in the delays.
Thursday evening I was not a "happy camper". I was already near Spartanburg but could not unload until 1:00 p.m. the following day. I sought permission to unload early. My employer denied permission. This meant sitting at the Pilot truck stop at Gaffney. You would think I would learn by now (surely I ride God's short bus - I am one of his special education students).
Friday morning I rose up early and took my shower. A customer in the Pilot suggested I try the fruit stand outside in the automobile portion of the lot. What a blessing! Fresh peaches - fresh tomatoes. Not the hard, woody peaches from the produce section. Not the plastic, pale tomatoes from the produce section. These were the real deal. I ate the last tomato and mayonaisse sandwich this morning. And the peaches, sliced and covered with UHT milk. Hmmmmm. Fresh produce in the truck. What a rare blessing! Little did I know when I bought the fruit that I would soon be discussing fruits in the parking lot - the fruits of the Spirit.
Out in the truck lot were two trucks from my company. I went up to the first and offered the driver a peach, which he accepted, as he had been eyeing the fruit stand himself. Then I went to the second truck, only two spaces from mine. It was a young man driving dedicated Walmart delivery. He had his ten year old son with him (minor passengers are permitted by the company in the van division). His name was Honorio and he accepted a peach. I went to my truck.
In a minute, Honorio was over to my truck, showing me his scale ticket. The shipper had loaded him too heavy in the front of the trailer. Honorio was overweight on his drive axles. It was time to slide the tandems (the tires at the back of the van trailer are mounted on slide rails which have holes in them with movable pins). This is best a two man job and I grabbed my gloves and headed over to Honorio's truck. Honorio got in his driver seat and I manned the pin lever at the back of the trailer. The task was soon accomplished, and a reweigh on the truck stop scale confirmed that Honorio was now legal on all axels. He backed in again near me.
We spoke again. Now I am not a big "relational", "touchy-feely" kind of guy, but the modernists have one thing right: It is easier to share the gospel with even a touch of relationship, and the opportunity to help Honorio was the opening I needed. I gave Honorio a tract, but surprise, Honorio was already a professing believer. No matter, I gave Honorio some more tracts to give to other drivers. We looked at some scriptures together, including Galatians 5 ("fruits of the spirit, works of the flesh"). We prayed together. I always pray that God will perfect the other driver and use him, all to the glory of God. Honorio seemed encouraged. We went our separate ways.
But the day was not over. God was not yet finished.
At 1:00 p.m. I arrived at the customer. The unload went without problem.
By 4:00 or so I was back out on Interstate 26 south of Spartanburg, heading for tankwash in Augusta. I-26 is hilly. I was empty (constant speed). Soon a faster owner operator pulling for my company approached me from behind in ancient GMC-White-Volvo. He swung out to pass me on the downhill. He was heavy laden and did not realize I was empty (I still bear the hazmat placards until I arrive at the tankwash) and he quickly bogged down as we went up the hill. I was in no hurry, and I slowed so he could get by. A "thank you" came over the CB radio.
That "thank you" started a 90 mile conversation. Roger and I were headed in the same direction and we switched chanels so we could chat. Roger is from Indiana. He had gone broke once, been a company driver, and was now an owner operator again in a truck so ancient I had never seen one like it before. But Roger was clever. Auxillary power units to cool a truck cab without idling cost over $8,000.00, but Roger had used a Walmart pull start generator and a 110 volt air conditioning unit to build his own for less than $500.00. Now this I wanted to see.
Roger was nearly done with his day, but I had not pulled out of the Pilot until after 10:00, so I was not nearly ready to stop. Nevertheless, when Roger pulled into a small truckstop on U.S. 25, I followed him in so he could show me his creation. It was quite the invention, but I could see Roger lacked a means to keep other drivers from stealing the generator when it was situated on his catwalk. I just "happened" to have an extra cable lock which had been riding in my sidebox unused the past three years. Roger gratefully accepted the cable lock, and once again I had my opportunity. Roger was not a believer. Roger and the other company driver who pulled in about the same time both got a tract. Then I was on my way.
But the day was still not over!
I reached the tankwash in Augusta about 6:00 p.m., still on-schedule, Roger notwithstanding, dropped my dirty tankwagon, signed it in, and found my loaded relay. But I was not the only driver at the tankwash.
My company has horrific turnover, and to make up for this there is a steady stream of new drivers. Many need help at some point. Here was Kelvin from Louisiana. He was supposed to hook a clean tank, but it had not been washed. It was Friday night. There was no day staff available to answer questions. Kelvin was also headed for an unfamiliar unload location.
I walked Kelvin over to the tankwash personnel, only two of whom were still on duty on Friday evening, and soon they were washing his tank out. Then Kelvin and I sat for an hour while we went over his route and I drew some quick maps of the customer location. It was the third opportunity of the day! When I left, Kelvin had a clean tank. Kelvin knew how to get to the customer. I told Kelvin exactly Who had kept me these past three years in the truck. Kelvin had a gospel tract and my telephone number.
I am not a skilled evangelist. At best, I plant seeds. What I do, you can do. This is not rocket science. A child can do this. It is simply a matter of making an effort to stay close to God, and then asking Him for opportunities. If you genuinely ask God for these opportunities, I think He will give them to you. I think all you have to do is tell the other person what God has done for you, and then I think a written tract is still a marvelous tool. You can get the tracts very cheaply at local Christian stores.
The exciting part is that you never know when you are going to have those divine appointments.
Oops! It is already 9:30 p.m. and I want to pull out of here around 03:00. Time to retire. You don't want tired truck drivers sailing down the road with 45,000 lbs of acid in the tank!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Most excellent church services
This began as a dissappointing weekend. My company failed to get me home when I had requested and left me stranded at our West Memphis, Arkansas, terminal from Saturday night through Monday morning. Once I determined I was stranded late Saturday, I was in foul humor. I had planned to be home with my family to attend services. Now I was 550 miles from home with no prospect of getting home until Monday evening or Tuesday. I had to read some scripture and meditate on it before I even walked into the operating center (our terminal) and faced other drivers.
Then a most amazing set of events transpired and this morning I had most excellent church.
When I went into the operating center there were quite a number of drivers. Some were eating. Some talking in small groups. Some were working on their laptop computers. I saw no one to speak with immediately and proceeded to the microwave to warm my soup. I had my laptop bag as well. While I was eating, one of the drivers who was using one of the few electrical outlets to charge his DVD player asked me if I would like to use the outlet to run my laptop. I told him to take his time, that I did not need to use the outlet right away, but I warned him that his question was an invitation to conversation and moved to his table.
Larry was from New York. He had last everything in a divorce. He had been driving truck for a year. He wanted to go to church in the morning. I told him I did not know any churches in the area, but he had asked the lady at the fuel desk and she had told him of her church. I went up to the fuel desk, got the name of the church, the street address, the service times and more precise directions.
This morning Larry and I headed off in my tractor at 07:00 to catch the early morning service at New Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. We figured it would be easier to fit in the parking lot bobtail (bobtail means tractor with no trailer attached) during the early 08:00 service.
The service was EXCELLENT. The music was superb. The message was sound, biblically based and needful. The pastor preached on fasting, using as his text Matthew 6:16-18.
I felt that I really had church this morning, and I had not expected to get any church. God is so good.
So yes, there is still a bible teaching pastor in West Memphis, Arkansas. There is still a remnant scattered here and there.
Then a most amazing set of events transpired and this morning I had most excellent church.
When I went into the operating center there were quite a number of drivers. Some were eating. Some talking in small groups. Some were working on their laptop computers. I saw no one to speak with immediately and proceeded to the microwave to warm my soup. I had my laptop bag as well. While I was eating, one of the drivers who was using one of the few electrical outlets to charge his DVD player asked me if I would like to use the outlet to run my laptop. I told him to take his time, that I did not need to use the outlet right away, but I warned him that his question was an invitation to conversation and moved to his table.
Larry was from New York. He had last everything in a divorce. He had been driving truck for a year. He wanted to go to church in the morning. I told him I did not know any churches in the area, but he had asked the lady at the fuel desk and she had told him of her church. I went up to the fuel desk, got the name of the church, the street address, the service times and more precise directions.
This morning Larry and I headed off in my tractor at 07:00 to catch the early morning service at New Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. We figured it would be easier to fit in the parking lot bobtail (bobtail means tractor with no trailer attached) during the early 08:00 service.
The service was EXCELLENT. The music was superb. The message was sound, biblically based and needful. The pastor preached on fasting, using as his text Matthew 6:16-18.
I felt that I really had church this morning, and I had not expected to get any church. God is so good.
So yes, there is still a bible teaching pastor in West Memphis, Arkansas. There is still a remnant scattered here and there.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
July 14
July 14 (posted from Dallas on July 17)
I have been out and about since July 8. I do not have wi-fi access this evening, so I am typing and saving to post later.
July 4 through 7 were spent at home celebrating the 4th of July and my brother-in-law's birthday.
Church was disappointing. We went to Lutheran Sunday School. The pastor was rushed. I would have loved to ask him some questions about the Lutheran view of saving faith. (Indeed, I think it is time to discuss this subject on the theology blog). Then we went to service at a local baptist church. The sermon was a horrific blend of Christian popular psychology and misapplied scripture. Sunday evening there was no service, it being 4th of July weekend. Most churches no longer have Sunday evening services, but our local Assembly of God church usually does have them, except on 4th of July weekend when a softball game was substituted.
July 8 it was a local delivery followed by grabbing a loaded tank and heading for Milwaukee (Waukesha). The evening of July 8 was noteworthy because I found a parking space, a good parking space, when I should not have found one, at 11:00 pm while tired. For those not familiar with trucking, it is particularly difficult to find parking in the overcrowded truck stops and rest areas after 6:00 p.m. and nearly impossible between 8:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. I have written this before, but God's abundant grace and mercy is ever manifest. Here is a favorite verse:
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore I will hope in him. Lamentations 3:22-24
July 9 I made it deep into Illinois, to a truckstop at Minonk. Again, God was gracious. Again, it was late. The truckstop directory I carry mentioned only a medium sized lot at this small truckstop. I was delighted to find a huge dirt lot adjacent open to big trucks. I slept and in the morning I met Dennis.
Dennis pulled up next to me in the morning and walked over after I waived, ostensibly to ask about the name of the town for his log book. We talked. I made mention of God, and we proceeded to talk about God and His goodness toward us. Dennis looked hardbitten, but knew the scriptures and related that his 94 year old father had been a Baptist pastor. I directed the conversation towards the subject of "what is saving faith". This is an interesting subject because our Lord Himself related that:
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful
works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7.
Brothers and sisters, I don't know about you, but those are the very last words I want to hear from the Master. Better to hear:
Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
Dennis and I prayed together and he departed.
Then it was on to Waukesha where I unloaded, and on to the tankwash in Neenah, Wisconsin, to pick up a clean tank. At Neenah, I met Richard.
Richard was another driver for my company. I saw Richard at the tankwash. There were other company drivers there, but Richard stood out in that he was helping another driver from another company with directions. This is unusual, as most truck drivers these days are too busy to help others.
I headed off to Wausau for my next load. I was surprised to see Richard there again the following morning. We spoke and he gave me helpful information on a road closure that he had learned from the truck stop attendant. Richard and I were bound for the same customer.
Once at the customer, Richard and I had time to chat while our tank trailers were being loaded with smelly, sticky processed black tree sap. I asked Richard why he was different, and he did not hesitate to tell me: "Because of Jesus Christ". Richard is a young believer out driving in the truck.
It was good to meet another Christian driver from the same company. Once again, I do not believe in coincidence. I believe in providence. God rules and overrules in the affairs of men.
Tonight, I am in Kansas City at the tank wash, but the wi-fi is down. I do not load until tomorrow morning and then I go to Tulsa.
We shall see what else God has in store. I must tend to some house keeping here in the truck, and if I have time to type tomorrow I would really like to spend time writing of the subject of saving faith.
I have been out and about since July 8. I do not have wi-fi access this evening, so I am typing and saving to post later.
July 4 through 7 were spent at home celebrating the 4th of July and my brother-in-law's birthday.
Church was disappointing. We went to Lutheran Sunday School. The pastor was rushed. I would have loved to ask him some questions about the Lutheran view of saving faith. (Indeed, I think it is time to discuss this subject on the theology blog). Then we went to service at a local baptist church. The sermon was a horrific blend of Christian popular psychology and misapplied scripture. Sunday evening there was no service, it being 4th of July weekend. Most churches no longer have Sunday evening services, but our local Assembly of God church usually does have them, except on 4th of July weekend when a softball game was substituted.
July 8 it was a local delivery followed by grabbing a loaded tank and heading for Milwaukee (Waukesha). The evening of July 8 was noteworthy because I found a parking space, a good parking space, when I should not have found one, at 11:00 pm while tired. For those not familiar with trucking, it is particularly difficult to find parking in the overcrowded truck stops and rest areas after 6:00 p.m. and nearly impossible between 8:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. I have written this before, but God's abundant grace and mercy is ever manifest. Here is a favorite verse:
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore I will hope in him. Lamentations 3:22-24
July 9 I made it deep into Illinois, to a truckstop at Minonk. Again, God was gracious. Again, it was late. The truckstop directory I carry mentioned only a medium sized lot at this small truckstop. I was delighted to find a huge dirt lot adjacent open to big trucks. I slept and in the morning I met Dennis.
Dennis pulled up next to me in the morning and walked over after I waived, ostensibly to ask about the name of the town for his log book. We talked. I made mention of God, and we proceeded to talk about God and His goodness toward us. Dennis looked hardbitten, but knew the scriptures and related that his 94 year old father had been a Baptist pastor. I directed the conversation towards the subject of "what is saving faith". This is an interesting subject because our Lord Himself related that:
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful
works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7.
Brothers and sisters, I don't know about you, but those are the very last words I want to hear from the Master. Better to hear:
Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
Dennis and I prayed together and he departed.
Then it was on to Waukesha where I unloaded, and on to the tankwash in Neenah, Wisconsin, to pick up a clean tank. At Neenah, I met Richard.
Richard was another driver for my company. I saw Richard at the tankwash. There were other company drivers there, but Richard stood out in that he was helping another driver from another company with directions. This is unusual, as most truck drivers these days are too busy to help others.
I headed off to Wausau for my next load. I was surprised to see Richard there again the following morning. We spoke and he gave me helpful information on a road closure that he had learned from the truck stop attendant. Richard and I were bound for the same customer.
Once at the customer, Richard and I had time to chat while our tank trailers were being loaded with smelly, sticky processed black tree sap. I asked Richard why he was different, and he did not hesitate to tell me: "Because of Jesus Christ". Richard is a young believer out driving in the truck.
It was good to meet another Christian driver from the same company. Once again, I do not believe in coincidence. I believe in providence. God rules and overrules in the affairs of men.
Tonight, I am in Kansas City at the tank wash, but the wi-fi is down. I do not load until tomorrow morning and then I go to Tulsa.
We shall see what else God has in store. I must tend to some house keeping here in the truck, and if I have time to type tomorrow I would really like to spend time writing of the subject of saving faith.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Jumper Cables and a Missing Tank Fitting
The Jumper Cables
Early on in my driving career (all of three years ago) I found myself holed up in a small rest area near Hugo, Colorado, with another driver whose truck had broken down. The other driver asked me if I had jumper cables. I did not, but that they would be a welcome addition to my side box and added them when I returned home.
This two week cycle began with a trip to Los Angeles. This is unusual. I only go to California two or three times a year. The rest of the time I stay in the eastern half of the United States.
On the way back from Los Angeles, circumstances had me in Eloy, Arizona, south of Phoenix, fueling at the Pilot truckstop in the morning. Though it was morning, the desert heat was already substantial. I wanted to fuel and grab a badly needed shower. The fuel space next to me opened, and another tanker truck from my company pulled in. Great, I thought. I was not "feeling" sociable. I did not even smell sociable. Reluctantly, I turned to greet the driver.
It was a team. It was an inexperienced new team. They wanted to know if I knew where the fuse box is located. They were having electrical problems with the truck. No one was waiting behind us. I showed them the fuse box and checked the fuses for them. Then one of the drivers mentioned that the voltmeter was reading very low. Then one of the drivers tried to start the truck. The four batteries were dead. They were sitting ducks in the fuel island, facing a multi-hour wait calling the company, arranging, and waiting for roadside maintenance.
Because I was equipped with jumper cables, I whipped my truck forward, was able to turn the rig, came into the spot I had just vacated backwards (nose first) and got my cables out. In minutes they were started.
The driver started to thank me, and I stopped him. "You don't understand. Don't thank me. That you had another driver, from the same company, with jumper cables, next to you in the fuel island when your truck quit was not a coincidence. That simply does not happen in real life. Instead give thanks to God!"
The lead driver was moved to tears. He shared that he and his co-driver were Christians, that they began every day with prayer, and that how they were certain that God had put me there at that time. We prayed together and I then gave them the practical information of the location of the Petro truckstop eight miles up the road where my company has arrangements with the repair shop (the same truckstop I wrote about some weeks back with the chapel in it).
I think I was sent there that morning at that time.
----------------------------
The Missing Tank Fitting
After returning from California, I was sent to drop a tank bound for Mexico in Laredo. From Laredo I was sent bobtail to Brownsville 200 miles away in order to pick up a dirty empty coming back from Mexico.
At the broker lot in Brownsville I saw something I had never seen before. The tankwagon returning from Mexico had had its outlet fitting stolen. When I walked around the back, there was an open pipe staring at me. State troopers will not allow you to drive down the road with an unwashed hazmat tank with an open outlet. I was stuck. It was 6:00 in the evening and it was extremely unlikely that my company could obtain the missing part before morning.
As always, it was time to ask, "Lord, why here? Why now?"
The broker yard was attended by a security guard and a representative of the broker. While I was communicating my problem with my company, there was a shift change of the broker representative. Once I determined that I was stuck for the evening, I thought it wise to walk over to the broker trailer and advise the broker's representative who had just come on duty that I would be their overnight guest.
The young man was sitting and reading. "What are you reading?" The Bible. He was reading the book of Samuel about David. His english was very bad, and my spanish is nearly non-existent, but for the next hour we had a delightful time of fellowship. I fetched my bible from the truck. As verses came to mind I would find the reference in my bible and then he would look them up in his bible. We then prayed for each other. I prayed in English. He prayed in Spanish.
I was able to gather that he was a new convert, that he had recently been released from prison, that he had a wife and child, that he attended a church in Brownsville, and that he loved to read the scriptures. He had been praying for a job and had started this job the day before.
I am convinced that God shut me down at that freight broker's yard at that time so that we might encourage each other in the Lord.
So much for that two week jaunt. Time would fail me to tell of God's small mercies in seeing that I traveled safely. I am home now for 4th of July weekend. Tomorrow (it is July 7 as I finish this post) it is back in the truck. I never like the part of getting back in the truck, but it is the job God has provided at this point in time.
If time permits I will write about the other time, the winter before last when the jumper cables served as a witnessing tool.
Early on in my driving career (all of three years ago) I found myself holed up in a small rest area near Hugo, Colorado, with another driver whose truck had broken down. The other driver asked me if I had jumper cables. I did not, but that they would be a welcome addition to my side box and added them when I returned home.
This two week cycle began with a trip to Los Angeles. This is unusual. I only go to California two or three times a year. The rest of the time I stay in the eastern half of the United States.
On the way back from Los Angeles, circumstances had me in Eloy, Arizona, south of Phoenix, fueling at the Pilot truckstop in the morning. Though it was morning, the desert heat was already substantial. I wanted to fuel and grab a badly needed shower. The fuel space next to me opened, and another tanker truck from my company pulled in. Great, I thought. I was not "feeling" sociable. I did not even smell sociable. Reluctantly, I turned to greet the driver.
It was a team. It was an inexperienced new team. They wanted to know if I knew where the fuse box is located. They were having electrical problems with the truck. No one was waiting behind us. I showed them the fuse box and checked the fuses for them. Then one of the drivers mentioned that the voltmeter was reading very low. Then one of the drivers tried to start the truck. The four batteries were dead. They were sitting ducks in the fuel island, facing a multi-hour wait calling the company, arranging, and waiting for roadside maintenance.
Because I was equipped with jumper cables, I whipped my truck forward, was able to turn the rig, came into the spot I had just vacated backwards (nose first) and got my cables out. In minutes they were started.
The driver started to thank me, and I stopped him. "You don't understand. Don't thank me. That you had another driver, from the same company, with jumper cables, next to you in the fuel island when your truck quit was not a coincidence. That simply does not happen in real life. Instead give thanks to God!"
The lead driver was moved to tears. He shared that he and his co-driver were Christians, that they began every day with prayer, and that how they were certain that God had put me there at that time. We prayed together and I then gave them the practical information of the location of the Petro truckstop eight miles up the road where my company has arrangements with the repair shop (the same truckstop I wrote about some weeks back with the chapel in it).
I think I was sent there that morning at that time.
----------------------------
The Missing Tank Fitting
After returning from California, I was sent to drop a tank bound for Mexico in Laredo. From Laredo I was sent bobtail to Brownsville 200 miles away in order to pick up a dirty empty coming back from Mexico.
At the broker lot in Brownsville I saw something I had never seen before. The tankwagon returning from Mexico had had its outlet fitting stolen. When I walked around the back, there was an open pipe staring at me. State troopers will not allow you to drive down the road with an unwashed hazmat tank with an open outlet. I was stuck. It was 6:00 in the evening and it was extremely unlikely that my company could obtain the missing part before morning.
As always, it was time to ask, "Lord, why here? Why now?"
The broker yard was attended by a security guard and a representative of the broker. While I was communicating my problem with my company, there was a shift change of the broker representative. Once I determined that I was stuck for the evening, I thought it wise to walk over to the broker trailer and advise the broker's representative who had just come on duty that I would be their overnight guest.
The young man was sitting and reading. "What are you reading?" The Bible. He was reading the book of Samuel about David. His english was very bad, and my spanish is nearly non-existent, but for the next hour we had a delightful time of fellowship. I fetched my bible from the truck. As verses came to mind I would find the reference in my bible and then he would look them up in his bible. We then prayed for each other. I prayed in English. He prayed in Spanish.
I was able to gather that he was a new convert, that he had recently been released from prison, that he had a wife and child, that he attended a church in Brownsville, and that he loved to read the scriptures. He had been praying for a job and had started this job the day before.
I am convinced that God shut me down at that freight broker's yard at that time so that we might encourage each other in the Lord.
So much for that two week jaunt. Time would fail me to tell of God's small mercies in seeing that I traveled safely. I am home now for 4th of July weekend. Tomorrow (it is July 7 as I finish this post) it is back in the truck. I never like the part of getting back in the truck, but it is the job God has provided at this point in time.
If time permits I will write about the other time, the winter before last when the jumper cables served as a witnessing tool.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
June 14
It is 9:00 p.m., Saturday night, June 14. I am sitting at the Pilot truckstop in Muscogee, Oklahoma. I have been sitting here for 24 hours. I will continue to sit here until about 11:00 a.m. before pulling up stakes and heading south.
Why am I sitting? In the trucking business there are "hiccups". Someone at headquarters received an order for three truckloads of potassium hydroxide to load Friday in southwest Iowa and deliver Monday 100 miles north of Houston. I "happened" to be in the St. Louis area, close enough to head to Iowa for loading, and we do not keep many drivers in the West central region. But the mileage from load point to delivery point is only 700+ miles, I had nearly three days to deliver, and that means sitting. Sometimes you can relay the load for a local driver to deliver, but this load is not appropriate for relay for several reasons, none of which need be explained right now.
The company takes some of the pain out of sitting by paying layover pay, but generally you make better money by moving. It is an old axiom in the trucking industry that you only make money when the wheels are turning. In fact, I COULD start driving now, arrive at the customer by about 04:00 a.m. (Sunday morning), and qualify for a second day's layover pay (24 hour increments of sitting in one place), but I am leary of that. The best description of my experiences driving after midnight would be "foolhardy in the extreme" (rumble strips "felt" on the shoulder, ice water splashed on the face, slapping myself to stay awake, high risk to me and to the motoring public with 78,000 lbs of hazardous liquid freight and steel rolling down the highway). Besides that, the psalmist tells me that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10). If my heavenly Father wants me to undertake something really, really risky and seemingly stupid for the sake of $90.00 in layover pay He is going to have to give me some very express leading. Otherwise, I think He is quite capable of providing the money that I need in some other fashion. I don't think God has been hurt in the least by rising fuel prices. I love the vision of Isaiah 6, given in the year that King Uzziah died (a time of crisis, the death of a good king) - God was still on the throne. He is STILL on the throne. He will STILL be on the throne if and when America breathes its death rattle.
I mentioned that I "happened" to be in the St. Louis area. I do not believe in luck. You will find very few references to luck (or chance) in the scriptures. Luck certainly is not the ruling principle for the believer. Psalm 37:23 states that: "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth in his way. (None of us are good men apart from the shed bled of Christ, but that is another story). One of my favorite passages on this subject is in the book of Ruth. In chapter two, Ruth, the Moabite widow (God is so good! the Moabites were NOT a part of the covenant people! They did not deserve God's mercy! Neither did I!) is looking for a field in which to glean, with all that this implies. The Holy Spirit records that:
"And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers:
and her "hap" was to light on the part of the field belonging unto
Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimilech."
The Modern King James says "she happened". I love when Dr. McGee exposits this section in his five year radio program. If I remember correctly he has angels sitting on the edges of their chairs, breath held, while they watch to see what field Ruth settles in. But McGee tells us there is no suspense. God knew all along. God ordered Ruth's steps. Ruth HAD to come to the field of Boaz to meet this man who would be the great or great-great grandfather of David.
The same God who put Ruth in the field of Boaz has me sitting this evening in the Muscogee Pilot. He has not changed. He will not change. The scriptures tell us so.
I should like to report that I have met many drivers, distributed many tracts, and had "divine appointments" here at the Muscogee Pilot. I cannot. I have met Freddie, a new driver from Pennsylvania. (Freddie was surprised, he asked me why I came to speak with him - I told him because I am a Christian and look for the opportunity to speak with other drivers).
I have no internet access here. I will save this and try and upload it when I hit Texas tomorrow (even then, James writes in chapter four that we know not what will happen on the morrow, so if the Lord wills, I will upload this tomorrow in Texas).
(Oh, while in St. Louis Thursday, encountering still other seemingly meaningless delays, I again was at the tankwash when Szolz, our Hungarian driver, came in, and as God would have it, I had time to chat with him. I continue to witness to Szolz and to his wife when she calls to interpret and ask questions for Szolz about the job. When I last saw Szolz in New Jersey he shared that his grandparents had been believers and how they had started every morning with the reading of the Word. I cannot help but wonder if my contact with Szolz is not in answer to the long ago prayers of long dead grandparents half a world away. That would be cool! But see, the life of a Christian is anything but boring. We shall see what God has in store tomorrow. I don't know if there will be any divine appointments tomorrow. I only know that is best to be prepared for such appointments by spending some time in God's Word before beginning the day. That is all I have to know. God is in charge of the details. And that is really, really cool as well.
Why am I sitting? In the trucking business there are "hiccups". Someone at headquarters received an order for three truckloads of potassium hydroxide to load Friday in southwest Iowa and deliver Monday 100 miles north of Houston. I "happened" to be in the St. Louis area, close enough to head to Iowa for loading, and we do not keep many drivers in the West central region. But the mileage from load point to delivery point is only 700+ miles, I had nearly three days to deliver, and that means sitting. Sometimes you can relay the load for a local driver to deliver, but this load is not appropriate for relay for several reasons, none of which need be explained right now.
The company takes some of the pain out of sitting by paying layover pay, but generally you make better money by moving. It is an old axiom in the trucking industry that you only make money when the wheels are turning. In fact, I COULD start driving now, arrive at the customer by about 04:00 a.m. (Sunday morning), and qualify for a second day's layover pay (24 hour increments of sitting in one place), but I am leary of that. The best description of my experiences driving after midnight would be "foolhardy in the extreme" (rumble strips "felt" on the shoulder, ice water splashed on the face, slapping myself to stay awake, high risk to me and to the motoring public with 78,000 lbs of hazardous liquid freight and steel rolling down the highway). Besides that, the psalmist tells me that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10). If my heavenly Father wants me to undertake something really, really risky and seemingly stupid for the sake of $90.00 in layover pay He is going to have to give me some very express leading. Otherwise, I think He is quite capable of providing the money that I need in some other fashion. I don't think God has been hurt in the least by rising fuel prices. I love the vision of Isaiah 6, given in the year that King Uzziah died (a time of crisis, the death of a good king) - God was still on the throne. He is STILL on the throne. He will STILL be on the throne if and when America breathes its death rattle.
I mentioned that I "happened" to be in the St. Louis area. I do not believe in luck. You will find very few references to luck (or chance) in the scriptures. Luck certainly is not the ruling principle for the believer. Psalm 37:23 states that: "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth in his way. (None of us are good men apart from the shed bled of Christ, but that is another story). One of my favorite passages on this subject is in the book of Ruth. In chapter two, Ruth, the Moabite widow (God is so good! the Moabites were NOT a part of the covenant people! They did not deserve God's mercy! Neither did I!) is looking for a field in which to glean, with all that this implies. The Holy Spirit records that:
"And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers:
and her "hap" was to light on the part of the field belonging unto
Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimilech."
The Modern King James says "she happened". I love when Dr. McGee exposits this section in his five year radio program. If I remember correctly he has angels sitting on the edges of their chairs, breath held, while they watch to see what field Ruth settles in. But McGee tells us there is no suspense. God knew all along. God ordered Ruth's steps. Ruth HAD to come to the field of Boaz to meet this man who would be the great or great-great grandfather of David.
The same God who put Ruth in the field of Boaz has me sitting this evening in the Muscogee Pilot. He has not changed. He will not change. The scriptures tell us so.
I should like to report that I have met many drivers, distributed many tracts, and had "divine appointments" here at the Muscogee Pilot. I cannot. I have met Freddie, a new driver from Pennsylvania. (Freddie was surprised, he asked me why I came to speak with him - I told him because I am a Christian and look for the opportunity to speak with other drivers).
I have no internet access here. I will save this and try and upload it when I hit Texas tomorrow (even then, James writes in chapter four that we know not what will happen on the morrow, so if the Lord wills, I will upload this tomorrow in Texas).
(Oh, while in St. Louis Thursday, encountering still other seemingly meaningless delays, I again was at the tankwash when Szolz, our Hungarian driver, came in, and as God would have it, I had time to chat with him. I continue to witness to Szolz and to his wife when she calls to interpret and ask questions for Szolz about the job. When I last saw Szolz in New Jersey he shared that his grandparents had been believers and how they had started every morning with the reading of the Word. I cannot help but wonder if my contact with Szolz is not in answer to the long ago prayers of long dead grandparents half a world away. That would be cool! But see, the life of a Christian is anything but boring. We shall see what God has in store tomorrow. I don't know if there will be any divine appointments tomorrow. I only know that is best to be prepared for such appointments by spending some time in God's Word before beginning the day. That is all I have to know. God is in charge of the details. And that is really, really cool as well.
Monday, June 9, 2008
June 7 - 9
I made it to Potsdam, New York, so far north that many of the radio stations I tuned in were in French Canadian.
Then I made it down to Keasbey, New Jersey with the dirty tank.
Then I pulled a loaded tank south to Fairfax, Virginia (suburban D.C.) and found the customer at night, in the rain.
There was a DOT inspection at the scale in Maryland.
Then to the second unload spot in North Augusta, South Carolina, where I found parking late at night near the customer's gate.
Then it was on to Atlanta to drop dirty trailer and pick up a new loaded trailer.
And then it was home.
Time would fail me to tell of God's rich grace and mercy along the way. I am so often amazed, so often humbled.
Three days at home with the family. Too short. Then it will be off again tomorrow morning.
Then I made it down to Keasbey, New Jersey with the dirty tank.
Then I pulled a loaded tank south to Fairfax, Virginia (suburban D.C.) and found the customer at night, in the rain.
There was a DOT inspection at the scale in Maryland.
Then to the second unload spot in North Augusta, South Carolina, where I found parking late at night near the customer's gate.
Then it was on to Atlanta to drop dirty trailer and pick up a new loaded trailer.
And then it was home.
Time would fail me to tell of God's rich grace and mercy along the way. I am so often amazed, so often humbled.
Three days at home with the family. Too short. Then it will be off again tomorrow morning.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
More Divine Appointments
Memorial Day weekend was wonderful. Time with wife and children. Church. Barbecue grilling.
Tuesday it was back to work. The scheduled load was back to Canada, this time to Edmonton, Alberta, but God was fixing to do a little rerouting.
I arrived at the customer and was told the Canada trailer would not be ready for three days. Oops!
I was redirected, this time to a notoriously slow shipper. There was a 20 hour wait and still the trailer was not ready.
My motto these days is that when God stops me, it is time to look around and ask, "Why here, Lord? Why now?" I would soon find out.
This shipper is not only notoriously slow, but also notoriously "tight". It is so cramped it is dangerous for maneuvering. Workers and forklifts are flying out of every gap and parking spots are so tight that mirrors and fenders are in peril.
At precisely 09:30 a.m. my employer directed me into the plant to hook a loaded trailer that was ready. I went in. The trailer was not in the usual area, and as I came back out I spied an owner operator with a long-nose Peterbilt or Freightliner Classic was tearing his bumper off in an attempt to extricate a long trailer (ISO chassis). I jumped out and went over to help. Without getting into particulars, together we got him, his truck and the trailer out of the hole. He jumped out of his truck (this trucker was a BIG man), gave me a hug, and exclaimed: "God is good!" We spent just a minute or two talking about the Master, about the temporal nature of trucks and other things, and about the grace and mercy of God.
I have no doubt I was sent into the plant at 09:30 to assist and encourage this fellow believer. How cool is that?
It was now back to the terminal to hook a trailer bound for the Cleveland, Ohio, area. Now, while the mileage was good, this was not a good load because there was too much time built into the load (which means sitting - us truck drivers hate sitting - we make money when the wheels are turning). But I could not complain. Due to the Memorial Day holiday freight was slow, and many drivers at the yard were still waiting on a load. A bad load is better than no load, and I knew I could hasten to Northeast Ohio and sit at our very pleasant terminal in Seville. (That is where I am right now).
I rolled into Seville late Thursday night, all set to spend two days sitting. Once again, it was time to look about and see why God had given me this load. Friday morning I met Fred (not actual name). Fred was small, quiet and nervous looking, older than me. He was sitting only two trucks away from me in the bobtail row. A quick introduction and I learned that Fred was brand new driver (one month). Fred and I chatted. I had a ten dollar gift certificate to the company cafeteria, too much for one man to eat, so Fred and I had lunch. I made sure that we prayed and I encouraged Fred and gave him some pointers, but not much more.
This morning, Fred was still here, and I asked God for the chance to share with him some more. Sure enough, Fred got a load this morning down towards my neck of the woods. I was able to sketch out a trip plan for him. I also was able to slip Fred a bible and a tract. An hour later, when Fred could not find an empty trailer here for his load, I was able to help with directions to the trailer pick up spot. Then Fred was gone, but by the grace of God I had the chance to develop relationship, brief as it was, and then plant seeds. God must give the increase and there is now a tract and bible in Fred's truck. Pray for him.
And now I think I know why I was sitting in Seville.
Tonight I unload, and then it is on to Pittsburgh, and then to far, far upstate New York.
We shall see what God has in store. The life of a believer is never boring.
Tuesday it was back to work. The scheduled load was back to Canada, this time to Edmonton, Alberta, but God was fixing to do a little rerouting.
I arrived at the customer and was told the Canada trailer would not be ready for three days. Oops!
I was redirected, this time to a notoriously slow shipper. There was a 20 hour wait and still the trailer was not ready.
My motto these days is that when God stops me, it is time to look around and ask, "Why here, Lord? Why now?" I would soon find out.
This shipper is not only notoriously slow, but also notoriously "tight". It is so cramped it is dangerous for maneuvering. Workers and forklifts are flying out of every gap and parking spots are so tight that mirrors and fenders are in peril.
At precisely 09:30 a.m. my employer directed me into the plant to hook a loaded trailer that was ready. I went in. The trailer was not in the usual area, and as I came back out I spied an owner operator with a long-nose Peterbilt or Freightliner Classic was tearing his bumper off in an attempt to extricate a long trailer (ISO chassis). I jumped out and went over to help. Without getting into particulars, together we got him, his truck and the trailer out of the hole. He jumped out of his truck (this trucker was a BIG man), gave me a hug, and exclaimed: "God is good!" We spent just a minute or two talking about the Master, about the temporal nature of trucks and other things, and about the grace and mercy of God.
I have no doubt I was sent into the plant at 09:30 to assist and encourage this fellow believer. How cool is that?
It was now back to the terminal to hook a trailer bound for the Cleveland, Ohio, area. Now, while the mileage was good, this was not a good load because there was too much time built into the load (which means sitting - us truck drivers hate sitting - we make money when the wheels are turning). But I could not complain. Due to the Memorial Day holiday freight was slow, and many drivers at the yard were still waiting on a load. A bad load is better than no load, and I knew I could hasten to Northeast Ohio and sit at our very pleasant terminal in Seville. (That is where I am right now).
I rolled into Seville late Thursday night, all set to spend two days sitting. Once again, it was time to look about and see why God had given me this load. Friday morning I met Fred (not actual name). Fred was small, quiet and nervous looking, older than me. He was sitting only two trucks away from me in the bobtail row. A quick introduction and I learned that Fred was brand new driver (one month). Fred and I chatted. I had a ten dollar gift certificate to the company cafeteria, too much for one man to eat, so Fred and I had lunch. I made sure that we prayed and I encouraged Fred and gave him some pointers, but not much more.
This morning, Fred was still here, and I asked God for the chance to share with him some more. Sure enough, Fred got a load this morning down towards my neck of the woods. I was able to sketch out a trip plan for him. I also was able to slip Fred a bible and a tract. An hour later, when Fred could not find an empty trailer here for his load, I was able to help with directions to the trailer pick up spot. Then Fred was gone, but by the grace of God I had the chance to develop relationship, brief as it was, and then plant seeds. God must give the increase and there is now a tract and bible in Fred's truck. Pray for him.
And now I think I know why I was sitting in Seville.
Tonight I unload, and then it is on to Pittsburgh, and then to far, far upstate New York.
We shall see what God has in store. The life of a believer is never boring.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Church in Unexpected Places
I made it out of Canada without incident. There were of course delays around Toronto (it is a huge city, perhaps larger than my home) and there was a two hour delay recrossing the border at Sarnia (Port Huron) north of Detroit.
Now I was back in the Detroit area and my next assignment was to take a damaged empty trailer back to the Chicago terminal (actually in Gary, Indiana) for repairs. I would arrive in the Chicago area before noon on Saturday and not leave until late Sunday afternoon. This would be a rare opportunity to attend church services.
I asked questions at the terminal and searched the internet. There appeared to be no churches within walking distance (it is unwise to try and bring a 19,000 lb tractor which takes up four parking spots onto thin asphalt parking lots). I became resigned to not going to service Sunday, but God had something interesting in store.
After cleaning and maintaining the truck and catching up on paperwork Saturday, Sunday morning was an opportunity to pray and study the word. Then I grabbed my laundry and headed into the laundry room in terminal.
After a wait, I got my laundry in the machines, washed, dryed and packed up. There was a steady stream of drivers coming in (this is a huge terminal and many drivers look to stop there coming in and out of Chicago). Indeed, this is the only terminal with two laundry rooms.
A tall, thin driver in his mid 50s came in with his laundry bag. The machines were now full and I asked him if he knew there was a second laundry room. He did not. I grabbed my bag and asked him if he would like to see where the second room was located. He gladly followed me and on the way over remarked on how this world was much like the Titanic, headed for destruction with the passengers unaware. Aha! A believer!
What followed was discussion and fellowship that lasted close to two hours. William is an owner operator from one of the Carolinas. He is sound in his theology. Periodically other drivers would come into the laundry room. None objected to the discussion. Indeed, at one point, a young lady driver came in. She was listening attentively. William quickly changed the topic to a discussion of the essentials of salvation. Finally, I looked at the young lady and said: "Seems like you have gotten stuck in the laundry room with the two older religious guys". She answered: "Maybe I needed to hear this."
The discussion came to an end when a gruff trainer came in from the television lounge across the hall and informed us that William's voice was way too loud and that it was interferring with their television watching. William and I smiled and adjourned.
And so, church was had in the laundry room that Sunday morning (May 18), and I had not expected it.
Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Now I was back in the Detroit area and my next assignment was to take a damaged empty trailer back to the Chicago terminal (actually in Gary, Indiana) for repairs. I would arrive in the Chicago area before noon on Saturday and not leave until late Sunday afternoon. This would be a rare opportunity to attend church services.
I asked questions at the terminal and searched the internet. There appeared to be no churches within walking distance (it is unwise to try and bring a 19,000 lb tractor which takes up four parking spots onto thin asphalt parking lots). I became resigned to not going to service Sunday, but God had something interesting in store.
After cleaning and maintaining the truck and catching up on paperwork Saturday, Sunday morning was an opportunity to pray and study the word. Then I grabbed my laundry and headed into the laundry room in terminal.
After a wait, I got my laundry in the machines, washed, dryed and packed up. There was a steady stream of drivers coming in (this is a huge terminal and many drivers look to stop there coming in and out of Chicago). Indeed, this is the only terminal with two laundry rooms.
A tall, thin driver in his mid 50s came in with his laundry bag. The machines were now full and I asked him if he knew there was a second laundry room. He did not. I grabbed my bag and asked him if he would like to see where the second room was located. He gladly followed me and on the way over remarked on how this world was much like the Titanic, headed for destruction with the passengers unaware. Aha! A believer!
What followed was discussion and fellowship that lasted close to two hours. William is an owner operator from one of the Carolinas. He is sound in his theology. Periodically other drivers would come into the laundry room. None objected to the discussion. Indeed, at one point, a young lady driver came in. She was listening attentively. William quickly changed the topic to a discussion of the essentials of salvation. Finally, I looked at the young lady and said: "Seems like you have gotten stuck in the laundry room with the two older religious guys". She answered: "Maybe I needed to hear this."
The discussion came to an end when a gruff trainer came in from the television lounge across the hall and informed us that William's voice was way too loud and that it was interferring with their television watching. William and I smiled and adjourned.
And so, church was had in the laundry room that Sunday morning (May 18), and I had not expected it.
Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
O Canada!
Tonight I am in Aberfoyle, Ontario. God, as always, has been most graceful in getting me here.
So far, this trip, I have not had any unusual "divine appointments". We will see what tomorrow brings. God's timing is ever good.
I think that we shall not fully know the extent of God's grace in our lives until we reach heaven's shores. I think that in eternity we will learn more, and that we will have time for testimonies of how God has dealt with his saints.
So far, this trip, I have not had any unusual "divine appointments". We will see what tomorrow brings. God's timing is ever good.
I think that we shall not fully know the extent of God's grace in our lives until we reach heaven's shores. I think that in eternity we will learn more, and that we will have time for testimonies of how God has dealt with his saints.
Monday, May 12, 2008
May 12
I wish to write much. There is time to write little.
The last trip was a whirlwind tour. It started, as always, at the home port of Houston with a load to Danville, Virginia. Then it was off to the tankwash at Paulsboro, New Jersey (across from Philadelphia).
At the tankwash, I was held up. The tank needed new gaskets, new lightbulbs and the like. It was situated at the end of the row near the main lane of traffic in the tankwash so that I could see and be seen as the trucks ran to and frow. Here came another orange truck just like mine. I haled the driver and exchanged greetings. He related his frustrations. He had only been driving for the company a few weeks. I shared some practical helps (directions to his next stop) and then shared how God had been such a tremendous help to me during my three years of driving. It turned out that Hubert, the driver, was a believer. I encouraged him in the Lord and prayed with him before he went on his way. It encourages me as well to run into a fellow believer out yonder.
Then it was up to Newark. There I hooked a tank bound for Maine, delivered, and returned to Newark. It was Sunday afternoon. There were few other drivers in the tankwash. While I was unhooking my trailer, another driver pulled in and it was none other than Szolz, the Hungarian immigrant driver from my home port of Houston, also relatively new. Szolz, to my knowledge, is not a believer. This time we chatted and in the course of the conversation it came out that back in Hungary Szolz had elderly grandparents who had read the scriptures daily, a fact not lost on Szolz as a young child. I am sure that they prayed for Szolz and it is thrilling to think that I might be a small part of the answer to those prayers. Anyway, I listened to Szolz and encouraged him as best I could, not being bashful about my source of help.
From Newark it was on to St. Louis, then back east to Pittsburg, then down to Louisville, then down to Memphis and on to Reserve (New Orleans). On the way to New Orleans, I met Mike. Mike drives for a competitor and had recently switched to tank hauling. He wanted to look at my truck's accessories because he was planning to invest in his own tank accessories. I showed them to him, and we talked.
Before I left I gave Mike a tract. Mike was ready for me. He proceeded to tell me that he had all types of tough questions about the bible that pastors had not been able to answer. I told him to give me the toughest, and he proceeded to ask about all of the Canaanites slaughtered at the command of God. Now that is a legitimate question. I told him how Genesis tells us that God waited 400 years after the witness of Abraham before destroying the Canaanites and asked Mike how long would have been enough? 800 years? 1000? I should have told him as well about Canaanites who were saved (like Rahab and her household). I also told him that since we all have a finite life span you are in essence quibbling over a few years here or there as to when God terminated the life of a given Canaanite. Mike had more questions. The Nephilim of Genesis 6. Some other questions I cannot remember.
After answering questions as best I could, my parting remark was that the late Dr. J. Vernon McGee was of the opinion that there were no valid intellectual objections to the scripture, but that such objections arose from man's sinful heart. In other words, it is not a head problem, but a heart problem. I think McGee was right. We will see if I run into Mike again. With over a million over the road truck drivers, repeat meetings are truly in the hand of a sovereign God.
From New Orleans, it was on to the Kansas City area. There, again at tankwash, I met another new driver from my company who professed to be a believer. We encouraged one another and prayed together.
Now here is the icing on the cake. The final load was from Dodge City, Kansas (heated beef tallow) to Houston. It had me stop for my break in Dallas just in time to have breakfast with my Mother, who was in Dallas, the Thursday before Mother's Day! Is God good or what? I am totally not in control of my travels, but God is. My company thinks that they control my travels, but they do not.
I am at home. I have had a blessed time with my wife and children and have been able to go to church twice yesterday. Tomorrow it is back to the truck....
The last trip was a whirlwind tour. It started, as always, at the home port of Houston with a load to Danville, Virginia. Then it was off to the tankwash at Paulsboro, New Jersey (across from Philadelphia).
At the tankwash, I was held up. The tank needed new gaskets, new lightbulbs and the like. It was situated at the end of the row near the main lane of traffic in the tankwash so that I could see and be seen as the trucks ran to and frow. Here came another orange truck just like mine. I haled the driver and exchanged greetings. He related his frustrations. He had only been driving for the company a few weeks. I shared some practical helps (directions to his next stop) and then shared how God had been such a tremendous help to me during my three years of driving. It turned out that Hubert, the driver, was a believer. I encouraged him in the Lord and prayed with him before he went on his way. It encourages me as well to run into a fellow believer out yonder.
Then it was up to Newark. There I hooked a tank bound for Maine, delivered, and returned to Newark. It was Sunday afternoon. There were few other drivers in the tankwash. While I was unhooking my trailer, another driver pulled in and it was none other than Szolz, the Hungarian immigrant driver from my home port of Houston, also relatively new. Szolz, to my knowledge, is not a believer. This time we chatted and in the course of the conversation it came out that back in Hungary Szolz had elderly grandparents who had read the scriptures daily, a fact not lost on Szolz as a young child. I am sure that they prayed for Szolz and it is thrilling to think that I might be a small part of the answer to those prayers. Anyway, I listened to Szolz and encouraged him as best I could, not being bashful about my source of help.
From Newark it was on to St. Louis, then back east to Pittsburg, then down to Louisville, then down to Memphis and on to Reserve (New Orleans). On the way to New Orleans, I met Mike. Mike drives for a competitor and had recently switched to tank hauling. He wanted to look at my truck's accessories because he was planning to invest in his own tank accessories. I showed them to him, and we talked.
Before I left I gave Mike a tract. Mike was ready for me. He proceeded to tell me that he had all types of tough questions about the bible that pastors had not been able to answer. I told him to give me the toughest, and he proceeded to ask about all of the Canaanites slaughtered at the command of God. Now that is a legitimate question. I told him how Genesis tells us that God waited 400 years after the witness of Abraham before destroying the Canaanites and asked Mike how long would have been enough? 800 years? 1000? I should have told him as well about Canaanites who were saved (like Rahab and her household). I also told him that since we all have a finite life span you are in essence quibbling over a few years here or there as to when God terminated the life of a given Canaanite. Mike had more questions. The Nephilim of Genesis 6. Some other questions I cannot remember.
After answering questions as best I could, my parting remark was that the late Dr. J. Vernon McGee was of the opinion that there were no valid intellectual objections to the scripture, but that such objections arose from man's sinful heart. In other words, it is not a head problem, but a heart problem. I think McGee was right. We will see if I run into Mike again. With over a million over the road truck drivers, repeat meetings are truly in the hand of a sovereign God.
From New Orleans, it was on to the Kansas City area. There, again at tankwash, I met another new driver from my company who professed to be a believer. We encouraged one another and prayed together.
Now here is the icing on the cake. The final load was from Dodge City, Kansas (heated beef tallow) to Houston. It had me stop for my break in Dallas just in time to have breakfast with my Mother, who was in Dallas, the Thursday before Mother's Day! Is God good or what? I am totally not in control of my travels, but God is. My company thinks that they control my travels, but they do not.
I am at home. I have had a blessed time with my wife and children and have been able to go to church twice yesterday. Tomorrow it is back to the truck....
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Tired
Detroit (Woodhaven), Michigan. No divine appointments thus far. Much grace in getting here and there.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Postscript
One more thing, and this is a reminder note, I would like to write about the marvelous book which my dear wife bought for me at Christmas: David Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount. It is excellent. I would recommend it to anyone.
Monday, March 10
It is Monday evening, March 10. I am at home yet for a few more hours.
To bring things up to date, the remaining parts did arrive in Eloy. I did have a chance to meet again with chaplain Don and I do think he accepted what I had to say. Chaplain Don is up in years. Pray for him. There is little interest now that I can see in these truck stop chapels.
I did not have the opportunity to visit with my friend in Phoenix. I was running too tight once I left Eloy. Another time perhaps. The Lord is quite able to dispatch me west again as it suits His purpose.
In Los Angeles I was favored once again with great grace. Time would fail me to write of all the Lord's kindnesses to me. I sailed into Los Angeles (no small feat), found parking at our central Los Angeles yard, and then made it to the customer, a refinery, on time the following morning. Then it was to time to fly back to Houston with an empty trailer (they had no freight and were already going to be a day late in getting me home). I arrived at our Houston terminal Saturday evening weary but happy. (When time permits, instead of grace, I would like to write about the flesh, about the fruits of the spirit [or lack thereof, in my case], and the events which happened on Friday while I was enroute back to Houston - suffice it to say the flesh is an ever present enemy for the Christian - it is always ready to bubble to the surface - God help us! I would also like to write about church. That is a whole different story. And I would like to write about Jacob, the tank wash employee.)
Home Sunday. Home today (Monday). Out again tomorrow. This time it will be towards Kankakee, Illinois, near Chicago. Now there is laundry to fold, some eggs to boil and it is off to bed. There is a 30 minute drive to the terminal tomorrow morning and truck driving is rather unforgiving if you do not get your sleep.
Above all, I pray that God will have some divine appointments for me. I do not want God to ever take me off of His "go to" list.
To bring things up to date, the remaining parts did arrive in Eloy. I did have a chance to meet again with chaplain Don and I do think he accepted what I had to say. Chaplain Don is up in years. Pray for him. There is little interest now that I can see in these truck stop chapels.
I did not have the opportunity to visit with my friend in Phoenix. I was running too tight once I left Eloy. Another time perhaps. The Lord is quite able to dispatch me west again as it suits His purpose.
In Los Angeles I was favored once again with great grace. Time would fail me to write of all the Lord's kindnesses to me. I sailed into Los Angeles (no small feat), found parking at our central Los Angeles yard, and then made it to the customer, a refinery, on time the following morning. Then it was to time to fly back to Houston with an empty trailer (they had no freight and were already going to be a day late in getting me home). I arrived at our Houston terminal Saturday evening weary but happy. (When time permits, instead of grace, I would like to write about the flesh, about the fruits of the spirit [or lack thereof, in my case], and the events which happened on Friday while I was enroute back to Houston - suffice it to say the flesh is an ever present enemy for the Christian - it is always ready to bubble to the surface - God help us! I would also like to write about church. That is a whole different story. And I would like to write about Jacob, the tank wash employee.)
Home Sunday. Home today (Monday). Out again tomorrow. This time it will be towards Kankakee, Illinois, near Chicago. Now there is laundry to fold, some eggs to boil and it is off to bed. There is a 30 minute drive to the terminal tomorrow morning and truck driving is rather unforgiving if you do not get your sleep.
Above all, I pray that God will have some divine appointments for me. I do not want God to ever take me off of His "go to" list.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Tuesday
I am still not moving, but the day has been busy so far nonetheless. God has continued to hold me here in Eloy. The employees of the Petro Truckstop service shop know nothing this morning of the replacement leaf spring which my company is supposed to send by overnight delivery from Indiana. Unless the part turns up later in the day I will be here at least another 24 hours. But I have lots of food in the truck. There is a Burger King across the street. There is internet access. And, while I do not have shower credits at the Petro chain (my company does not fuel at Petro, and that is how one earns shower credits), the Petro shop gave me a free shower voucher since I am stranded here.
Aside: Living in the truck for days on end leads one to give thanks to God for some very simple things like hot showers. Once again it is grace, God's unmerited favor. In one of my favorite books, Pilgrim's Progress, if my memory serves me, there is a character who aids either Christian or Christiana whose name is "Great Grace". Not little grace. Not medium grace. Great Grace. I doubt we will know even the half of it while we are here below.
The location mystery is solved. I am indeed in Eloy, Arizona. 200 feet away, on the other side of the street which marks the city limits, is Casa Grande, Arizona.
I have visited with the other chaplain, Chaplain Don, at the little chapel here. He told me in our brief conversation that he thought that God does not approve of mixed race marriages. This struck me as a very odd statement. My wife and I have told all of our children that we care not what color spouse-to-be they bring home so long as the spouse-to-be is a devout believer. I told chaplain Don I would drop back in on him. Perhaps the scripture relating to Miriam's complaint about the marriage of Moses to the Ethiopian (Cushite) woman will be helpful to him (Numbers 12). But, ultimately, it is I think up to God to disabuse us of wrong-headed notions provided we are willing to be changed by God. No doubt I harbor yet many wrong-headed notions myself. May I have the good sense to see when God decides to correct my thinking. The day will come, not so very far away, when we will all see things more clearly. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face:
now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
---------------
Once I am underway, I may have an opportunity tomorrow or later to meet an old college friend who resides in Phoenix. Pray for that meeting.
Meanwhile, we will see what else God has in store at the Eloy Petro. There is a constant stream of arrivals and departures, and God holds me here for now ...
Aside: Living in the truck for days on end leads one to give thanks to God for some very simple things like hot showers. Once again it is grace, God's unmerited favor. In one of my favorite books, Pilgrim's Progress, if my memory serves me, there is a character who aids either Christian or Christiana whose name is "Great Grace". Not little grace. Not medium grace. Great Grace. I doubt we will know even the half of it while we are here below.
The location mystery is solved. I am indeed in Eloy, Arizona. 200 feet away, on the other side of the street which marks the city limits, is Casa Grande, Arizona.
I have visited with the other chaplain, Chaplain Don, at the little chapel here. He told me in our brief conversation that he thought that God does not approve of mixed race marriages. This struck me as a very odd statement. My wife and I have told all of our children that we care not what color spouse-to-be they bring home so long as the spouse-to-be is a devout believer. I told chaplain Don I would drop back in on him. Perhaps the scripture relating to Miriam's complaint about the marriage of Moses to the Ethiopian (Cushite) woman will be helpful to him (Numbers 12). But, ultimately, it is I think up to God to disabuse us of wrong-headed notions provided we are willing to be changed by God. No doubt I harbor yet many wrong-headed notions myself. May I have the good sense to see when God decides to correct my thinking. The day will come, not so very far away, when we will all see things more clearly. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face:
now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
---------------
Once I am underway, I may have an opportunity tomorrow or later to meet an old college friend who resides in Phoenix. Pray for that meeting.
Meanwhile, we will see what else God has in store at the Eloy Petro. There is a constant stream of arrivals and departures, and God holds me here for now ...
Monday, March 3, 2008
A Devotional for Truck Drivers
I have had the idea of putting together a devotional for truck drivers. I don't know how such a thing would get distributed or whether it would be read by anyone. We shall see.
Somewhere in Arizona
It is 10:30 at night. Somewhere in Arizona. The truckstop directory said "Casa Grande", but the shop employee insists I am in Eloy, Arizona.
From time to time the Lord sees fit to stop me or delay me. This was one of those days, and He saw fit to stop me at the Petro Truckstop in Casa Grande (Eloy?).
I had only driven a hundred miles this morning, and was prepared to bypass Phoenix, when I heard a noise, checked my mirrors, and saw bits of tire on the shoulder where none had been before. A blowout? I couldn't see anything in my mirrors but knew that only a fool would proceed further without checking out the situation. I could see a Petro truckstop ahead! Would I make it? One mile ... and then down the exit ramp ... a quick right turn and into the Petro ... a large dirt area across from the shop perfect for stopping and checking tires ... circle into the dirt area and then ...
BOOOOMMMM! A noise that could be heard for half a mile. Heads turned and looked in the shop. It was one of my super singles. It had lost its tread on the freeway and as I circled into the dirt parking area it blew. How I made it a mile down the freeway without tread is unknown to me.
Well, this was no big thing. An hour or two delay while the employer decided where to get a replacement tire. Was God good to me or what? Last night I wanted to write about grace - the unmerited favor of God, but was too tired from the bad cold I was nursing. Now I was seeing still more of His abundant grace in action. What is so "gracious" about a blown tire? Grace is when you are just about to turn off Interstate 10 and head into very barren, very desolate country and the tire blows right in front of the truck stop. Grace is when you deserve to have the ground open up and swallow you but instead you come to a safe stop and your tire does not blow until you are safely off the road while you are carrying 45,000 pounds of flammable liquid.
But the story gets better. While waiting for the tire repair, I discovered a broken leaf spring on the trailer. This is a definite travel stopper. It is more of a travel stopper when there is no replacement spring anywhere in the state of Arizona which will fit this fourteen year old trailer, so now I sit in Eloy (Casa Grande?).
But why here?
I have learned that when God stops me (and his methods are peculiar), it is time to stop, look about, and see why He has stopped me here. I talk with the mechanics. I talk with the bedbuggers parked next to me (I am a tanker yanker - bedbuggers are van line drivers and movers). So far nothing . .. but wait ... there is a little chapel here at THIS Petro (truck stop chapels are becoming rare) and this chapel is occupied (on a MONDAY ?!?) and chaplain Larry is planning to have a service this evening! How good is this! I rarely get to attend services on the road.
Service tonight consisted of me and Chaplain Larry. I needed the church tonight. And I think that Chaplain Larry needed a truck driver to come in and pray with him and encourage him. Truck stop ministries are lonely these days.
Now, God has not yet permitted me to leave, and the part may or may not come in tomorrow (my masters are sending the part from Indiana), so we will see what other appointments, if any, God has for me. He never tells me in advance. It is always a surprise.
From time to time the Lord sees fit to stop me or delay me. This was one of those days, and He saw fit to stop me at the Petro Truckstop in Casa Grande (Eloy?).
I had only driven a hundred miles this morning, and was prepared to bypass Phoenix, when I heard a noise, checked my mirrors, and saw bits of tire on the shoulder where none had been before. A blowout? I couldn't see anything in my mirrors but knew that only a fool would proceed further without checking out the situation. I could see a Petro truckstop ahead! Would I make it? One mile ... and then down the exit ramp ... a quick right turn and into the Petro ... a large dirt area across from the shop perfect for stopping and checking tires ... circle into the dirt area and then ...
BOOOOMMMM! A noise that could be heard for half a mile. Heads turned and looked in the shop. It was one of my super singles. It had lost its tread on the freeway and as I circled into the dirt parking area it blew. How I made it a mile down the freeway without tread is unknown to me.
Well, this was no big thing. An hour or two delay while the employer decided where to get a replacement tire. Was God good to me or what? Last night I wanted to write about grace - the unmerited favor of God, but was too tired from the bad cold I was nursing. Now I was seeing still more of His abundant grace in action. What is so "gracious" about a blown tire? Grace is when you are just about to turn off Interstate 10 and head into very barren, very desolate country and the tire blows right in front of the truck stop. Grace is when you deserve to have the ground open up and swallow you but instead you come to a safe stop and your tire does not blow until you are safely off the road while you are carrying 45,000 pounds of flammable liquid.
But the story gets better. While waiting for the tire repair, I discovered a broken leaf spring on the trailer. This is a definite travel stopper. It is more of a travel stopper when there is no replacement spring anywhere in the state of Arizona which will fit this fourteen year old trailer, so now I sit in Eloy (Casa Grande?).
But why here?
I have learned that when God stops me (and his methods are peculiar), it is time to stop, look about, and see why He has stopped me here. I talk with the mechanics. I talk with the bedbuggers parked next to me (I am a tanker yanker - bedbuggers are van line drivers and movers). So far nothing . .. but wait ... there is a little chapel here at THIS Petro (truck stop chapels are becoming rare) and this chapel is occupied (on a MONDAY ?!?) and chaplain Larry is planning to have a service this evening! How good is this! I rarely get to attend services on the road.
Service tonight consisted of me and Chaplain Larry. I needed the church tonight. And I think that Chaplain Larry needed a truck driver to come in and pray with him and encourage him. Truck stop ministries are lonely these days.
Now, God has not yet permitted me to leave, and the part may or may not come in tomorrow (my masters are sending the part from Indiana), so we will see what other appointments, if any, God has for me. He never tells me in advance. It is always a surprise.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Home yet again
It is Monday, February 25, and I am home again after my usual two week stint out on the road. Tomorrow it is back to work.
This trip began in Houston with a load to an oil distributor/blender in Atlanta. I remember that during the unload one of the distributor's employees pointed out a great hawk perched in the branches across the rail road tracks from the unloading point, remarking that he had seen the hawk take pigeons in mid air. After studying this scene for a moment, I remarked to one of the other employees as I walked back to my truck that the Bible tells us that not even a sparrow falls to the ground without our heavenly father knowing it. The employee looked up and said, "That is what our pastor preached about on Sunday."
After the unload I picked up a clean tank trailer at the Atlanta area tankwash. At the tankwash, I found another company driver named Greg waiting on a load assignment. Greg was a relatively new driver and remembered meeting me before. He shared some of the difficulties he had encountered. Greg was without a full bible so I gave him one of the paperbacks I carry in the truck with a couple of tracts for bookmarks. We prayed together before we parted company.
Now it was off to Chester, South Carolina. There my trailer was loaded and I was off to a paper mill in southwest Ohio. This meant heading up through West Virginia and trying some new "small road" (non-interstate), but God was gracious to me in providing some advice from other drivers about the proper route and the drive was pleasant.
At the paper mill in Chillicothe, Ohio, the unloader was in a hurry. It was Saturday morning and he had been called from his house to supervise the unloading. He wanted to use some methods which would have been faster, but less safe. God graciously granted me the wisdom to stand my ground and do it the right way. I sensed no opportunity for witness at this location.
Then it was off to the tankwash in Pittsburgh to drop the dirty empty trailer and pick up a clean one; and then off to Painesville, Ohio, to get loaded. At Painesville, I left a tract pinned on the bulletin board in the driver waiting area. Now it was off to Beaumont, Texas.
A Wednesday delivery in Beaumont is problematic because it has me back too close to the house too soon. There is no opportunity then for my company to send me out on a run of any length (and I am paid by the mile). But God is in charge of my dispatching. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and is quite capable of providing me with miles, or a lack of miles, if he sees fit. (Psalm 50:10).
On the way from Painesville to Beaumont I stopped at the tankwash in Louisville, Kentucky. The tankwash in Pittsburgh had been closed when I arrived Saturday afternoon and an error in the work assignment provided by my company caused both my company and I to think that I needed to stop enroute to have a clean pump. As always, God was quite in charge of the error and the detour into the tankwash in Kentucky. There I met another driver, a fourteen year veteran named Tommy. He was waiting on a load. I gave him a tract before leaving (little did I know I would see Tommy again when I pulled into Houston).
In Beaumont I was safely unloaded, and now it was back to Houston. In Houston, I picked up and empty compartment trailer and headed to load at a Houston area plant. Alas, I would be spending the night at the plant instead of with my wife and children - so close and yet so far ...
Thursday morning and it was off to drop the loaded trailer at our New Orleans area terminal. Then I waited for a relay trailer to arrive and it was off, through Houston, to Point Comfort, Texas. It was a blind shipment and I was to stop at a customer in Houston to get the trailer retagged and to receive new bills of lading. In Houston, I was delayed, but I was soon to see God's hand in the delays. There was an hour and half wait at the Houston customer while we waited for a clerk to come back from lunch to reissue the bills. This, in turn, pushed me into Friday afternoon rush hour traffic snarled by several accidents. All of this, in turn, pushed me into Point Comfort after a 4:30 pm shift change. But I think God wanted me to get there after shift change.
The night unloader was named Edwin. It was a slow, thick product, so with the pump running at half speed or less we had a lot of time to talk while the pump churned its way through the 5000 gallons of resin. There had been trouble at the plant earlier in the day caused by human error, apparently caused by combinations of haste, greed and laziness. I remarked to Edwin that the Bible was still, though thousands of years old, the most accurate predicter of human nature. Edwin said little at first, but towards the end, as I was putting up my hoses, Edwin revealed that his father had been a pastor. I had the chance to encourage Edwin to renew his study of the Bible to become thoroughly equipped. We prayed together before I left.
And then it was back to Houston and to the house ...
Stay tuned to see if God has planned any more divine appointments for the next trip.
This trip began in Houston with a load to an oil distributor/blender in Atlanta. I remember that during the unload one of the distributor's employees pointed out a great hawk perched in the branches across the rail road tracks from the unloading point, remarking that he had seen the hawk take pigeons in mid air. After studying this scene for a moment, I remarked to one of the other employees as I walked back to my truck that the Bible tells us that not even a sparrow falls to the ground without our heavenly father knowing it. The employee looked up and said, "That is what our pastor preached about on Sunday."
After the unload I picked up a clean tank trailer at the Atlanta area tankwash. At the tankwash, I found another company driver named Greg waiting on a load assignment. Greg was a relatively new driver and remembered meeting me before. He shared some of the difficulties he had encountered. Greg was without a full bible so I gave him one of the paperbacks I carry in the truck with a couple of tracts for bookmarks. We prayed together before we parted company.
Now it was off to Chester, South Carolina. There my trailer was loaded and I was off to a paper mill in southwest Ohio. This meant heading up through West Virginia and trying some new "small road" (non-interstate), but God was gracious to me in providing some advice from other drivers about the proper route and the drive was pleasant.
At the paper mill in Chillicothe, Ohio, the unloader was in a hurry. It was Saturday morning and he had been called from his house to supervise the unloading. He wanted to use some methods which would have been faster, but less safe. God graciously granted me the wisdom to stand my ground and do it the right way. I sensed no opportunity for witness at this location.
Then it was off to the tankwash in Pittsburgh to drop the dirty empty trailer and pick up a clean one; and then off to Painesville, Ohio, to get loaded. At Painesville, I left a tract pinned on the bulletin board in the driver waiting area. Now it was off to Beaumont, Texas.
A Wednesday delivery in Beaumont is problematic because it has me back too close to the house too soon. There is no opportunity then for my company to send me out on a run of any length (and I am paid by the mile). But God is in charge of my dispatching. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and is quite capable of providing me with miles, or a lack of miles, if he sees fit. (Psalm 50:10).
On the way from Painesville to Beaumont I stopped at the tankwash in Louisville, Kentucky. The tankwash in Pittsburgh had been closed when I arrived Saturday afternoon and an error in the work assignment provided by my company caused both my company and I to think that I needed to stop enroute to have a clean pump. As always, God was quite in charge of the error and the detour into the tankwash in Kentucky. There I met another driver, a fourteen year veteran named Tommy. He was waiting on a load. I gave him a tract before leaving (little did I know I would see Tommy again when I pulled into Houston).
In Beaumont I was safely unloaded, and now it was back to Houston. In Houston, I picked up and empty compartment trailer and headed to load at a Houston area plant. Alas, I would be spending the night at the plant instead of with my wife and children - so close and yet so far ...
Thursday morning and it was off to drop the loaded trailer at our New Orleans area terminal. Then I waited for a relay trailer to arrive and it was off, through Houston, to Point Comfort, Texas. It was a blind shipment and I was to stop at a customer in Houston to get the trailer retagged and to receive new bills of lading. In Houston, I was delayed, but I was soon to see God's hand in the delays. There was an hour and half wait at the Houston customer while we waited for a clerk to come back from lunch to reissue the bills. This, in turn, pushed me into Friday afternoon rush hour traffic snarled by several accidents. All of this, in turn, pushed me into Point Comfort after a 4:30 pm shift change. But I think God wanted me to get there after shift change.
The night unloader was named Edwin. It was a slow, thick product, so with the pump running at half speed or less we had a lot of time to talk while the pump churned its way through the 5000 gallons of resin. There had been trouble at the plant earlier in the day caused by human error, apparently caused by combinations of haste, greed and laziness. I remarked to Edwin that the Bible was still, though thousands of years old, the most accurate predicter of human nature. Edwin said little at first, but towards the end, as I was putting up my hoses, Edwin revealed that his father had been a pastor. I had the chance to encourage Edwin to renew his study of the Bible to become thoroughly equipped. We prayed together before I left.
And then it was back to Houston and to the house ...
Stay tuned to see if God has planned any more divine appointments for the next trip.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Back in Texas
This outing started in Houston, crossed the border into Canada at Port Huron, Michigan, returned to Detroit to pick up a load going to Clearwater, Florida; then a load from Florida back to Houston. Tomorrow is a local, regional run.
Long hours and limited internet access mean few posts.
Today I was able to give a tract to a fellow driver.
If my memory does not fade before I get home this weekend I hope to mention a few divine appointments that occurred along the way.
And finally, the Studies in the Sermon on the Mount which my dear spouse gave me for Christmas is a delight to read.
Good night.
Long hours and limited internet access mean few posts.
Today I was able to give a tract to a fellow driver.
If my memory does not fade before I get home this weekend I hope to mention a few divine appointments that occurred along the way.
And finally, the Studies in the Sermon on the Mount which my dear spouse gave me for Christmas is a delight to read.
Good night.
Monday, January 28, 2008
The next load
I have my next load assignment for tomorrow: I will be heading from Houston to Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. Border crossings are scary. I always wonder if I will be allowed back in to the United States.
Here is a good scripture for the traveler:
Now listen! The ones saying, "Today or tomorrow we shall travel into such and such a city and shall spend one year there, and we shall carry on business and shall make profit," [you*] who do not know the [events] of tomorrow. For what [is] your* life? For it will be a vapor, the one appearing for a little while, but then also vanishing. Instead, you* [ought] to be saying, "If the Lord wills, we shall live, and we also shall do this or that." James 4:13 and following, ALT
So, if the Lord wills I will travel to Ontario, Canada, and then return safely.
Internet access is scarce for me on the road. So until later ...
Here is a good scripture for the traveler:
Now listen! The ones saying, "Today or tomorrow we shall travel into such and such a city and shall spend one year there, and we shall carry on business and shall make profit," [you*] who do not know the [events] of tomorrow. For what [is] your* life? For it will be a vapor, the one appearing for a little while, but then also vanishing. Instead, you* [ought] to be saying, "If the Lord wills, we shall live, and we also shall do this or that." James 4:13 and following, ALT
So, if the Lord wills I will travel to Ontario, Canada, and then return safely.
Internet access is scarce for me on the road. So until later ...
A word of introduction and a word of testimony
I am fifty years old, married, with four kids still at home (two have left the nest). God has had me working in the job of truck driver for two and half years. My wife and I, along with several of our children, currently attend an Assembly of God church in Pearland, Texas, where we live. Pearland is a suburb just south of Houston. My wife is a marvelous Christian woman whose love for the Lord and for others is evident. My children are "works in progress". That should be sufficient introduction.
I wanted to write about the current state of the evangelical church, or about theology, but two days have passed and the words have not yet come, so I will instead write about an event of this past week which would fall in the category of testimony.
I drive over the road. I usually leave my home port of Houston on a Monday or Tuesday and then return on a Saturday about 11 or 12 days later to enjoy three days at home. An exciting aspect of my job is that I never know where my company will send me. This past week, due to several load cancellations, I found myself at my home port of Houston far too early, on Monday. This, in turn, means that I was condemned to get short loads because my time at home was due to start at the end of the week. Shorter loads mean shorter pay, but then God is sovereign and he is thoroughly in charge. My next load out and back was to Northeast Texas. There I wound up at the customer in time to meet a dear friend of mine who also drives for a living. We had a chance to chat. It is good to have a believing friend so that you can encourage one another.
Wednesday morning it was back in Houston to get loaded, and then head with a load to west Texas. I certainly did not know it but a God had one of His "divine appointments" scheduled and I was right on time. Wednesday night I was at the customer's gate in Sonora, Texas, west of San Antonio. I arrived early, about 7:00 pm, parked on the shoulder outside the customer's gate, and settled down to make supper before doing some reading and retiring to the bunk in the sleeper berth.
The next morning was delivery time, but not until the unloader arrived, unlocked the gate, and directed us inside. I say "us" because during the night one of our competitors had arrived and parked behind me, and then as unload time approached two more trucks approached, followed by a third as soon as we were inside the gate.
One of the truckers who just arrived was in a high state of agitation, and no small wonder, for his company had given him bad directions to this remote customer and he had spent part of the night on a wild goose chase. Another was concerned that one of the other drivers would jump ahead of him in line and get unloaded first. I sensed that this was time to step up and attempt to sooth things. I spoke with the unloader, determined what the unload order would be, and went back and spoke with the other drivers.
The unloader was able to unload three trucks at a time. I was not one of the three, so I was waiting with the driver who had been parked behind me. When he saw that I was not concerned about when we would get unloaded, he said: "You have a different spirit about you from these other drivers". I nodded, and went back to my truck.
My turn came. It was a challenging unload because I was in the outside spot, but God was with me and I was able to unload my tanker without incident. The first three drivers were gone, and now it was just me, the unloader, and the driver who had commented on the different spirit I had that morning.
I should mention that both the unloader and the driver were fluent in Spanish, and I had exactly two spanish language tracts left in the truck. After I had packed up my gear and remounted my hoses on the truck, I grabbed the two tracts and went up to this driver and the unloader who were standing together. I gave one tract to the unloader - who studied it, looked up, smiled and told me that he had been given this same tract years earlier. I muttered something about it being time to read it again. I then handed the second tract to the driver, and said: "You said I had a different spirit about me, well you can have this different Spirit as well."
That was it. I was then off. Pray for Rudy (the unloader) and Castro (the driver). The enemy likes to snatch seed right off the path (parable of the sower).
Oh, and what was helping me to stay patient? It probably did not hurt that I had an hour in the truck once I woke up and before the unloader arrived to read and study the scriptures and particularly a very good book which my wife got for me at Christmas. I find it absolutely essential to read and study before I get underway to get my head on straight.
Later ...
I wanted to write about the current state of the evangelical church, or about theology, but two days have passed and the words have not yet come, so I will instead write about an event of this past week which would fall in the category of testimony.
I drive over the road. I usually leave my home port of Houston on a Monday or Tuesday and then return on a Saturday about 11 or 12 days later to enjoy three days at home. An exciting aspect of my job is that I never know where my company will send me. This past week, due to several load cancellations, I found myself at my home port of Houston far too early, on Monday. This, in turn, means that I was condemned to get short loads because my time at home was due to start at the end of the week. Shorter loads mean shorter pay, but then God is sovereign and he is thoroughly in charge. My next load out and back was to Northeast Texas. There I wound up at the customer in time to meet a dear friend of mine who also drives for a living. We had a chance to chat. It is good to have a believing friend so that you can encourage one another.
Wednesday morning it was back in Houston to get loaded, and then head with a load to west Texas. I certainly did not know it but a God had one of His "divine appointments" scheduled and I was right on time. Wednesday night I was at the customer's gate in Sonora, Texas, west of San Antonio. I arrived early, about 7:00 pm, parked on the shoulder outside the customer's gate, and settled down to make supper before doing some reading and retiring to the bunk in the sleeper berth.
The next morning was delivery time, but not until the unloader arrived, unlocked the gate, and directed us inside. I say "us" because during the night one of our competitors had arrived and parked behind me, and then as unload time approached two more trucks approached, followed by a third as soon as we were inside the gate.
One of the truckers who just arrived was in a high state of agitation, and no small wonder, for his company had given him bad directions to this remote customer and he had spent part of the night on a wild goose chase. Another was concerned that one of the other drivers would jump ahead of him in line and get unloaded first. I sensed that this was time to step up and attempt to sooth things. I spoke with the unloader, determined what the unload order would be, and went back and spoke with the other drivers.
The unloader was able to unload three trucks at a time. I was not one of the three, so I was waiting with the driver who had been parked behind me. When he saw that I was not concerned about when we would get unloaded, he said: "You have a different spirit about you from these other drivers". I nodded, and went back to my truck.
My turn came. It was a challenging unload because I was in the outside spot, but God was with me and I was able to unload my tanker without incident. The first three drivers were gone, and now it was just me, the unloader, and the driver who had commented on the different spirit I had that morning.
I should mention that both the unloader and the driver were fluent in Spanish, and I had exactly two spanish language tracts left in the truck. After I had packed up my gear and remounted my hoses on the truck, I grabbed the two tracts and went up to this driver and the unloader who were standing together. I gave one tract to the unloader - who studied it, looked up, smiled and told me that he had been given this same tract years earlier. I muttered something about it being time to read it again. I then handed the second tract to the driver, and said: "You said I had a different spirit about me, well you can have this different Spirit as well."
That was it. I was then off. Pray for Rudy (the unloader) and Castro (the driver). The enemy likes to snatch seed right off the path (parable of the sower).
Oh, and what was helping me to stay patient? It probably did not hurt that I had an hour in the truck once I woke up and before the unloader arrived to read and study the scriptures and particularly a very good book which my wife got for me at Christmas. I find it absolutely essential to read and study before I get underway to get my head on straight.
Later ...
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Greetings
It is Saturday, January 26, 2008. It is my hope to write about the struggles and joys of the Christian life. May God grant me the correct words to type.
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