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.
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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 ...
