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.