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.
Friday, July 4, 2008
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....
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