The Things We See

Oh, the places we go, the things we see and the people we meet!

Texas, Texas and Texas..we finally found a way out and off to New York we went. The weather was much cooler but the rain insisted on following us up. Driving through northern Pennsylvania was beautiful...lots of mountains with thick lush trees. Who knows where we'll be off to next...probably back to Texas. It just keeps calling our name. 

We never know what we will see as we're traveling about and this trip has certainly been no different. Last week as I was getting my 10 mile walk on...before I go any farther let me clarify for my parents. Before I walk Carl goes with me to scope out and time how long each lap will take. My lap also has to be where he can keep an eye on me. If he doesn't like the way things look...well... he has this special little look that says, "No walking tonight." Now that I have clarified that...back to the things we see. Most of the time when we see drivers walking their pets and it's usually a dog. This time it was a cute little calf...yes...a calf. A young couple with their 2 little girls got out of their truck and the next thing we saw was a calf on a rope. Not exactly what you expect to see walking around a truck stop parking lot. I think I walked more that night than any other night...you know....that thing called being nosy.

I know it must get lonely for the drivers that are by themselves but one man figured out how to solve that problem. He had his own little talking buddy...a parrot. Carl and I got to one of the job sites, turned at looked at the truck beside us and at the same time said "Look at that bird sitting up on the dash!" Certainly not your everyday riding partner. All I could think about was the mess that must be in his truck.

Then there's the little black dog riding on the back of a black Harley. We were cruising down the interstate and Carl says look at that dog. He had his very own little chrome box fixed on the back of the motorcycle. The cutest thing was his little black helmet that matched his owner's helmet. Carl said he wondered how many times he jumped out before he realized he better sit still and hold on. He looked like he was enjoying the ride as much as his owner. I tried to get a picture but we were going up a mountain and LC just couldn't keep up.

We are always meeting some interesting people but this week I think we met one of the Seven Dwarfs. At one of the job sites we were introduced to Grumpy. He was another driver and proud owner of the parrot. He was having trouble with his trailer and Carl offered to help him but he informed Carl right quick like that he didn't need any help. "I built this truck from the ground up. I put every nut and bolt in this truck. I know what I am doing." He was working on that trailer when we got there and was still working on it when we left. I'm glad Grumpy knew what he was doing or it might have taken him a while to fix it. 

Look real close through the window
and you can see Grumpy's parrot.

As I was thinking about Grumpy, I thought about how our attitude says a lot about who we are and our relationship with Jesus Christ. If we surround ourselves with happy people then we are more likely to have a happy attitude. But if we surround ourselves with grumpy, complaining people then that is the attitude we will develop. Carl and I have both been in separate situations where we were around people (for a long period of time) with negative attitudes. I remember Carl telling me one morning...after I had been griping, fussing, complaining about everything, stomping my feet, and slamming things on the counter...that I had a bad attitude. Thanks to a friend I realized that I had to remove myself from that environment...and I did! My environment was quickly defining my attitude and my character and that was not who I was at all. An attitude is like wildfire, it spreads quickly and affects many. I want my wildfire to spread because of a happy, joyous, enthusiastic love for God kind of attitude. As Christians we need to make sure our attitude reflects Christ Jesus. What kind of wildfire will you spread today? Daniel Goleman said "Smiles are the most contagious emotional signal of all, having an irresistible power to make others smile in return." 

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24

Praise the LORD that Carl doesn't live with Grumpy anymore but bless his heart... he does live with Dopey. I have said before that I am always saying or doing something that makes him just smile and shake his head. Well, this week was no different. I had to file workman's comp....again and tried to file for disability but my "boss" wouldn't hear of it. Our trailer floor is open on one end and solid on the other. Yes, you probably already know what is coming next! Carl was driving a piece of equipment onto the trailer and I was directing him....just love when I can legitimately do that. Anyway, before Carl could say anything I stepped right off the floor....bruised and cut my leg all up. No, not really, I did bruise and cut it but just a little bit. After Carl made sure I was ok, he was like "Now I am going to have to listen to you complain for the rest of the week!" I tried to milk it but quickly discovered that wasn't going to work. He said, "You need to always pay attention to your surroundings and what you are doing." Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!!! Just for the record...I did finish chaining that sucker down before I tried milking my injury.

UPDATE on LC: Carl got the light bar fixed, had the front-end aligned and 2 new steer tires put on so no make shaking and rattling and squeaking...thank goodness! Our satellite tore up but Carl got it fixed...talking about withdrawals. That was at the top of the list of things to fix. He got the CB antenna fixed but guess what is STILL NOT fixed...the frig. You would know that our frig is "special" and not just anybody can fix it or can tell us what is wrong with it. Think about what it would be like going without a frig at home for 2 weeks...I know..that is exactly how I feel. It might not be so bad if we were eating good food but truck stop food...really!!!

My workman's comp culprit!

Don't think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing. Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had.   Philippians 2:4-5

'Til we meet again!

Only by Grace,
      Lynne

Can We Just Go Back To Bed

Thank you Timothy and Haley for the
beautiful fireworks!

Do you ever have those days when you just want to go back to bed and start all over again? Well that is how we have felt the past week, except we wanted to go back home and start over. Every time we turn around something is tearing up. First of all our refrigerator quit working and it was full of some good 'ole home cooked food. We had to throw everything out. It was an act of congress to find someone to talk to...in the USA.... that had the part we needed. By the time I found someone I was about ready to bite his head off...poor fella! Poor Carl thought his head was gonna be a goner also.  I will be so glad to have the frig back..all this fast food is killing me. After the frig messed up, some of the lights on the truck decided to quit working. Carl would fix one and then another would quit..fix that one and then the one he had previously fixed would quit again. It was a back and forth "nightmare". We even had a whole light panel to break and fall off. Carl finally got the lights working...thank goodness. Then one day when he shut his door we heard something clinging and clanging...we just looked at each other "Oh My Gosh, what was that!" He opened his door and found his CB antenna laying on the ground. Do you remember the sheriff's car in the movie Smokey and the Bandit...I am beginning to think that is what LC is going to look like before long. We are going to be just wheels rolling down the highway dropping and dragging pieces behind us.

On top of everything falling apart on us, we have had to deal with C-R-A-Z-Y drivers, normally that is nothing new...but wow....summertime has brought them alllll out. Then add a little rain....well they just forget how to drive altogether. Last week when we went through Tennessee on our way to Pennsylvania we encountered a lot of "non-driving" folks. We went through 2 hail storms, were in and out of rain storms all day and had to sit for almost two hours on the interstate due to a wreck. We were only about 20 miles from our home for the night when we got stopped on the interstate. By the time we started moving it was dark and raining and my nerves were shot  and I wasn't the one driving. We had to cross over a river on a very high bridge and at that very moment a sense of fear took over my body. I could not breath, talk or function normally...I seriously could have used a "chill pill". I talked to my mama later and was telling her about all the bad weather and she said " We were praying for ya'll."  "I was praying for us too!"

So many people go through their lives living in fear....fear of losing their job, losing a love one, worrying about finances, worrying about their future. Fear smothers and traps you to the point that you can't focus on anything of value. Your soul begins to hyperventilate. If you have ever hyperventilated then you know it is a very scary feeling. I can not imagine going through life feeling that way all the time. 2 Timothy 1:7 says "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline." Every circumstance comes to us for a purpose, bound by God's love. There will always be times of uncertainty or a sense of fear but God is always standing right there waiting for us to say "LORD, save me!" Trust is the antidote to anxiety; it's the resolution of worry and the destruction of fear. Turn your fears over to the LORD. Trust Him, He sees what we can not see. My fear was very real that night but was quickly removed thanks to my loving Savior.

We ended up riding on the 4th but thanks to my thoughtful, loving, magnificent son and his "just as wonderful" girlfriend we did get to see some fireworks. They videoed the ones in town and sent it to us. I think they were the most fabulous fireworks I have ever seen. After we unloaded Thursday in Pennsylvania we made a bee-line to North Carolina to load on Monday. I was so excited Sunday because I GOT TO GO SHOPPING...not at Wal-Mart....a REAL mall. It had 80 stores! Oh yes, I was in heaven!!! When I was teaching, I went shopping almost every weekend...so yes...I have been having some major withdrawal symptoms! Carl asked me later if I had fun...crazy question...what do you think?! I think he even had a little fun.

While traveling through Texas...again, we got to enjoy one of God's creatures. We stopped at a rest area and 2 of the cutest little raccoons were there.  They evidently have made this their home because they were not afraid of people. They kept watching to see who was going to feed them next. I know we see raccoons all the time but usually in the road and not in the best condition. I took so many pictures that you would have thought this was my first raccoon sighting. Carl just stood there patiently waiting for me to finish enjoying my moment.




















On our way to San Antonia Wednesday night, we saw a beautiful sunset. Another one of God's amazing creations. Thanks Jen for reminding me to enjoy nature and to see what I could find. We unloaded Thursday in San Antonio and will reload Monday in Beaumont, TX going to back to Texarkana,TX and then who knows where our next adventure will take us.

For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.    Isaiah 41:13

'Til we meet again!

Only by Grace,
         Lynne

Loving Others

Give thanks to the LORD for he is good! His faithful love endures forever! Psalm 118:29

I sure hope everyone is staying cool or at least trying because it is hot, hot, hot!!! I love summertime and can't wait for it to arrive each year but I am usually spending it IN the pool. Don't get me wrong I love traveling the roads with My Love but I am really having to adjust to working outside in the heat. I might actually be looking forward to some cooler weather...now when I say cooler I mean 85-90 degrees.

We have been doing some trucking this past week. We unloaded Tuesday in Fort Polk, LA then loaded Wednesday in Beaumont, TX and went back to Fort Bliss in El Paso to unload Friday. We then had to boogie boogie boogie to Fort Huachuca, AZ to load Friday evening.  We are now on our way to Pennsylvania. WooHoo...finally getting out of Texas! Let me just say that we are one tired little couple. We are used to loading and riding for several days to a week before unloading but oh not this week. All this chaining and unchaining has helped this Chic-a-dee get her some "guns"!

This is our second week of hauling military equipment. I support our military men and women 100% and really appreciate the sacrifices they have made and continue to make everyday.  But I really thought the teacher was gonna come out of me when we loaded in Fort Bliss last Friday. I  think that was the first time those fellas had ever loaded trucks. They were sooo lost and confused. I wanted to just say, "OK, guys listen up this is what we are going to do. You go get this truck and generator and BACK it on this trailer...and you sir...go get this piece of equipment and load it on that trailer!" I am very good at directing and giving orders...just ask Carl. There were about 27 trucks trying to get loaded and it was an ALLLL day process. Our load appointment was 11:00 and we finally got loaded at 5:30. Carl would get so irritated but then one of the guys would come up to him and apologize and thank him for being so patient...it was hard to stay mad.

Even as busy as we have been, we are very thankful for the work. Saturday when we stopped at the rest area this older man was sitting there holding a sign that said "please help". We see people all the time begging for money and we do try to help with food but we hardly ever give just money. But there was something about this man...Carl started up a conversation with him and the man never said anything about needing money or about his problems (not until Carl asked what kind of help he needed)...usually that is the first thing they say. He was from California and was on his way to Houston, TX to visit his brother. He drove a nice little red sports car and needed  money for gas. He told Carl it was costing a lot more than what he thought. So yes, my loving husband gave him a little bit of money for gas. But...once we got in the truck something hit me...I just felt like we needed to do more. Carl and I talked about it and decided to offer to fill up his car. He was so happy and appreciative when Carl told him....no we didn't give him money..he followed us to the station and we actually pumped the gas for him. I know...you are probably thinking it was just a scam or his way of living but believe me everything you are thinking I thought and questioned. We get so frustrated with all the people that just swarm our truck asking for hand-outs but then there are those that truly need help and we believe he was one of those people. Please don't think I am writing this as a pat-on-the-back because that is certainly not it at all. My devotion the other day was about having genuine, pure, fervent love for others and let me tell you... that is one thing that I  struggle with when it comes to people standing on the corner and holding up signs. The "something" that hit me in the truck was the LORD saying "Lynne, do you remember the devotion on love....well...show some love girl!"

The LORD gave His one and only son Jesus Christ for us..now that is love like no other. None of us deserve God's love. His love for us is genuine, pure and unconditional and no matter what we do or don't do He will continue to love us just the same. To have a heart like Jesus I must learn to love unconditionally. Joyce Meyer says she believes walking in love is the true test of spiritual maturity not great faith. Galations 5:6 says the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. This really got to me...I must have a life of pure, genuine love in order for my faith to grow and strengthen. I have always thought my faith was strong but when it is put like this...Let's just say that unconditional love is something I need to work on.....what about you?

'Til we meet again!

Only by Grace,
Lynne



"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."
1 John 4:7-8