There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. Ecclesiastes 3:8
Vibrant reds, yellows, oranges, and green....harvest time; corn, peanuts, cotton and soybeans.....goldenrod, peanut dust, achoo achoo, yes it's allergies...pumpkins, cornstalks and hay bale decorations....football games and football traffic...rich colorful sunsets...goodbye shorts and flip flops and hello jeans, jackets and boots...it's fall y'all!
We have been driving from Pensacola to Minnesota from Minnesota to Pensacola; back and forth back and forth for the past 6 weeks. We usually deliver Friday mornings and load back in Pensacola on Tuesday mornings which doesn't leave time for any dilly dallying around. As Carl says, "truckin up!" Well, let me retract...I am only on week 3 because I took a 3 1/2 week hiatus. Carl says it was 4 but who's counting. Anywho...I have enjoyed watching all the fall colors come alive which is something that doesn't happen at home. We may have a few fall colors here and there but for the most part it's all green and then one day it's all brown or bare. Everything south of Tennessee is still pretty much green but once we get north of Nashville the colors really started popping.
Last year we spent most of the fall season out west...no trees..no colors and before that I was still teaching so I am pretty excited to watch the changing of the colors. Not so excited about the cooler...wait colder temperatures but I am trying to deal with it. I had to put the shorts away my first week back out but I have refused to put away the flip flops. Looks like that is coming to an end also...my little toes are turning blue in this 50 degree weather.
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| His hard hat on top of his hoodie just cracks me up! |
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| Can you say FREEZING! 34 degrees 20mph winds |
This past year has really given me the opportunity to see the beauty of each season. I love seeing the bright, vivid colors of fall... the soft, still, quietness of the snow covered mountains in the winter... the bursting of colors as they once again come alive in the spring....and the business of all the animals as they scurry around in the summer. In the south we really only have 2 seasons summer and fall....hot and cool.
Just as we have weather seasons we also have seasons of life. We are constantly growing and changing. My life season right now is working and traveling with my love. You may be in a season of your life that means moving to a new place; new home, new job, a new town or state. Sometimes we go though seasons of illness and even the loss of a loved one. Some seasons may be short and some may seem to last forever. No matter what season of life we are in God is always right there with us. "The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8. As we go through each season we should approach it with the joy, peace, trust and comfort that comes from God above. Spring is my favorite time of the year. I love how everything starts growing again. The flowers start blooming and color is everywhere. The birds are busy making new nests for their babies. The squirrels are busy running up and down and jumping from tree to tree and the warmer temperatures...oh, the glorious warmer temperatures. I also love the season of life that I am in right now. I pray that it lasts a really really really long time but if not then I know that it is all part of God's great plan for me. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11. It is easier to see the beauty in some of our life seasons than it is in others. If your season is one of happiness and joy and excitement I pray that you continue to keep your focus on Christ. When things are going great we tend to let our focus shift away from Him. We may not talk to Him as much, or read His Word as often. If you're going through a difficult season, I pray that you put all your trust and faith in Jesus. Grab His hand, hold on and follow as He leads you through it and into another season of your life. Even if your season seems to be dark and gray, look up and find the beauty and joy. We should give thanks and praise Him in all our seasons of life.
Well let me tell you about our season of traveling right now. Since we have been traveling the SAME OLE route going on 7 weeks, not much has been happening. The Mississippi, Missouri and the Tennessee rivers have been crossed 13 times; we have been through Nashville 13 times; St. Louis 13 times; have seen the same houses 13 times and I do believe we have probably seen the same cars 13 times...you get the picture!
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| Mississippi River at the Illinois/Missouri line |
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| Missouri River in Missouri |
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| Stop, rest, relax and pray Chapel in Minnesota |
Because our loads have been oversize loads we can only travel from sunrise to sunset which means very early mornings for me and you know I am not an early morning person. I'm talking 5:15 early. But as they say the early bird gets the worm. We are getting lots of worms then. I tried to sleep in one morning while we were riding but the roads were so bad that they almost beat me to death. Carlos said he kept waiting to hear a big thump from where I had fallen out of the bed. I started to get up several times and get dressed but decided it was safer to stay in the bed. I mean it is really ridiculous at how rough most of the roads are....especially in Alabama, Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri. Los said it is like riding a bike down a washboard dirt road. You know uggggggg! Their DOT people really need some more training when it comes to road paving and patching. Poor LC is being beat to death..not to mention...us!
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| Los doing his washboard dirt road imitation |
Oh, oh, oh did I mention we got a new refrigerator. Oh yeah baby, we got us some groceries now. There are no words to express our excitement. No more fast food and no more truck stop food! After we got it we were probably two of the happiest people to ever eat a simple ham sandwich freshly made in our own little kitchen. We have had spaghetti; pork chops, rice and black-eye peas; chili and hot dogs (and not the chili from a can); cube steak, rice and beans; pepper steak and rice; stew beef with carrots and potatoes; hamburger steak in cream of mushroom soup with black-eye peas and rice; and chicken-n-dumplings. All cooked from our very own kitchen using an electric skillet, a microwave or the crock-pot. This truckin' duo has been eating good! Belly's full and smiles on our faces!
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| It may look small but it can hold lots of food. It even has a decent size freezer. |
Only by His Grace!
Lynne
