Seasons

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.

His hard hat on top of his hoodie just cracks me up!

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!

Mississippi River at the Illinois/Missouri line

Missouri River in Missouri

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!

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!

It may look small but it can hold lots of food. It even
has a decent size freezer.

Til we meet again!

Only by His Grace!
       Lynne

Faith, Hope & Love

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. 

 But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13

WOW!! It has been a while since my last post. Carl said this should be a short and easy post to write "I stayed home with my mommy and my daddy!" HaHa! He is so funny!

My sweet sweet daddy!

My silly playful mama!

I did stay home....for 4 1/2 weeks....and that still wasn't long enough for mama. She kept me hopping the whole time. She thought if I stayed busy I wouldn't miss Carl....yeah right! Every night when I would talk to him he would always ask "Well what does your mama have planned for you tomorrow?" And there was always something.

After being gone for 9 weeks our first stop....find Timothy!!! My how we missed that boy! I think he was missing us just as much because he called several times during the day wanting to know where we were. He was anxiously awaiting the arrival of his mama and daddy. That was the best looking face we had seen and the happiest laugh we had heard in 9 weeks.

Birthday parties, family time, football games, shopping with family, yard work, DIY projects, lunch with friends, Church, Prayer group, more shopping, family time, talks with Timothy, soccer games, Church, sitting on the front porch talking to Timothy and more family time....yes, it was a busy busy 4 1/2 weeks but I loved every sweet precious minute of it.

It was a joyous time but was also a difficult one. While at home we had to say goodbye to our baby girl Cheyenne. What an enjoyable 10 years we had with her. We called her our tornado dog. In 2002 our community was hit with a devastating tornado. The day after it hit we went outside and saw a new face with big brown eyes looking at us. Ginger and Spice had them a new sister. I don't think they were ever real happy about the new addition. But I sure did love her and will miss her!

 Before Carl and I started our trucking adventures together we prayed that if we were doing the right thing that God would open doors and clear the path for our new adventure together. I prayed very specifically for things to happen but only if it was God's will. Not only did He answer the prayers I prayed but He also went beyond that and met needs that we had not even prayed about. It was like a neon sign flashing.  Three months later our adventures began only to have them come crashing down 1 month later. I shared with you about the storm we went through and that I never asked God "Why us?" But I did let Satan get in my head. I began to question if we had done the right thing.  "Would it have happened if I hadn't been with Carl?" "He might have been in a different place maybe even at home." I knew in my heart that God had answered our prayers and had opened the doors for us, but I was letting Satan do just what he loves to do...get in my head and make me doubt. Well, we came through that storm stronger than ever...in our faith, our trust in God and our love and commitment to each other. This past week I had a real eye opener. As I was studying my Sunday School lesson Dr. David Jeremiah stated that opposition can actually be a sign that you heard God correctly and that Satan is doing all he can to discourage you and cause you to turn around. I would have missed out on so many blessings and adventures and moments with God if I had listened to Satan and turned around. The LORD opened that door for us and only HE can close it! What a blessing each and every adventure has been! One year of work, play and adventures down...and oh, so many more to go!

Well, my vacation has come to an end and it is time for me to join my sweet loving husband for our next adventure...can't wait to see what The LORD has in store for us this year!



"The LORD is the one who will go before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8

Yes, mother I agree 8-9 weeks is too long to be gone and our prayer is that our trips will become shorter. But the LORD knows what needs have to be met and the time that is needed to meet each one. So be patient!

Til we meet again!

Only By Grace!
     Lynne