Blessings

I just have to share how amazing our LORD and Savior is and how He has been working in our lives the past month.....I am about to explode with excitement!

Blessing 1....What was supposed to be a 4 week run back and forth from Pensacola to Minnesota turned into a 7 week run. That meant a steady paycheck every week for 7 weeks and not having to look for loads for 7 weeks. Extra money is always a good thing....as long as God receives His part!

Blessing 2....Before we even got to Minnesota Friday with our last load our travel agent (a.k.a. dispatcher) already had us another load to pick up on Monday. Now, we had been looking on the load board for several days and there was nothing for us to get. So when he called, we knew it was the LORD working.

Blessing 3....When we finally got to the job site Friday morning in Minnesota we could not believe our eyes. Trucks, trucks and more trucks everywhere. It had been raining since Wednesday morning so there were 2 days worth of trucks ahead of us waiting to get unloaded.....about 27 trucks. Now remember, the job site is in the middle of a corn field which was now a very muddy, boggy mess. It takes at least 45 minutes to an hour to unload each truck but that couldn't happen until the rain stopped and the sun came out and dried up all the rain. I know...I know...you are thinking how in the world is this a blessing. Just hang with me. Our unload appointment was for Friday at 11:00 a.m. That obviously did not happen...which meant...detention time...which meant...A LOT of extra money for us. The longer we sat the more money we made. Once again, I know what you are probably thinking. "How could you sit in the middle of a corn field for days?"  I had food, water, a shower, a toilet, a bed, a tv, some much needed rest time, and some much needed Bible Study time and My love....what more could a girl ask for? We got unloaded late Sunday afternoon and we made it to our Monday morning load appointment on time.  Good looking detention time check + load out of Minnesota = Blessing #3!

I forgot to mention that during all this time we were also trying to plan how we were going to get home to vote. While we were trying to come up with a plan God already had one. 

Blessing 4....We loaded Monday morning and unloaded Thursday afternoon in Laredo, TX. We were not able to find a load  home so Friday afternoon we just deadheaded home. Once again you may be wondering how is this a blessing. Well, here it is....our last Pensacola/Minnesota load paid us more than we expected which gave us some extra money so we could deadhead home. We got home in time for Sunday lunch with  our  family and with some of our church family plus we were home to vote. That my friends is Blessing #4!

Since Carl had not been home in so long he wanted to stay home for a week. So Monday, Oct.29 he told his dispatcher to take him off the board and not to call until the next week.

Blessing 5....Sunday night, November 4 was the first night of our 4 night fall revival and we were home to attend. We had planned to go back on the road Monday morning but that soon changed. On the way home from church Sunday night, Carl and I started talking about our plans. We felt like we needed to stay home so we could go to revival and just leave out Thursday. We knew that God would take care of us and take care of our needs. That is exactly what He did. Normally our travel agent would have been calling first thing Monday morning to see if we were ready to go back out but we did not hear one word from him....until....Wednesday morning with a load for Thursday going to Houston, TX. I get chills just thinking about how Jesus Christ had every thing perfectly planned out for us.

Blessing 6....My wonderful husband/boss told me if I wanted to stay home that it would be okay with him. He knew I wanted to go to the Titus 2 supper Thursday night. This is a wonderful ministry that some of our awesome church ladies have started. He also knew that I wanted to go to our Girl's Day Out with my mama and sisters Saturday. He started off by saying," I was thinking...now just wait and let me finish. If you want to stay home I am fine with that. I am not a mean boss!" Whenever he starts a sentence with "I was thinking" I am always like "Oh my, what is he up to!" Titus 2 supper + Girl's Day + super amazing husband = Blessing #6.

Friday afternoon Carl called and said, "I have some good news and some bad news. Which do you want first the good or the bad?" I just sat there a minute and finally said, "Give me the bad."  "The bad is, I don't know what it pays but the good news is I got a load coming right back to the house. I will load in Beaumont, TX Wednesday and will unload Friday at the house! Do you think the LORD is working or what!!" I just started crying and said, "Yes, I do believe He is!"  So there we have Blessing #7...load right back home and the whole week home for Thanksgiving....just what we had been praying for.

On each and every occasion we both said we were not going to worry about anything. The LORD knows what we need and He will make sure our needs and yes...even some of our wants are met.

There is NOOOO way we could have planned all this to work out so perfectly. It was all the workings of OUR gracious, peace-loving and gentle LORD and Savior.

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

 I pray each and every one of you have a Blessed Thanksgiving!

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