Patty and I are in West Valley City (Salt Lake City suburb), Utah, attending the Central Refrigerated Services training academy. We're taking the next step in a transport career, which is to get our Class A CDL's and team up driving a big rig. It's an awesome adventure, and a real challenge at the same time. I'm so proud of Pat. She's a brave, sweet and wonderful woman.
We loved being on the road, contracting for Horizon Transport this summer. But we've been super busy at the academy, and staying in "Cell Block 2" there for the past week, and haven't had internet access. Today we moved to a nice motel, since we're now the "Senior Class." When I got online, I checked our Horizon website and discovered only one unit on the board going from Wakarusa, and very few reloads available. With the carnage in the RV industry, we knew we had to make a move, and we're really glad we did it at this time. I feel so badly for all of the folks whose jobs are being eliminated.
Anyway, on my Facebook page you can check out my pics of our training adventure. I may not be updating this week, because we still have a lot to accomplish . . . and the days are long, with homework every night. But we'll update you as soon as we can!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Mercy Springs
So, today we didn't have much ground to cover. We're not delivering our motor homes until Friday morning in Colorado Springs. This will be my first time in Colorado, even though I've been in almost every other state, all of Canada, and Mexico (not to mention England, Holland, Kenya, Uganda, Brazil, The Philippines, and I think that's it). So that will leave Alaska and Hawaii. And Alaska is very highly placed on Pat's list.
After we deliver in CO, then it will be up to Salt Lake City for CDL A classes that start next Monday (Aug. 11). We're excited, and we're going to have a blast.
I'm posting a couple of pics. One is of the last two motorhomes we'll deliver, and the other is of a fairly neat sculpture we saw at a rest area in Nebraska today. I'm sure it's familiar to all the Corn Huskers out there, but it's the first we've seen of it.
Read this in Psalm 85 today, and it just fit. Back on staff at Nappanee Missionary Church we always used to say, "Give a lot of grace, because you'll need a lot of grace." It's the same with mercy. And I need to give mercy and grace to someone right this minute, as it so happens. There's a guy with a Peterbilt tractor who's parking, then moving all over the lot, like he can't get comfortable, and he's not only idling his 425 or so diesel horses, but running an ailing APU (auxiliary power unit) as well. It's making a huge rucus in the middle of what was a fairly tranquil place, until he got here. Apparently he doesn't know how irksome he is . . . but as for me, I feel such an acute need for the bountiful mercy of God right now in my life. No particular reason, but it's just a feeling. Do you ever get that way? A few weeks ago we were cruising from Napa Valley, CA downstate, and we passed a little sign pointing to Mercy Springs, CA. I wanted to take that winding, dusty road and park there for a while. That's the sort of place I'd like to visit, for a long, long rest. Mercy Springs. I really like the sound of that. Here's the passage:
"Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed. Truth shall spring out of the earth, And righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yes, the Lord will give what is good; And our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before Him, And shall make His footsteps our pathway." (vv 10-13 NKJV)
What else can you say? That's everything I need for today. Keep looking up!
After we deliver in CO, then it will be up to Salt Lake City for CDL A classes that start next Monday (Aug. 11). We're excited, and we're going to have a blast.
I'm posting a couple of pics. One is of the last two motorhomes we'll deliver, and the other is of a fairly neat sculpture we saw at a rest area in Nebraska today. I'm sure it's familiar to all the Corn Huskers out there, but it's the first we've seen of it.
Read this in Psalm 85 today, and it just fit. Back on staff at Nappanee Missionary Church we always used to say, "Give a lot of grace, because you'll need a lot of grace." It's the same with mercy. And I need to give mercy and grace to someone right this minute, as it so happens. There's a guy with a Peterbilt tractor who's parking, then moving all over the lot, like he can't get comfortable, and he's not only idling his 425 or so diesel horses, but running an ailing APU (auxiliary power unit) as well. It's making a huge rucus in the middle of what was a fairly tranquil place, until he got here. Apparently he doesn't know how irksome he is . . . but as for me, I feel such an acute need for the bountiful mercy of God right now in my life. No particular reason, but it's just a feeling. Do you ever get that way? A few weeks ago we were cruising from Napa Valley, CA downstate, and we passed a little sign pointing to Mercy Springs, CA. I wanted to take that winding, dusty road and park there for a while. That's the sort of place I'd like to visit, for a long, long rest. Mercy Springs. I really like the sound of that. Here's the passage:
"Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed. Truth shall spring out of the earth, And righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yes, the Lord will give what is good; And our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before Him, And shall make His footsteps our pathway." (vv 10-13 NKJV)
What else can you say? That's everything I need for today. Keep looking up!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
OneMoreRetread Hits the Road
OK, this is a blog about life on the road with OneMoreRetread. The really tough part of blogging, which I've never done before, is going to be not overthinking when I'm writing. I took a lot of writing and editing classes in college, and you're taught to go slow and careful and to mess around a lot with your copy. But it's pretty clear that no one does that these days, particularly when they're blogging.
This first blog deserves a little bit of explanation, I suppose. I'm OneMoreRetread, bc that's what God does with a lot of us. He salvages our lives, when we're all bald (ha!) and seemingly worthless and ready for the trash heap. The road of life can wear us down, can't it? And that's about where I'm at. The end of myself, but rejuvenated and made useful . . . and perfectly happy and fulfilled . . . through my relationship with Christ Jesus. And with the help and the support and the love of the most beautiful, sweet, funny and amazing woman in the world.
We're in our mid-fifties, and we've been married for over 35 years, having started out as highschool sweethearts at good old Grand Ledge (MI) High School. We've raised four amazing kids, seen them all married to fantastic spouses (more kids for us!) and we have nine . . . count them . . . 9! beautiful granders. The newest, youngest, is a sweet little yet-to-be-born girl. We're sure of it. At least we think we are. Not really.
I've completed a number of years in Christian Ministry. Frankly, it feels so good to move back into the "real world" that I can't describe it. There is peace, purpose, adventure, challenge. All of it. And in the process, Patty and I are working our way out of some longstanding financial problems. Actually, we're trucking our way out of them. Beginning next Monday (August 11, 2008) we're stepping up from Class B to Class A CDL drivers, and we're teaming up, going over-the-road with Central Refrigerated. We have two and half weeks of training and orientation, then four weeks together in a truck with a trainer, then we'll be assigned our own truck. Three months after that, if everything seems good, we'll likely lease on as Owner-Operators. Big rigs, here we come!
For the past 3 months we've worked together, as independent transport contractors for Horizon Transport, delivering trucks, motor homes, etc. across the states and Canada. I think Patty said that when we hit Colorado that will be the 28th state in the past few weeks. Also Alberta, Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec. So we've hit the road together. I'll tell you more about the challenges and the journeys, and hopefully the realizations and revelations, as time goes on, but right now we've got to make some miles toward Colorado Springs, CO. We'll be leaving the Flying J at the junction of I39 and I80 and heading west in just a few more minutes. Keep looking up!
This first blog deserves a little bit of explanation, I suppose. I'm OneMoreRetread, bc that's what God does with a lot of us. He salvages our lives, when we're all bald (ha!) and seemingly worthless and ready for the trash heap. The road of life can wear us down, can't it? And that's about where I'm at. The end of myself, but rejuvenated and made useful . . . and perfectly happy and fulfilled . . . through my relationship with Christ Jesus. And with the help and the support and the love of the most beautiful, sweet, funny and amazing woman in the world.
We're in our mid-fifties, and we've been married for over 35 years, having started out as highschool sweethearts at good old Grand Ledge (MI) High School. We've raised four amazing kids, seen them all married to fantastic spouses (more kids for us!) and we have nine . . . count them . . . 9! beautiful granders. The newest, youngest, is a sweet little yet-to-be-born girl. We're sure of it. At least we think we are. Not really.
I've completed a number of years in Christian Ministry. Frankly, it feels so good to move back into the "real world" that I can't describe it. There is peace, purpose, adventure, challenge. All of it. And in the process, Patty and I are working our way out of some longstanding financial problems. Actually, we're trucking our way out of them. Beginning next Monday (August 11, 2008) we're stepping up from Class B to Class A CDL drivers, and we're teaming up, going over-the-road with Central Refrigerated. We have two and half weeks of training and orientation, then four weeks together in a truck with a trainer, then we'll be assigned our own truck. Three months after that, if everything seems good, we'll likely lease on as Owner-Operators. Big rigs, here we come!
For the past 3 months we've worked together, as independent transport contractors for Horizon Transport, delivering trucks, motor homes, etc. across the states and Canada. I think Patty said that when we hit Colorado that will be the 28th state in the past few weeks. Also Alberta, Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec. So we've hit the road together. I'll tell you more about the challenges and the journeys, and hopefully the realizations and revelations, as time goes on, but right now we've got to make some miles toward Colorado Springs, CO. We'll be leaving the Flying J at the junction of I39 and I80 and heading west in just a few more minutes. Keep looking up!
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