He’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don’t take yourself too seriously— take God seriously.
Micah 6:8 (The Message)
Youth Group’s Valentine Dinner
Saturday, February 12
This is a teaser photo from yesterday (more later today).
We were invited to our church’s Youth Group Valentine Supper last night – as part of a panel of former youth advisors. It was quite late when we got home – too late for me to be alert enough to post pictures. They had an excellent turnout of 115 people, and we had so much fun.
What marvelous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it—we’re called children of God! That’s who we really are.
1 John 3:1 (The Message)
It’s Cold Outside
Sunrise ~ Birds ~ Roses ~ Sunset
Friday, February 11
Routine is usually nice, and it was nice to see the sunrise from my La-Z-Boy this morning.
I was still in my housecoat – and barefooted – when I decided to step outside on the porch to get these pictures. It was about 7 degrees at the moment – the reason I only took two pictures. Brrrrr!
To my surprise the door was locked, and I couldn’t get back inside. 
I knocked on the window, but Cerwin thought I was inside chasing a squirrel away from a feeder, so ignored me. Then I decided to knock on the door window until he came to rescue me. (The porch wasn’t too bad, but I didn’t want to run across the patio (twenty-five feet) on icy snow to get to the other door.)
Finally he got the hint – and thought it was quite funny.
~~~
After nine days on the road, we felt like we were in slow motion yesterday, but today we were back to normal.
I love normal!
The laundry is finished, suitcases are unpacked, everything is back in its place, and I had time to go to Curves before work.
Cerwin went to the TFC shop and cleaned the truck – inside and outside. He’ll clean the chapel on Monday when it is warmer.
So-o-o-o it was back to the office for me.
The first job was to sort through the mail: Two newsletters to be set up, donations to be sent to the International Office, thank you notes from Ladies’ Day of Refreshment (how nice), birthday cards (sweet), bills, address changes and additions for the staff mailing lists, and junk mail (way too much).
Next I dealt with lots of emails: two newsletters and two banquet flyers to be set up, more than one hundred birthday wishes from Facebook and Xanga (wow), address changes, and some junk mail.
By the middle of the afternoon all the mail was on neat, organized piles – according to priority, and my email box was empty. I decided to attack the stack of mail that needed replies, and then the small stack of email and address changes for staff mailings.
By 5:00 p.m. my office looked much better.
By the end of my office day, I decided that I needed to take some bird pictures so I have something to put in my blog tonight.
These are all house finches. The males have the red highlights. The females are just brown and white.
~~~
When Cerwin came home – I really had something to photograph.
~~~
A dozen beautiful red roses for Valentine’s Day.
He is a true sweetheart!
Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days
Keep my message in plain view at all times. Concentrate! Learn it by heart! Those who discover these words live, really live; body and soul, they’re bursting with health.
Proverbs 4:21-22 (The Message)
Our Friend Bob
Thursday, February 20
This morning our friend Bob MacFeat called to see if we were home. He said he had something he wanted to show us.
He arrived an hour later. The thing he wanted to show us was a video of him and his wife, Thelma, in 1994.
Someone gave this to him in early January. He didn’t even know it existed. They were singing Chime Bells.
The reason this is a special treasure to him is that Thelma died on January 17.
He was driving for Yellow Freight when we first met him, probably in the late seventies or early eighties. He said he worked there for twenty years.
We had the most interesting conversation, as he told us many stories from the time he served in World War II, the first time he met Thelma, and the day he accepted the Lord into his life at the age of forty-two.
Cerwin asked if he still plays harmonica. Bob reached into his pocket and said, “I’m glad you asked.”
He proceeded to play Silent Night, and then the first song he ever played on the harmonica – a polka of which he did not know the name.
~~~
We thought we had enough to do this morning – with just getting home after nine days on the road, but we wouldn’t trade the sweet time of fellowship we had with him.
We got most of the things done anyway, and what we didn’t finish will wait until tomorrow.
~~~
Tonight’s beautiful sunset.
Your words are so choice, so tasty; I prefer them to the best home cooking.
Psalm 119:103 (The Message)
Our Last Day in the Truck
Wednesday, February 9
Our view of the truck stop restaurant and fuel island. After Cerwin went to the truck stop to brush his teeth and freshen up…
…I did my morning toilette behind the security of these privacy curtains which cover the side and front windows.
I thought you might like to see two items that are invaluable to me when I travel in the truck – the lighted mirror on the left and the porta-potty.
There are lights inside the cab, and a small mirror, but this lighted, three-way mirror is much nicer. And I don’t have to explain why a porta-potty is important for a lady. 
~~~
Cerwin seemed to take extra long in the truck stop this morning – giving me plenty of time to get dressed, combed, and to organize our very small living quarters.
When he got back to the truck, he said, “We just had church in the restaurant. There was a man reading his Bible in one of the booths, so I stopped to talk to him.”
When we headed toward the restaurant, I noticed a beautiful sunrise, and told Cerwin to go ahead, that I wanted to take pictures before joining him for coffee.
I also wanted a picture of the permanent chapel in the early morning light.
Inside the restaurant, I found Cerwin and Chaplain David talking to George and Luke.
Luke and Chaplain David
George (left) is the one Cerwin talked to on his first trip through the restaurant. By the time we got back Luke and Chaplain David had joined him.
George’s Bible and journal
David read a verse from Psalm 133.
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”
It was indeed a morning of sweet fellowship.
~~~
Luke called me later in the day to say how much he enjoyed the morning, and to thank us for our work with TFC.
Leaving the truck stop (8:00 a.m.) for the final leg of our journey.
Some of the scenery we saw along the way during our drive from Wytheville, Virginia, to Marietta, Pennsylvania.
I probably saw half a dozen hawks this morning.
I love reading the logos of companies.
I think this was an advertisement, and not a working windmill.
Getting off the exit for lunch.
We didn’t see very much snow until we reached Pennsylvania.
It felt good to arrive at TFC’s International Office this afternoon – about 3:15 p.m.
The chapel is back in its “home.”
It doesn’t look very bad in this picture, but Cerwin said that it has never been so dirty. He is anxious to give it a bath.
I don’t think my feet ever spent so much time in boots. The only time I didn’t wear them was in bed – and one or two times in a restaurant.
Ahhhh! It does feel good to be home, relaxing in my La-Z-Boy, with my feet propped up.
Dessert in the Truck Stop
Before Bedtime
Tuesday, February 8
Following the movie in the chapel, Cerwin came to the truck for me so I could have a birthday dessert. I stayed in the truck to update my blog.
A waitress offered to take a picture of the three of us.
Chaplain David has peanut butter toast every evening after a movie or chapel service. As a rule that would be my choice as well – but on ones birthday it seems that something unhealthy is okay. 
So Cerwin and I had an ice cream/whipped cream/cherry/chocolate covered brownie. Oh, yum!
ata-grandma seemed to think I shared a dessert with Cerwin. Not on your life did I share that dessert! We each had our own.
Right next to us one of the cooks was preparing these delicious-looking, white chocolate covered apples.
I told her that is certainly one way to take healthy out of an apple.
~~~
Then it was back to our comfy little truck cab where we have to take turns standing – unless we want to hug, kiss, or dance in place.
After I crawled into my bunk, I thought about how I can describe what it is like to sleep in a truck.
It is like having a vibrating bed with a continual rumbling sound in the air – and depending on what kind of truck is parked on either side, the rumble varies. I was just about asleep when there was a loud B-O-O-M/S-H-U-S-S-H. Apparently a new truck pulled in next to us and released his very loud air brakes. It was funny that it happend as I was thinking about how to describe the sounds. I laid in my cozy bunk laughing.
The next thing I knew, it was morning, and there was a new scent in the air. I am sure a cattle hauler went by, because there was a definite smell of cattle manure. Live cattle haulers don’t park very long, so I never did locate it.
We are on our way home today, which is kind of bitter sweet. I love road trips in the TFC chapel rig.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Proverbs 3:6 (The Message)
