THE END?

The END, (Not really) - Part X

We picked up the truck at about 6pm. We made arrangements to drop off the rental truck after the office was closed. That was a relief. We filled up the truck with fuel and headed the 30 miles to get the Camper. We had called the towing company, paid the storage fee and were set to head out of Denver as it was getting dark. BUT, FIRST, I had some work to do on the camper. We had found out the camper had only brakes hooked up on one axle. The other two sets of brakes were not even hooked up at the factory. That was a big deal traveling through the mountains. While we were waiting at Chief Hosa Campground, I purchased the connectors and hooked up the other 4 brakes. BUT, I had no way of checking them until the truck was hooked up. We arrived at the storage yard and hooked up the truck. Before we pulled out, we tested the brakes. BOOM! They worked. We checked the air pressure in the tires and we were ready to head out onto Interstate 70 in Idaho Springs, Colorado. 

Let's back up. When we picked up the truck. Jeremiah warned us that FORD recommended 500 mile break-in before towing. Yet, he admitted, the warranty would be fine even if we did have a problem. He recommended getting an oil change and check for leaks after 500 miles. He was a little nervous about us NOT going through the usual test period, but knew we had a deadline. SO, we were off!

Leaving Idaho Springs was interesting. I was never more nervous about driving a vehicle in all my life. All I could think about was blowing up another motor!  I-70 East out of Idaho Springs is straight UP HILL followed by a steep downhill grade into Denver. I can't express my anxiety. I rarely do this, but I turned off the satellite radio and asked Steph to pray quietly. The truck towed well going up hill. It was slow but steady. I had my flashers on and stayed in the slow lane. I did have to pass an even slower truck but quickly got back into the truck lane as I crested the hill. Now came the 7% grade down into Denver. Part of my nerves were specifically auto-braking, down shifting that occurs when in Tow-haul mode. We believe it was this that caused the engine problems. I crested the hill going about 35mph.  That was the plan and even though it was very slow, I wanted to do everything to maintain that speed as long as possible. With 26,000 pounds coming down the hill, I naturally picked up speed. I used a little brake and the engine did the rest. Traffic was crazy busy as we were in the middle of late rush hour leading into Denver. Trucks are supposed to maintain a 45mph speed limit.  That was really difficult to do. I edged up to 55mph but as we rounded the last turn into Denver, I realized I had made it.

We traveled outside of Denver and stopped to check the oil.  As I climbed under the truck, I could see it was a mess. There was oil everywhere. My delimna, was it like that before (I wish I would have checked) OR was there a problem? As I checked the oil, it looked good AND I assumed it was just from the RUSH OUT THE DOOR.  We stayed the night in a Walmart parking lot and begin early in the morning traveling through Kansas. I scheduled an oil change in Salina. We stopped and got permission from Walmart to unhook the Fifth Wheel. Steph shopped for food at Walmart while I went to get the oil changed. 

Everything was going great. The manager of the Oil Change shop was there. I explained what had happened and HE did our oil change, verified there were no leaks, and no metal in the oil. I was starting to relax.

As I got back to Walmart and began moving in the slides on the camper, One wouldn't budge. We were stuck once again. I had no idea what to do. So, we attempted to contact our warranty company to see what we needed to do to get someone to our location to fix our camper. Needless to say, my stress level was BACK UP. The warranty company was amazing. There technician took be through the error codes, taught me how to manually over ride the slide controller, and we were back on the road in a couple of hours.

We travelled through Missouri and stopped for the night. We got up early the next morning and made it home on Sunday afternoon.  We had to leave for the Boogie on Tuesday. We had time to load our supplies, get a LITTLE rest, and head out Tuesday morning. PRAISE GOD, he brought us home at just the right time!

The trip out west was now over. 

As I look back on our trip, I look back and can see the hand of God everywhere. The trip DID NOT GO AS PLANNED. Yet, God was good to us. He watched over us every step of the way. He protected us from harm and provided us with memories that will never be equalled in our life time. God does not ever guarantee a trouble free life. What he does guarantee is that he will walk with us through all things.

People in this world struggle with all sorts of calamity. Our trip was filled with adventure but I am not sure you can really call it CALAMITY. If you look at cancer, unexpected loss of life, financial ruin, lack of jobs, broken relationships, and a multitude of other REAL trials, the troubles on this trip are miniscule. God helped us complete a wonderful trip and some precious time with our granddaughter. We can't praise him enough for the blessings he has provided. I have also learned through this process to TRUST in the Lord more than ever before in my life. He has brought me through so much. Why would I ever doubt that protection and love?  

PRAISE GOD FOR A WONDERFUL TRIP.

I will continue writing about our first year of retirement. I love sharing what God has done for us. I get so excited reviewing all he does for us. God brought us back from the TRIP and helped us to get to the BOOGIE on time. We had such a great time there watching Gods hand at work. We went to Sturgis after that, then Ecuador, and winter in Florida. I can't wait to share THOSE adventures!

I Deserve to Wander the Desert - THE PLAN

The Plan - Part IX - FAITH

Stephanie and I, along with 11 other of our CMA family, just finished serving at the ABATE BOOGIE. For those that don't know what the Boogie is, this event is a four day party sponsored by ABATE of Indiana. ABATE is a motorcycle advocacy group that fights for the rights of motorcyclists in our state. This event is a HUGE fundraiser for them. In its hay-day there were somewhere around 10,000 attendees. In recent years, the attendance has greatly dwindled. Last year they had around 2,500 attendees. This year it looked a lot bigger. Estimates are around 4,000. 

CMA has had a LARGE presence at the Boogie over its history. In recent years, Stephanie and I have led the work at the Boogie. We have been called by the Lord to serve bikers at Secular Rallies. We love the interaction and service to others, many of which are NOT followers of Christ. CMA, serves FREE Coffee, water, and Gatorade. We also use our Rag Tracts as Cool rags to help cool down workers and attendees. Every hour through out each day, we take bottled water and cool rags around to ABATE Gate workers, EMT's, and Security. Our TENT is open 24 hours a day from Thursday through Sunday morning. CMA's mission is "Here when you need us".  Stephanie and I take this very seriously. Even though attendance is down, we are STILL needed. While many vendors and attendees have abandon this event. We strongly believe CMA should be the LAST to abandon ABATE. As an example, we had a problem getting a golf cart this year. So, we were unable to take water and cool rags around to workers on Thursday. You would not believe the number of workers who THOUGHT we had abandon them. They were so excited to see us on Friday and Saturday. 

LAST YEAR, THE BOOGIE for CMA almost didn't happen!

Stephanie and I dropped off our granddaughter and her friend at the Airport in Phoenix on July 6th. We then took a couple of days to get back to Golden, Colorado to pick up our truck. The guys at Bodacious Diesel were working furiously to get our truck back together. So many things needed to happen in a short period of time. Originally, Bodacious told us this process would take two months to complete. They knew our deadline and were working to get it done. 

We arrived in Golden on July 7th and camped at Chief Hosa Campground, run by Denver Parks and Recreation. While we were waiting, we did some TOURIST type things. We made a trip to Pikes Peak and we went to Buffalo Bill's gravesite and museum. All the time this was happening, our deadline date was fast approaching. 

We had to be back to Indiana, pick up our BOOGIE Supplies (tents, coolers, tables, rags, cups, etc.), get to the Boogie, and set up by Wednesday, July 16th. We were in constant prayer about the pending deadline.  We had a lot of down time. We rested and spent a lot of time in the word. IT was really a great time of spiritual renewal. As the week progressed and the deadline approached we really began to worry. We had ALL the supplies for the Boogie. If we couldn't make it, the event for CMA would not happen. The team at Bodacious had agreed to try to meet the deadline of Friday, July 12th as our "MUST HAVE DATE" . We made all our plans around this date. 

On Friday, the truck was not quite done, but it was close. They had to get everything back together and do a test run before they would turn the truck over to us. We checked out of our campground and headed to Golden. Most of the day, we sat around and worried. As the day got after lunch, we were really beginning to fret. We had to pick up our truck and drop off the rental truck by 5pm.  Around four o'clock we got a call that the truck was NOT done and they closed at 5pm. They also did NOT work on Saturday. If the truck wasn't done TODAY, it would not be done until Monday and there would be NO WAY for us to get to the Boogie and set up on time. WE REALLY were starting to stress. We were AT LEAST three days from home. 

I have to be honest. We were siting in the parking lot at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Golden, waiting. We just couldn't believe the Lord would keep us from attending the Boogie. We knew he had the power to get this truck done, but we were not seeing that was going to happen. At around 5, we got a call. The truck was done, but a leak had developed. They didn't have time to do a test run. We were devastated. I got off the phone and we continued in prayer, literally CRYING OUT TO THE LORD. Stephanie and I joined in prayer together. We were both imploring the Lord to intervene, to act NOW. Then the truck we were sitting in was complete quiet. We had no more words. We had no more plans. Our options were ZERO. 

THE LORD INTERVENED. We got a call. The TRUCK WAS DONE. The oil leak mysteriously stopped, they put about 20 miles on the truck (not the required 500 mile break in).  We still had a chance to make the Boogie. We picked up the truck. We used our credit card to pay off the remaining amount of the nearly $20,000 (The most I have ever charged on a credit card), returned the truck, and headed to pick up the camper.

Just like The Israelites, I was so excited to be delivered by the power of the Lord. We knew it was ONLY BY HIS POWER the truck was done. We praised the LORD with all our hearts.  BUT, other worries and doubts began to invade our mind. As we headed to the camper, I was worried about getting OUT of the mountains, the brakes, the leak, and driving a NEW motor several thousand miles with NO issues. 

How could I doubt the Lord?  

My life is filled with the Lord delivering me from one calamity after another. JUST like Israel, I get past one trial, praise the Lord, and forget what he has done for me.  In the past, I have harassed Israel for its lack of faith. They deserved to wander around the desert. I have come to find out, I am really no different. I DESERVE TO WANDER THE DESERT. The perfect Grace of our Lord is the reason I am here today. I can never repay the Lord for his sacrifice for me, his giving up the life of his SON, for me, How can I ever repay? IT's just not possible. I praise the Lord for his LOVE. 

The trip is not over!

We PRAISE him for it ALL!

PART VIII - CHAOS to PEACE

We had a great time at the North Rim and headed toward the South Rim. BUT FIRST, we had to make a stop in Page, Arizona to get a new tent. I really spent time researching what we wanted and read all the reviews for our new tent. Not only was the tent awesome, it went up SO FAST. Kallee and Hannah thought there was NO WAY we could put the tent up in the 2 minutes advertised. BUT, we were close. (My watch had us making it in 2 minutes. THEY might dispute that!)

We never took a picture. Here is the advertised pic on their website.

On the short trip from Kaibab, we were able to make a stop at Horseshoe Bend and the Glen Canyon Dam. I have always been partial to the Red Rocks from this area. They are so awe inspiring.

We camped just outside Williams, Arizona and really enjoyed the campground. They had everything, from a great morning breakfast, to tons of things to do. Although we couldn't get the girls to take a ride on the train through the park, they seemed to have a lot of fun.

The trip to the South Rim was great and touring Williams Arizona was fun. Williams is a RT 66 town. We were able to watch fireworks here and enjoyed being tourists!

Life is not always CHAOS. These days in Williams and on the South Rim were great and a much needed rest.  On July 6th we headed out to Phoenix to get the girls on a plane to head back to Indiana. Our original plan was to take the long trip back home, but since we were uncertain about the deadline for repairing the TRUCK, we decided to get them home. The flights were pretty reasonable and they were excited about the flight.

We stayed near the Airport and had our last meal with the Girls at In-n-Out burgers. For some crazy reason, it was a request of these two awesome young ladies.

Stephanie and I were absolutely blessed to share this trip with Kallee and Hannah. God watched over us the entire way. Yes, we had some problems, but that is what every ADVENTURE is about!  We loved the rest and relaxation over the last several days of our trip with them. 

But, Stephanie and I had more time and stress ahead of us. 

Now that the girls were gone our focus was getting back to Denver to pick up the truck and head to the rest of our planned adventures for 2019.

Isn't it great that our Lord knows when we need rest, when and how much turmoil and stress we can take. I have always felt his presence and feel he is working hard to teach me patience and trust in him. If my life was not filled with SOME Calamity or challenge, I am SURE I would not grow like I have. God is working constantly to make be a better person and a better servant. I know myself enough to know my greatest time of growth is in the valleys of life and NOT on the mountain top. SO, I praise him for it ALL. 

PHOBIAS are REAL - SHOW SOME COMPASSION!

THE PLAN - PART VII -  I love the Grand Canyon!

The day after the collapse of the tent, we took a trip to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. There is a lot of debate North Rim vs South Rim.  They are both very different and very much the same. I love the North Rim because of the remoteness and the smaller crowds. You get much of the greatness of the Grand Canyon from here. I think my favorite is Mathers Point, but we also love the Lodge and eating dinner overlooking the canyon.  But, on this trip we also had planned a MULE RIDE into the Canyon.  IT WAS ANOTHER EPIC HIGHLIGHT.

We went to Mather Point. My lovely granddaughter and her friend loved the trip. We might or might not have gone off the trail to take some beautiful pictures. (Today, I heard of lady that fell to her death going off the trail in this exact same point. YIKES!) We also had a wonderful dinner over looking the Canyon. It truly was another great day. Here are some of our pictures. BUT THE MULE TRIP WAS ONE FOR THE AGES!

THE DAY WASN'T ALL PARADISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Phobia's

I really don't understand PHOBIAS.  I am fascinated by snakes. I am apprehensive at Heights but really love the adventure. I don't fear spiders, I am MAYBE a little claustrophobic, but I can overcome it by stepping back, slowing my breathing, and concentrate on relaxing. Well, my wife was really against our MULE RIDE into the canyon. I convinced her she would be fine and she really relented pretty easily. However, as this part of our trip drew closer and we were actually there, her anxiety level went through the roof. With a lot of pressure on my part, she came with us. 

Let me stop and say. I truly love my wife. She is an amazing lady with more compassion for her family and others than any other person I know. As I look back now, I admit I did not understand her fear. I do now. 

The guide and owner of the tour was awesome and they really do a lot of work matching up riders and mules. However, they certainly made a mistake matching up Stephanie with her mule. Her mule was a "Rim-rider".  With Stephanie's fear of heights, this match was a disaster. Let me explain.  A Rim-Rider, loves to walk right on the edge of the trail, at the rim, so they can clearly see the trail. When you ride on the RIM, you are also riding on the precipice with a mass drop just a few inches away.  I think this picture really sums up what my wife thought about me before, during, and after this trip.

My wife is always filled with the Love of the Lord. I rarely EVER hear her utter words of hate towards anyone. THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE FEW EXCEPTIONS.  At this point in her life, SHE HAD HATE IN HER HEART TOWARD HER HUSBAND!

While the girls and I were having the adventure of our lives, Stephanie was a bundle full of fear and anxiety. We really had no idea the depth of her fear. While we all survived this trip with no issues, and the North Rim trip was amazing. I am so sorry, I forced my wife to take this step and am also so PROUD she did do this FOR US. That was more of a sacrifice FOR US than I really knew before we left the CORAL. 

Because of my lack of PHOBIAS, I really did not understand my wife's fear. 

How typical is that?  I recently told someone I envied their testimony. They had come from many years in Prison, drug use, and broken lives. How dumb am I?  I really did not understand the constant battle they face with their past. I also do not understand the constant battle, draw, of that lifestyle. This person recently took a step back in their faith. I trust the Lord will not abandon them. I. trust this person's faith walk might be interrupted, but his faithful, Heavenly Father will not give up on him.  But, what a DUMB thoughtless thing to say. I PRAISE the Lord for his protection throughout my life. I praise him for putting people in a life that makes faith seem so easy. I praise the Lord for those that have prayed for me since the very beginning of my life. I can tell you, growing up in a FAITH-FILLED family has eternal consequences. When we look at the world, we don't see it the same way as those that did NOT live life with the LORD. I PRAISE THE LORD for a peace that only comes through the Lord. I need to show more compassion for those brothers and sisters that have turned their lives to the Lord but STILL face the attacks of satan. They need my love, they need my ear, and they need my constant prayer. I know those that don't have that peace, need me to help them realize that peace IS POSSIBLE through the LORD.

Dear Lord, please give me compassion for the lost. Help me understand their lives. Help me not to trivialize the battles they fight. Help me to listen and not make the solutions seem so simple. They face real life issues I know nothing of. Help me to realize how you have protected me from the enemy. Help me to NOT take for granted your complete control of my life. I love you Lord and pray for ALL to know you like I do. I pray your peace to my dear friend and hope and pray he can defeat the enemies in his life with your power and your strength. Amen!

WE'RE NOT DONE YET!!!!!!!!!! I WONDER HOW THE TRUCK IS DOING?

 

Short Cuts!

Part VI - The Plan - Short Cuts

So, for those who are just getting caught up on my recent posts, I am reliving last years EPIC TRIP out west with our Granddaughter and her friend.  We left Yosemite/Sequoia and were heading to the Grand Canyon. Compared to all of our other DRIVES, this one was pretty uneventful. BUT, I do want to note that as we drove across California and headed to the Hoover Damn we just missed being in an Earthquake!  We didn't even realize it until later.

We stopped at the DAMN as we headed to Zion National Park and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. We had really gotten into a routine after the Chaos of the trip to California. The drive was beautiful and it was REALLY HOT, as expected in the west during the middle of summer. The campground we were scheduled was run by the Kaibab Paiute Indian Tribe.  We arrived and really loved this campground. The grass was beautiful green and the facilities were awesome even though we were definitely in a remote area of Arizona. 

We got a good nights sleep and then headed for a day at Zion National Park. I really love this park and it's beauty. It really was a great day.

So, late in the afternoon we headed back to the campground. We had some light rain and the wind was definitely picking up. We arrived back at the campground and thought the campsite looked fine until we looked closer. It was definitely windy and then we noticed the tent was destroyed. One of the fiberglass poles was snapped and the tent was zipped up. (We had left it open when we left.). Our tent was destroyed, our canopy was destroyed and I have to admit, I was devastated. Here we were in the middle of nowhere and once again we had another crisis. I have to admit I was about to the end of my rope. But, really, we didn't have time to whine, even though my mood was terrible. Hannah and Kallie were not even phased. They made quite an adventure taking the tents to the dumpster. They had a blast. 

So, we had to find a place to stay. With poor internet service, we finally found some cabins to stay the night in Kanab, UT.  The ratings were not good, but they were really the only ones with any openings. So, we gathered our stuff and headed to Red Rock Cabins in Kanab. We got to the "Campground" and were amazed. THIS PLACE WAS AWESOME. The cabin was better than a hotel room and the owner even upgraded us for free to a DOUBLE KING BED cabin. God was watching over us again. 

As I lay in bed that night, I was doing some research on tents and realized in my haste to purchase our NOW DESTROYED TENT, I did not check the reviews. IT was kind of ironic. The reviews specifically said this tent didn't hold up even in a mild wind. One of the reviewers even tested at the Grand Canyon and their result was the same as ours. Usually I am a great researcher. I go WAY overboard when deciding to purchase something. In my haste, I bypassed my usual nerdiness. I went to Walmart, bought what looked good and went on my merry way. Taking that short cut cost us a tent and me some more gray hair. In all reality it was my fault. Yet, it landed us a great place to stay for two nights while we toured the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Thank you Lord!

The next morning our trip didn't skip a beat. We were headed to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. 

How many times do I try to take short-cuts in life? How many times do I try to skip consulting GOD through prayer and just go with my gut feelings?  How many times does my own judgment get me into trouble?  I think you know the answer.  God's timing is perfect and his plan is perfect. We/I need to consult him on everything. Just like I really need to research and verify the quality of my purchases, I need to consult the Lord on my life and the direction I take. Many people just don't have the patience to pray. They don't like to take the time waiting on an answer. They can't wait on the Lord. 

God has a great plan for our lives and even when we go out on our own and mess up, he fixes things. Yes, there will always be consequences to our decisions, but to those that really LOVE the Lord, he will protect you, even if it is from yourselves.

Next, our North Rim Adventure and a moment my WIFE will never forget!