The World Around Me

The world around me (annie) is quite different. We are inside the terminal waiting for a 'company car' so we can drive to Walmart and pick up a new blowdryer. Mine broke a few days ago. It had been wanting to fall apart on me for the past year now..and here we are, on the road and it decides to take a dump. In the motel we had a blowdryer so I was ok. I didn't get a shower today... I can't stand walking around with wet hair. Anyway... that's all trivial...

My husband is being amazingly calm as we still set here in Dallas waiting for a load to go ...somewhere...anywhere. Coming from driving for Walmart and hauling walmart frieght only and having his own set days... this is a stretch for him. He keeps saying that God is building his character. Today, He must be building mine because I'm starting to get a bit concerned about this whole thing. Our time together however, has been great up to this point. It's been good being together, hanging out and looking forward. That reminds me of a scripture that I have been writing down the past few weeks. I don't have it in here with me right now, but I think it's Exodus 14:13-15 14 states let the Lord fight the battle and we just need to be still... be at peace. Prior to that it states in 13 that that which held us in captivity prior would be gone out of our lives from that day forever! 15 states that God directs us to move forward!

The other scripture is Psalm 127:1 in the midst of reading this scripture a few weeks ago the scripture read: The Lord is your 'stronghold'. Woah!! a stronghold?? the LORD... what a new and wonderful way to look at what a stronghold is. I'm always associating a stronghold with something negative. It is great to see this positive stronghold. I truly want the Lord to be my Stronghold. What an awesome stronghold to claim, eh?

There have been many encounters with people here. You can tell wisdom from just plain crowd following. Negative foul attitudes. I naturally spoke my faith when asked how I stayed so young looking, which brought up a good Christian conversation. Which in turn took Ralph and I into a crazy conversation with a man (her husband) who believes that God comes down to earth with a helmet to keep him from being contaminated by environmental hazards. The conversation came to Obama and the question was asked why my husband didn't vote for him and he said abortion.... both their ideas to support abortion were world hunger, abuse etc... rape... Why don't people understand that if we just lived by God's laws that crap wouldn't even be. Kill babies, take God out of school and what else are you gona reap, eh? The man began to down large churches and etc. the typical why I dont' believe in God scenerios and finally Ralph said, "Hey, you're making this more difficult than what it is. You believe in the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. It's simple... get the Father, Son and Holy Ghost." He also 'mentored' a couple of guys. Not that he knew he was 'mentoring' at the time but he was. The one time was to a 58 yr old man who was continous in his pursuance to let me know what he thought about me. It was to the point of sickening and Ralph was finally to the point where he told him he needed to put effort into his own wife..he made another comment about his wife and Ralph said, "You know, there's more to a person, there's spirit, mind and body." An hour later or so the man came back and apologized to Ralph and I. Ralph was kind.. though he wanted to let the guy have it. But I think his kindness worked some conviction instead of condemnation. It was good.

Then the second guy was a young trucker complaining about his job. All in all Ralph was a positive note compared to the whole of the atmoshphere of complaining truckers.

So, here I am today on Valentines day. And though we are not hooked up to a load yet, we were able to take the company car to Walmart and get a bit of shopping in. So we came back and fixed sandwiches, ate some fresh carrots and broccoli with dip and some chips and cheese all on our bench seats and table. It was nice. Then we watched a dvd teaching by Lester Sumrall.

I better sign off for now.. this is getting a bit lengthy.. anyway, we can always use your prayers. Always! thanks everyone!

Ralph and Anne