I am home in Abilene for a brief weekend. The General Manager elected to give us Saturday and Sunday off with the admonition that we had better enjoy it because the forecast was good and this was probably the last one!

This has been a difficult week. There has been frustration and anxiousness due to the weather and inactivity. There has been eager anticipation with promising weather. Finally, we had a flurry of productivity just in time to culminate the week. My week ended on a bitter note. First of all I had a seed driver come down Wednesday and just before he arrived we lost a power inverter as the plant came on line. This driver's wife was leaving for Denver Thursday morning and he wanted to check out her vehicle, load her things and see her off. Being the considerate boss I am, I gave him my pickup to return to Lubbock (the pickup can go round-trip for about thirty-five dollars of gas compared with one hundred-fifty for the Peterbilt he drives). On Thursday the plant came on-line and I placed this driver's seed truck under the hopper to load. Near the completion of loading I noticed what I considered to be abnormally high water temperature. Julio and I moved the truck over to the maintenance area and blew the radiator core out with air to increase cooling. The driver arrived and loaded his things in his truck and I went across the compound to help a bale truck. Shortly thereafter I noticed the seed truck had embarked but had pulled over just outside the jobsite and had the hood raised. At first opportunity I went to check on it. The driver thought the thermostats were sticking because the temperature gauge would begin to sweep upward while under power. On careful inspection I discovered the serpentine belt was not turning the water pump. Remember our location is an hour any direction from any parts store. We returned to the complex and I removed the belt and found the water pump to be locked down. I retrieved a pair of large channel lock pliers and was able to turn the pump and then it would "free-wheel" and then "bind up" again. Finally I reached a gloved hand in and began working the pulley much like you would the combination on a vault or safe and I could feel the ball bearings seating themselves in the inner and outer races. Finally I could spin the pump, I replaced the belt and sent the driver to Lubbock to unload and have the water pump replaced. Thankfully he made it without further incident.

The final straw in my week was late Friday. Roscoe sent me another truck to load seed. This truck arrived with two flats side by side and the load tarp had come loose and ripped six or seven feet from the front of the trailer back. Julio and I loaded the truck and secured the tarp as best we could (insert duct tape advertisement here) and then the driver decided to ride in with me and return with the service truck Saturday morning to fix his flats before completing his load to Lubbock. The sad part is this is a man who has driven for years and he had stopped less than sixteen miles from the jobsite and didn't see any problem with his equipment. Upon arrival he was oblivious to anything that would deter him from doing what he was supposed to do. I relayed to this driver that this would be his one and only warning. Perform or perish! (I am not really that hard, just demanding). I finally got home about midnight, three hours late!

This past week has been a very sentimental week in the blog circle I read. I really appreciate the fact the Judy and Brandon Scott Thomas shared so openly the memories and emotion of losing Judy's mate and BST's Dad, Sam Thomas, thirteen years ago. It would be sad if Sam had just died. I have never heard any bad thing about Sam. Everything I have heard has been positive and good. It is evident that Sam, in dying, claimed victory over this life, this world, and the disease that consumed him because of his belief and dedication to Jesus as Lord and Savior. It is moving to see that thirteen years removed from his physical death, Sam Thomas still lives. In the hearts, in the minds, and in the memories of those he loved. Often people use loss like this to become bitter with life and with GOD, but this family has been drawn closer. I am thankful for their words, for their example and for their sharing of what they could keep private. Sam lives. Thank you!

I find myself wondering, thirteen years after I am gone will people still remember and miss me?

FATHER, I need YOU to take control. Please allow me to surrender to YOU. I am tired, I am frustrated, I am anxious for things of this world. Redirect me to YOUR higher things. I pray for Rene', for Carol, and for Michelle. I ask YOUR continued blessing on Aimee. Be with those of our family who are on the road, I ask for safe travel. I pray for R2D2, I pray for the leaders of Highland, and I pray for those of our spiritual family who have needs and issues. I ask that YOU rest me well and rest me quickly. I will not be fearful or anxious for YOU are my LORD!