Made it through another day!

One more for the books. My Wednesday was a little more laid back and not near as lengthy as the previous two days, but it was packed. Shortly after lunch we launched the load brokerage business. Now that was interesting. We had some calls from our core vendor begging for trucks, it seems that for the last couple of weeks on a daily basis they are needing about twenty more trucks than we can supply. We had told them that industry trends indicated their freight rates lagged behind. We have had a new proposal on their desk for almost three months with no action on their part. After the phone conversation with them yesterday, we received notice that the new rates are in effect. It is much easier to sell something that is competitive. I figured that I could post loads and then begin to put packets together for if and when the inquiries began. WRONG! I wasn't even through posting the loads when the phone began ringing. With many it became a game of "Let's Make a Deal", while with some they were really fishing, wanting to gain info to try to do an end run and get in the back door with the vendor. It was an encouraging afternoon but very quick and tense. I was ready to get out the door.

My kiddo's step grandfather, Pat (or Paw), died yesterday. This is the kiddo's step dad's father. He had a difficult last year and for about the last month had been hospitalized with different function failure announcing each decline in his health. Of the three kids, Ollie has always been the closest to him. They have really had a bond. I feel that for the last year he has been trying to prepare her for his death. Lots of time she hasn't understood, thinking that he was being mean or difficult, but I believe he was trying to put distance between them in hopes of making things easier in the long run. Addison (which is Pat's great granddaughter ) is another one that had developed close ties. A couple of weeks ago when she was here she told me that her "Paw" was sick. Death is pretty hard to explain when you are talking with a seven year old. While Kali and Rian had bonded with Pat and while they had developed ties, they didn't have the relationship that Ollie or Addie had. I don't figure the next few days or weeks will be easy for any of them. No funeral service is scheduled, only graveside at Albany.

About lunch time yesterday I asked the business owner I am helping to set out his gauges and vacuum pump so I could complete the A/C repairs to the S-10. He replied that "They were somewhere in the shop." I asked him to be more specific and he hopped up and said "Let's go!" We went up the hill to the shop in both trucks, mine and his. We found the needed tools, replaced the sensor switch in the back of the compressor, and in about thirty minutes we were done. It was so nice that when I was coming home I was enjoying the drive so much I almost missed my exit! I am confident that this is the best the A/C has been in this truck since we "bought" it from one of the son-in-laws several years ago. When we pulled the vacuum we left the gauges on it to insure we had no leaks and it held steady with absolutely no decline. COOL!

The next door neighbor and I were looking at the trees in our front yard a couple of weeks ago. It is unreal how they have grown in the sixteen years we have lived here. What we were looking at were some curled leaves and a few branches which were not supporting many green leaves. He related a problem he had a couple of years ago with trace element deficiencies. I talked with Krl about it and she called a "tree doctor". The Doc came over last week and gathered several leaves which left him puzzled. He was honest enough to tell Krl he was at a loss and wanted to send them to the Department of Agriculture. Tuesday he called back and said that the big trees had received a dose of herbicide. Go figure. They say there is nothing to do except trim the trees back some, and cross our fingers. Kind of makes me wonder what might have gone on when we were gone. It "leafs" me with questions.

FATHER, what a day, what a week. I am tired. I am anxious. I am sad. I am filled with questions. Re-instill in me YOUR perfect peace that all is well in my world and that YOUR plan is unfolding as YOU intend. I am weak and need YOUR strength and resolve. Help me to get on YOUR time frame and to let YOU work in me and through me. FATHER I pray for healing. For Me and for Krl. Heal our bodies, our hearts, our minds, and our spirits. FATHER, I pray for Memama, Pepa, Ol, Hag, B., Lillie, Carol, Michelle, Aimee, Jennifer, Ashlyn Kate, Tj, Anna, Jess, those continuing to recover from their injuries, Dr. Mackie, Yaenga, Jeanine and Sandi. I ask YOUR gifts of healing for them. I pray for comfort and understanding for those hurting from loss. I pray this especially for Merrit, Addison, Makai, Rian and all of Pat's family. Comfort them with YOUR love and surround them with YOUR angels. I pray for those of us who battle daily in our walk with YOU. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I pray for the efforts to expand YOUR kingdom, especially team Salvador. Bind us together.