Well, well, well, well, well, well, well.

What can I say other than the best laid plans of mice and men were made to be changed.

Tuesday we had truck go to Big Rig Lube Center for a full service oil change. When they removed the drain plug (which is magnetized) there was a piece of metal one-half inch by one-quarter inch, that appeared to be slightly rounded and possibly had two holes in the casting. The owner of the truck told his driver to park it until they figured out what it was. KO took the part to one of the local shops that we use and they quickly identified the part as a bearing cage from the accessory drive of a Detroit Diesel Engine. While this was good news, to identify the part, the bad news was that this truck didn't have a Detroit Diesel, it had a Cummins Diesel. So much for the good news. They made a date to have the truck to the shop Tuesday afternoon.

I had been in the office for a while when the news of the development above came up. The truck with the problem is dedicated to the time sensitive "can" contract. We had minutes to make a change and still be on track to deliver on time. The simplest and probably the most sure thing was for me to jump in big blue and "git er done"! I tend to drive a little faster, a little harder, and I keep that left door closed. The lead dispatcher asked me if I would do it and out the door I went. We fired the truck to build air and began checking everything out. I found the left rear outside tire was flat. We didn't have time to do a flat repair so we aired it figuring that at the worst I could have the flat repaired in Fort Worth. I made the delivery thirty-five minutes ahead of schedule. Needless to say I tickled the innards of that big yellow Caterpillar Engine with the soles of my hiking boots. I stood on it! When I was approaching Abilene I called dispatch and a new can of worms was opened. We were still short equipment and they needed me to cover the seven o'clock load Wednesday morning. Normally we try to run at the very front end of the delivery window. The given times are the absolute latest, we can run as much as three hours early. This presented a whole new set of problems. I took an empty trailer to CC & S, called Krl to come and get me, took Krl home returned, got the truck and went to have the flat fixed. When I left the tire dealer I went to Warehouse to see if we had another empty trailer, got one and took it back to CC & S dropped it and parked the truck. Seven P.M. and I was on my way home. Bed by nine, up at one-forty-five, CC & S by two-thirty, and on the road by three. Perfect. Delivered at five-forty-five, and headed west. Everything was by the book until I was about two miles from my fuel stop and "big blue" smothered down. I was low on fuel but not out. It had air locked and the filter lost its prime. I messed with it for an hour trying to pump fuel up until I had blisters on my fingers from pumping the primer pump but with no results. Luckily we had several more of our fleet on the road between Abilene and Fort Worth and with a little starting fluid I was going again. I got fuel, dropped a trailer, and by two o'clock I had my day in (I finished it at the office) and Krl and I ran a few errands.

I have figured out jet lag. I was the one who lagged on the runway in front of the jet taking off. I am tired.

This is the kind of week that makes you think about a different vocation.

FATHER, do YOUR thing. It's up to YOU to get me to Friday at five! I continue to thank YOU for Krl and ask for her healing and renewal. I pray for those near and dear who are in need of YOUR miracle of healing. I pray for those sad with loss. I pray for those of us struggling to follow YOU. I pray for our spiritual family and our leaders. I pray for the efforts to expand YOUR kingdom. I don't believe in unanswered prayers! Thank YOU for meeting my every need.