When we packed up and moved to Florida thirty years ago we greatly reduced our inventory of household belongings.  The girls had to part with some toys and there were other incidentals that got a lot easier to part with as the rental truck started to fill up.  There were three things that I had to let go of that I had really enjoyed:  my Troy-Bilt tiller, my chain saw, and my old 1964 Ford pickup truck.  But with the realization that they were only temporary things I got what little cash I could out of each of them and went on my way.

I suppose I missed that old truck most of all.  There is no telling how much firewood, hog, chicken, and calf feed, and junk I hauled on it over the years, not to mention our two little girls getting a thrill out of riding through the pasture in the truck bed.  The truck is long gone, but memories remain.

About a year and a half ago I found an old used truck that fit in my price range so I once again became the proud owner of a pickup.  No matter that the white Dodge is twenty years old, it serves my purpose and Gale and I really enjoy riding it.  When I bought it I had no idea that in a few months we would be pounded by a hurricane, but it was a huge help to me as I dragged limbs and metal with it and hauled all sorts of things.  It might not have paid for itself, but it sure made my work easier.

As much as I like the vehicle, it has a flaw that makes me a little skeptical about getting too far away on it.  In wet weather—high humidity, fog, and rain—it has an electrical problem somewhere that allows moisture into the system so it will not start.  Most of the time that is not a big deal since we have other transportation, but earlier this week it almost left me with a bit of a problem that did matter.

A few days ago I decided to drive the old white truck to Bainbridge, which was not anything out of the ordinary.  But as I drove a short distance I noticed that the sky was getting heavy in that direction and I had a little concern about the moisture sensitivity under the hood.  I figured it would be fine and I continued on my journey.  I made several stops with no problem and then headed for home.  That was when there was a change of events.  The rains started to pour and the intensity increased as I traveled west until it seemed that I was in the middle of a monsoon.  And then it happened—my trusted old truck let me down.  I managed to pull off the road as the rain continued to pour and I pondered what to do next.  I decided to try starting it back up, but my hopes ran thin as the starter whirled the engine to no avail.  And then to my relief the engine started.  All I can say is that it was an answer to prayer, for wet wires do not dry out in the pouring rain.

I got back on the road and finally made it safely home.  Surely God provided for me and I am most appreciative.  But after that experience I am more cautious about the weather when I drive the truck far from home.  It is a dependable vehicle most of the time, but the occasional let down means it might not be as dependable as I thought.

One thing is for sure—God is always dependable; He will never let us down.  We do not understand all His ways, but we can rest assured that He can always be trusted.  I leave you with these familiar words of Proverbs 3:5:  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (New International Version).