Western Hills, Trace and the truck

Friday evening after work, I dropped off the truck at Trace’s, so he and Krystal could use it for the weekend while Mama, Victoria and I traveled to parts south. I drove straight to their house from work and Victoria picked me up on her way home. I visited for about fifteen minutes with Krystal and the boys while I waited on Victoria. Once we got home, I started on the farm chores while Mama and Victoria began packing for the overnight trip we were making to Victoria, TX to visit Western Hills Baptist Church for their 30 Year Anniversary. It was the first extended road trip for Mama since her surgery, so there was quite a bit of thought put into where and how to place her in the vehicle.

The trip to Victoria was an uneventful six hours on the road. We had to stop fairly regularly so Mama could stretch or bend depending on the pain she was having from periods of idleness as we traveled. There was not much ground we covered that was unfamiliar territory to us as the trek brought back a lot of memories. We unpacked the car at the hous

e of a friend from the church, took her to dinner and then walked around the mall for an hour or so. At least, Victoria and I walked around the mall. Mama and Cindy shopped at Hallmark while Victoria and I got some steps in. We had eaten at Olive Garden and needed to walk the food down a bit.

Sunday morning, we got to surprise the folks at church. Pastor and Wilma Parish had no idea we were coming – nor did anyone else except our host and Martha Robinson, who had sent out the letters of invitation. It was a wonderful reunion. As best we can remember, it was fourteen years ago that we moved from Victoria, TX to New Jersey. That is how long it has been since Victoria has been back to Victoria, TX. Lots of hugs. Lots of catching up. Lots of reminiscing. I believe it is the one church that Mama and I could happily return to. Don’t get me wrong. We have church friends in all the churches we have attended over the years – especially West Virginia and New Jersey – but Western Hills is special to us both. Partly because of the way we were so desperately needed but mostly because of the way we fit in that body of believers.

There was a short video shown of pictures that had been taken over the years. We were in so many of them. The kids were so young. Some of the pictures were of those we remember so well who have now gone on to Heaven. Some have moved on to other areas of the United States and the world. Many are still there. Much older. Like I said, so many memories. We enjoyed lunch at the church after the service. It gave us a lot more time to visit. But like all such moments, the time came when we had to head home, and about 2:30 pm we had said our final farewells and headed back north.

It was on the way home that Trace called me to let me know how things had gone with the truck. As Trace tells it, they were headed somewhere Saturday evening and a motorist flagged them down, letting him know that the front tire was low. He pulled off the road and, sure enough, the tire was nearly flat. He headed back home and once there discovered that both of the front tires were losing air. Now he had a problem. One flat is manageable as long as there is a spare. Two is more than most vehicles are equipped for. He called for help from family and was told he would have to wait. So, he called around Sunday morning and was not able to find a shop that was open. However, online there was a tire shop that advertised being open seven days a week. The caveat. There was not a phone number provided.

So, he called a friend who took him to the shop to investigate in person. Sure enough, they were open and had two mismatched used tires that would fit the truck. He bought them both. Managed to get enough air in the tires on the truck to get the truck to the shop and was finally back home late Sunday evening. What they discovered was that the tread had separated on the tires. The mechanic on duty told Trace that he has seen an increase in that problem with the temperatures as high as they have been recently. He felt bad about the whole incident. I felt bad to have put him through such an ordeal, but both of us were grateful to have the truck operational.

Somewhere along the way, the Lord will give us opportunity to repay the effort spent on our behalf.