Stocking the Shelves

I’m sorry followers. It has been so hectic lately I have neglected you. As we go into the holiday season there are millions of people without hope. They have not found Jesus. What are we doing to promote Him? It doesn’t have to be that hard. It really is just living your lives in a Joyous manner with compassion. Christ called us to live joyfully. Are you living that way? Are you complaining grumbling?

Today I worked at the food bank. I truly enjoy it. It’s rewarding to me and I work with special people who give of their time as well. Today was a record breaking day we served over 90 families. I kept stocking the shelves and we were running out of stuff. We received a generous donation of hams and for three weeks we have distributed them. Today we ran out of them and some did not receive them. It was heart breaking to those people as well as to the volunteers. Unfortunately we all have been Wal-Mart accustomed. By that I mean they wanted a voucher, for next week and expected it. We just can’t do that who knows what donations will come in next week.

The next couple of months are really sad when most of our society realizes they have nothing to give to their families and it takes a toll on them. If you feel lead to give, please do we really need it. Each week our inventories grow lower and lower. As the number of families get larger. If don’t know what to give. All food banks need canned meats, soups, rice, beans, canned fruits, sugar, and cereals. Just go down your grocery list and double it. If you like it chances are someone else needs it and will enjoy. Also check the expiration dates this saves the volunteer time of sorting and discarding them.

If you feel daring and want to. Why not go the extra mile and double your grocery list the next time you go grocery shopping and donate it. Don’t know where? Start at your church chances are there is someone there who knows what to do with it.

Well got to go. Love you ‘all in Christ name. Penguin

Idle time

It seems like I have a lot idle time and I don’t know what to do. I know I work a full time job and thank God for that but its only forty hours. People look at me weird sort of way when I say that. Maybe you do too! If you don’t know I’m so used to working truck driving hours. Working a normal work week is boring. You see as a truck driver you are require to work 70 hours that’s just what the books say. He or she drives for 11 hours plus 4 hours on duty non-driving. Now that’s just on the books. Let’s look at a typical day for a driver.

A usual day I wake up at 4:30 am do the paperwork the Dot wants to see. By 4:45am on the road to finish last part of my run where there is no traffic and easier to find the destination. I get to final at around 7:00am check in with guard and warehouse personnel. Back into spot if there is one usually got to wait a couple hours. Mean while take a nap, if you can because now people are bouncing you all over there place going in and out of the trailer. Also your boss/dispatcher is messaging you when are you going to be done, go find out. You never do that but you play the game because you don’t want the customer mad at you and keep you there longer. About 10:00-11:00 you’re released and now you’re waiting for the next load. You try to find a spot to park in the mean time. Just as you get settled your boss gives you a load but it 70 miles down the road. It’s about 1:00pm now and by the time you get to next destination its 3:00pm. You get out talk to the guard check in to ware house people and get loaded now its 4:30-5:00pm and guess what you have to be at your destination by 7:30am the next morning. Are you tired yet? Hope not because you have 550 miles to drive by then. Most trucks are now govern and set 68-70 mph. So that means 8 hours of driving. You got to get fuel and something to eat that’s an hour and since its rush hour traffic time because all you 4 wheeler clogged up the highways going home from your measly 8 hour day we will add one hour. (A jab)That’s 10 hours I get a 2 hour nap in a rest area. Thank God. Can’t wait till the weekend when I get full nights rest because the warehouses aren’t usually open Saturday or Sunday. Thank you forty hour people for not working my hours because sure do need a little nap. If you refuse the load or are late you will sit where ever you are for a couple days that means no pay. That means staying out even longer, away from your family and friends if you have any left when you get there. The truth is you will not have any friends because you are not in their lives.When you come home you’re dead tired and the last thing you want is to drive even if it’s around the corner.

So I’m trying to figure out what to do. I volunteer at the food bank its only 3 hours on Tuesdays. I am taking classes on line. I am learning to play the guitar. Don’t laugh if you know me because you will understand this is a God thing. I’m not musically inclined at all. And I’m laughing myself because its so funny to see God use me in ways that I never thought of. I still feel like there is so much time I have. I don’t know what to do.