Complimentary Story
March 2023As God blessed us today with the finances we need to buy food we were able to bless someone ourselves.
We have found many things lying along the road. If we could keep it all we could start a flea market. We have not bothered with any of it unless it is something needed. The “Road Money” is our main exception. It is an unusual keepsake. Today we came across something else rather unusual. A billfold was lying at the edge of the grass. There was $300.00 in it. Now that was some real “Road Money!” There was enough information to figure out that the owner was a truck driver from Kentucky and we knew who he drove for. Even though his driver’s license was there, the address did not give enough information to locate him. It was just listed as “General Delivery.” We figured we would call the company he works for and see if we can contact him.
A young man came riding along the shoulder on his unicycle and offered us a thermos of cool water. We had a hard time figuring out what that was coming at us! A little further along two different people stopped and gave us donations. One lady had seen us on TV and said she wanted to help. She asked, “Would $25.00 be OK?” It was more than OK, of course. It was fantastic! We went along, praising the Lord. (Philippians 4:19).
Hadassah found a quarter and a nickel on the roadside. She has been putting all the change we find on the road in a little jar. We call it our “Road Money.” We haven’t decided what we are going to do with it yet, but we want to do something unusual. Maybe someday we will have a wall and we will make a map that uses our “Road Money” to trace our path.
We saw a sign for the Prairie Dog Truck Stop and Harry got the idea of asking if we could set our tent, if there was a grassy area. The truck stop was located just off the exit ramp at Chillicothe with an Aldi’s, Hardee’s and Wal-Mart just across the street. The manager had left for the day by the time we arrived, but the assistant manager didn’t see anything wrong with setting the tent. Harry asked if we might be able to stay tomorrow and tomorrow night. She said it was OK with her but check with the manager tomorrow to be sure. At least we have a place for the night. We are right out front in full view of the road. Guess it must look odd, our tent set up on the grass in front of this truck stop. We are so tired we don’t care. We’re just thankful for a place to rest tonight.
The Lord put it in the manager’s heart to let us stay the day and night, however, our day of rest wasn’t as restful as we had planned. We got up in the morning to a flat tire on the cart.
Harry walked nearly 5 miles looking for rain coats (didn’t find what we needed) and getting other things we need. Coming back, the heel of his boot came off when he hit a piece of concrete.
While Harry was gone, Hadassah sat in front of the truck stop by our tent drinking coffee and feeling very tired. She suddenly realized she is also very tired of feeling as if people look at us as though we are second-class citizens (but that’s just what we look like).
After repairs were made, Hadassah went across the road to Aldi’s and got a few groceries. We feasted on snack crackers with thin sliced ham and cheddar cheese and a cream cheese coffee cake. (The animal products are not part of or diet today). The truck stop had Eskimo pies and we just couldn’t resist them. We are so thankful to the Lord for these treats that help keep up our morale. The cheese cake and Eskimo pies may not be the healthiest, but they sure tasted good!
Harry called the trucking company whose card was in the billfold we found. They seemed to appreciate the fact they would be able to get back the paperwork the billfold contained. They wanted us to send the billfold to them and they would get it to the man who owns it. Harry turned them down. He told them that considering what else was in the billfold he would not send it to anyone until the man who owns it tells him where he wants it to go. He gave them our Voice Mail number and told them to have the man identify it and leave word what he wants done with it. When we did hear back from the driver and sent him his billfold he was extremely happy to find there was still $300 in it and left us another Voice Mail message to thank us. He later sent us $100.00! (Luke 6:38).
Shiloh even got a special treat today from a stranger. When Harry was in one of the stores a woman remembered seeing him walking on the highway. She asked how our dog was doing on the walk. She has several dogs of her own and she was buying food for them. As Harry left the store and started across the parking lot the woman drove up in her car and opened one of the bags of doggie treats she had purchased for her own dogs and gave him some for Shiloh. She said she figured our dog deserved them. (Proverbs 12:10).
This day started with a disappointment, but ended with blessings for us, Shiloh, and a truck driver. (Romans 8:28).
“And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee...” (I Chronicles 17:8 KJV).
Contact:
Harry@Virtually-Forever.com
