And The New Job Begins

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Creator, Jesus Christ.  How is everyone doing?  I pray that this blog finds everyone in good health and spirits.  Things are going on schedule here.  Friday was my last day at Ball Pipe and Supply and I start orientation class at CRST tomorrow.  This made for a very busy Saturday.  Today we went to church and then my wife dropped me off at a hotel in Oklahoma City so that I can be at the CRST Oklahoma Terminal tomorrow morning.  I will be staying at the hotel this week while attending orientation and the lead driver class.  By Friday I will be in my truck and have my first student.  It is bitter sweet.  I don't like the idea of being away from my family again but on the other hand, the money will be good and I have to admit, I do like driving OTR and teaching new drivers.  It is in my blood.  The big reason for doing this is that I hate not being able to provide for my family.  It drives me nuts to see my family not being able to get what we need.  It drives me nuts to see vehicles breaking down and not being able to fix them.  It drives me nuts to see our house falling apart and not being able to fix it.  I also don't like having to depend on the government to provide for my family.  I get very short tempered and upset when I don't have the money to take care of my family and our needs.  I have driven trucks for over 12 years and have a pretty good record.  There is no reason that I can't take care of my family.  That is the main reason I must do this.  That is also why my wife and I knows that this is the job I must retire from.  I must drive OTR for at least 20 more years.  If CRST is as good as they were when I first drove for them, I will retire with them.  My goal is to bring home at least $1000 a week when I work the whole week.

I know not everyone is on board with me doing this.  They want me to be home with my wife and kids.  But what good is being home when I can't provide for them?  Things are getting more expensive, not less.  Oil fields are not dependable employment.  The scrap metal industry doesn't pay good.  I need something that pays real good and is dependable.  OTR is both because very few people is able and willing to do it and, as long as people need items, truck drivers are needed.

Well, I have to be up early tomorrow and I have to be well rested.  So, I will go ahead and end this blog.  I am planning to blog a lot more now that I am back on the road.  I have a lot of things to blog about and have gotten far behind.  Y'all take care and God Bless.

Love,
The Oklahoma Tomcat
http://goo.gl/9WrfPn

When We Are Not Good Stewards

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior.  How is everyone doing?  I pray that y'all find this blog in good health and spirits.  We are doing pretty good despite all the rain we have had.  We have lots of work to do around the house this Saturday because of all the rain we got in May.  Our front yard and driveway flooded.  We have a small stream that runs across our driveway and front yard and it turned into a river.  The small bridge even floated away and I had to use t-posts to hold it in place. This Saturday I will work on the stream and mow the yard.

In July of 2010, I had to ask myself, "IS GOD PLEASED WHEN A PERSON DOESN'T USE THEIR GIFTS TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILY?" (http://goo.gl/cZrPHB).  In recent months, I had to ask myself this same question. Now, things are different than they were in 2010.  We are not on government assistance, we are making a few dollars per hour more than in 2010, and I am driving trucks, but we are again living paycheck to paycheck. I quit Werner a year ago so I could be home with my wife and children.  I figured I could get a local driving job that would pay me enough to support my family.  Unfortunately, unless you are in a special driving career (oil, gas, ect.) local trucking companies do not pay that much.  I thought we could make it on the pay that Ball Pipe and Supply paid without assistance, but we couldn't do it.  As I have posted in the July 2010 blog, God as given me a great gift for me to glorify Him and support my family.  It is up to me to use that gift the way He wants me to.  I must do His will, not mine.  Being that we are struggling again, I believe that I am not using God's gifts for me correctly.  It is obvious to me that I must go Over The Road.  

I filled out an online application that went to many companies on Wednesday night and first thing Thursday morning my phone was ringing off the hook.  I know, my young readers are not going to understand that statement since phones today don't hang on hooks.  I got over 30 calls from companies wanting me to drive for them.  Two of the companies was Werner and CRST wanting me to come back.  CRST did interest me because I did like them and I made real good money with them.  When I drove for them, I made over $1000 a week.  I also trained knew driver, got lots of awards, and I also worked in the Oklahoma City safety office.  When they contacted me, they wanted me back real bad and made me an offer that I couldn't refuse.  Of course, I didn't tell them that they already had me.  So, I sealed the deal and will start driving for them on June 22, 2015.  I gave my boss my two weeks notice today.  Now starts the hard part.  Continue doing a good job even though I know I am quitting.  But I do it because it is the good and moral thing to do.

Well, it is time for me to head home.  I will keep y'all updated on what I am doing and I will be seeing all of you fellow truckers on the road soon.  Take care and God Bless.

Love,
The Oklahoma Tomcat
http://goo.gl/9WrfPn