Upon returning to Madison, where the trailer was parked, we made a very unwelcome discovery.  Although we had left the trailer plugged in with the express intent of keeping our food cool, there was a failure in the system somewhere.  Apparently, during the nearly two weeks we had been gone, the ground fault breaker had tripped, leaving the refrigerator and freezer without power.  It must not be forgotten that temperatures were in the 80’s and 90’s during that time.  So as I opened the refrigerator door, I was assaulted by a combination of spoiled milk, lunchmeat, and several leftovers, not to mention half a dozen condiments, along with the distinct aroma of mildew.  The freezer was worse, with spoiled chicken, sausage, fruit, and vegetables, most of which had combined their juices and run out the front of the door, down the wall and onto the floor in a rather disgusting puddle that was by this time mostly congealed.  It was horrific.  It wasn’t just the smell, but the fact that all hope of having a decent meal was gone.  All that food was really gone.

I found myself at midnight Thursday, washing down the walls, floor, and cleaning out the refrigerator with a strong cleaner.  All of the drawers had to be washed, and all the food thrown into the garbage.  Anyone who has ever had to throw out an entire freezer and refrigerator’s worth of food knows the sick feeling that I experienced that night. 

We unpacked all of our borrowed luggage, thankful to be back in our own abode once more, and hopeful that the next day would bring us closer to our destination.  Friday morning, we picked up the truck, which had a brand new transmission, and dropped off the rental car we had been using.  Excited, and in somewhat of a hurry, we hooked up the trailer and proceeded to “get outta Dodge” as quickly as possible, knowing that we had to make it to South Carolina by Saturday evening.  We parked in Indianapolis that evening, and were hopeful that we would make the nine hour drive to our final destination with no problems. 

All was going along swimmingly as we tooled down the highway, our new transmission shifting effortlessly as we navigated the hills of Kentucky and Tennessee.  About thirty miles from Knoxville, there was a terrible clunk, followed by a tremendous scraping, banging, and other assorted and sundry noises that you never want to hear emanating from any vehicle, let alone the one you are driving.  We lost all momentum as we climbed the hill, and Paul quickly pulled over to the side of the road.  The drill was all too familiar.  Being on the off-road side, I jumped out of the truck and looked under the truck, where I saw the drive shaft hanging down.  This really did not look like an easy-to fix problem.  To make a long story short, our universal joint had broken, allowing the rear drive shaft to fall, alternately scraping the pavement and banging the underside of the truck as the rear wheels continued to turn during our ascent up the hill.

We found ourselves for the second time in about three weeks calling a huge tow truck to pull our truck and trailer to the nearest service station.  In the providence of God, the mechanic’s shop was actually open on Saturday afternoon, and he began working to find the needed parts before we even arrived at the shop. 

Do we know why God has allowed this string of events to take place in our lives?  No.  Do we always look at these things with the eye of faith? No – to be honest, sometimes the sense of sight wants to take over, and tries to muffle that still, small voice that promises, “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”  Sometimes the fact that all things are not good overshadows the truth that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose.”  But we know that ultimately, God is still in control of everything that comes into our lives, and we must allow Him to display His glory through our lives, no matter how difficult the circumstances.  Brethren, pray for us!  We know that the thousands of miles we drive each year are cushioned by the fervent prayers of God’s people, and we have seen his protection in each of these very dangerous situations.  We thank each one of you for your unfailing remembrance of our family before the throne of grace.