07/10/22 AS CHAPLAIN TO THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY

07/10/22 AS CHAPLAIN TO THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY

While studying, meditating, reflecting, praying, I thought about the times I served as Voluntary Chaplain in a Mobile Chapel, to the trucking industry, in west K-Town, Tennessee. I ministered from Thursday mornings until Saturday evenings, staying on site. It was about 40 miles from my mountain home, but I was on duty for about 58 hours.

The chapel had a meeting area for services, counseling, study and fellowship; a sleeping quarters for the chaplain. I was often busy at all hours of the day and night, since it was a truck stop and the drivers would come in as they felt like it. I ate my meals in the restaurant and took my showers at the area set aside for drivers. I ministered to the drivers, the truck stop personnel, travelers and wanderers. I really enjoyed that work.

I did this as a volunteer, since I was a full time pastor. One of my favorite Christmas memories was one weekend that Martha and Joanna came and ministered with me. In the evening, the three of us ate our meal, then we went from table to table singing Christmas songs, and I would give a Christian greeting to the travelers. Joanna played the guitar. It was like something from a Hallmark movie or a Saturday Evening Post scene or a Currier and Ives card. I can't even convey the feeling.

ANYWAY, as I strolled down memory lane I took a couple of snapshots of the area from Google Earth. It has changed some, but it is almost like it was 20 years ago.