Rewind and Start Over

Today has been another whirlwind day and we have one more whirlwind day to go. Hopefully after that it slows down for four days while in Mexico and we get to enjoy revival and time with our friends the Landress family. It should be warmer next few days too. Hallelujah! Have I mentioned that it is very cold here in Ohio?

Kelly Jo started the day by finishing packing and then she worked hard to clean the bus so it's not a wreck when we get back home. I started with a bunch of paperwork, sermon preparation and bus work.

As I have mentioned a couple of times the forecast for tomorrow morning is very, very cold. It was actually colder than they thought it would be this morning, but we made it without anything in the BoggsMobile freezing.

I have been looking for an inside storage place so I can move the bus inside while we're gone in this frigid weather. I finally found a facility in northern Cincinnati and went down and looked at it yesterday. It is a very nice facility. It is heated, has electronic security and surveillance and strictly controlled access. They have several classic cars and nice big boats stored in one giant room.

I made plans have the BoggsMobile there about 3 o'clock Thursday afternoon. That put us to rushing Tuesday evening and all day today trying to get everything in place. I also made a park sleep and fly reservation near the date airport for us Thursday night since we would not have the bus.

I turned the diesel heat on about noon and warmed up the engine coolant. I also turned the generator on so my batteries would stay completely charged on the drive down to Cincinnati. I would only have access to 20 amps in the storage facility so I needed my batteries already fully charged. Since the facility is heated to 55° I would not have to run any heat so there would be no demand for much electricity at all. I could relax while in Mexico know the BoggsMobile was cozy warm and safe. Everything seemed perfect.

You know there is another shoe about to drop don't you? Well, here it is.

We pulled into the storage facility a little after 3:00 PM. My brother Steve was guiding me as I backed in. I noticed in my backup camera and mirrors that it the 14' tall 12' wide door looked mighty low. In fact it looked so low that I thought to myself, "That door looks only 12 feet tall." The owner assured me yesterday and again today that the doors were 14 feet tall. I did not even look closely until I was backing up.

I got out of the bus and stood in the building and had Kelly back to the entrance. Yep, sure enough, it was only 12 feet tall.

The owner of the facility was standing right there to direct me where to park. You should have seen the look on his face when he realized his 14' tall door was only 12' tall. It looked like he was going to have a cow. He felt like a lowdown, good for nothing hound. One more animal and it would've been a three dog night.

He felt so bad that I had driven all the way there, that he reached in his wallet and offered me $100 for my trouble. Of course by the time you figure the diesel I burned and the cost of the motel I bought for Thursday night, that mistake cost me quite a bit more than $100. However I hated to take his money. It was an absolutely honest mistake on his part. When I refused the money what he told me was very refreshing.

He said something like this, sir I'm a businessman and as a businessman I just totally disappointed and let down my customer. I cannot stay in business by treating customers that way. This $100 is the very least I can do besides I would like to help the work you do anyway.

We discussed it some more but he was adamant. I was very disappointed not to get to park the bus inside and hated that we had went all the effort, but I really felt bad for him. He advertised what he thought was true and made and honest mistake yet he was willing to take the blame and make it right as far as possible.If I can use any of his business services in the future you can guarantee I will. He really went the extra mile for the customer. God bless him.

So we drove back to Dodds, parked the bus and hooked up to electricity. The BoggsMobile will have to endure the cold like it was created to do. Please ask God to help our bus not to freeze in any form or fashion and ask him to calm my nerves. I am a wimp.

I have mentioned before we have been looking for some kind of property here in Ohio with the purpose of building a bus barn eventually. This winter really pushes us in that direction. I am very tempted to cancel every meeting I have in the north in the wintertime and head south. Pray that God will give us wisdom and guidance.

Tomorrow starts for us in a few hours so I am off to bed. Thanks for reading.

Davy

The Weather Outside is Frightful

Kelly Jo and I had some business to take care of in downtown Dayton Tuesday morning. We planned on being there when they opened at 8:00. The weather guessers were predicting that we would get a "dusting" of snow between 6:00 and 9:00 in the morning. I looked outside at 6:50 and this is what I saw. 

Wow! What a dusting. It was 19 degrees and 12 with the wind chill. The wind blows harder at the Dodds church than any where around here so I believe it was colder than that. Instead of going to Dayton I slipped out a little before 8:00 and started shoveling. It was dry snow that shoveled easy but it was COLD!

I must have thanked God a few dozen times for the sunshine today and I meant every word of it.

Even though it stayed cold the sun did melt some of the snow on the top of the BoggsMobile. Of course that all froze on the ground as soon as the sun went down.

While I was shoveling and then running errands Kelly Jo and Odie were packing for Mexico. They have worked all day except for the 1 1/2 hours I had Kelly Jo gone to Dayton in the afternoon and a short break for a late lunch. They just about have it completed. There is still a lot to do to leave the bus and I will tell you more about that tomorrow.

It is 18 degrees now and going down to 9 tonight. It is supposed to be even colder as we head out to our early morning flight on Thursday. Brrrrrrrrr! I really hope our flights are not affected by the weather. The flight schedule is pretty tight.

Thanks for praying for us.

Davy

Home Sweet Home!

Yesterday's Post from London, Kentucky

Yes, friends, we are home sweet home! And about to freeze my little toes off too! Wow! I am ready to fly south for the winter.

We rolled out and cranked up early this morning. I started heating the engine coolant with the Aquahot diesel heater at 5:50 AM. By 7:00 the engine was toasty warm and cranked up like it was 70 degrees outside. We pulled into Visone RV where the trailer was worked on last week about 8:00. After hooking up the trailer and loading the car, we finally hit the road about 8:40. I love it when a plan comes together.

We only stopped twice in the 200 miles. We stopped once at the northern Kentucky Flying J to top off the fuel tank. We stopped the second time in Lebanon, Ohio to have the VIN inspected on the tent trailer. We have to do that when we buy an out of state vehicle and it is finally time to title the tent trailer here in Ohio.

My Dad was waiting for us when we pulled into Dodds Church. We dropped the trailer, parked the BoggsMobile, hooked up the electric, unloaded the Green Machine and headed for Acapulco to drink some salsa. I was so busy downing salsa that I only snapped one picture.

It was great to see my parents and my older brother Steve and to share a meal with them at my favorite little Mexican place. We relaxed a few minutes and savored some family time before the RUSH of home sets in. That was good.

Now the RUSH is fully on. I came back to the bus to work and Kelly Jo and Odie. It is almost 6:00 and they are just getting back to the bus. We have a long list of things to do that MUST be done before we leave for tent revival in Mexico early Thursday and a longer list of things we would like to do before then. I guess I better get off here and get started.

God bless you all.

Davy

Update From London, Kentucky

Christmas Service

Ribs and Christmas Music

We neglected to snap a picture of Pastor Jarvis Saturday night but I got this one Sunday morning before we left for church.

The weather was a little dicey in London Sunday morning but by 8:00 AM it had moved above freezing and the wintry mix had turned to rain. The Green Machine was still coated with ice but the roads were fine.

It was great to be back with Pastor Lester Carpenter and his folks Sunday morning. The crowd was lower than normal because of icy conditions in the outlying areas but it was still a good crowd. They sure helped me preach and God ministered to us. I enjoyed it so very much.

Afterward we went to the original Kentucky Fried Chicken in Corbin, Kentucky. It is just a few miles south of the church. We went there for the first time last year. We had a great meal and a great visit with Bro. Lester, Sis. Linda, Bro. Timmy, Sis. Wavelene and their daughter.

We are looking forward to bringing the Gospel tent to the London area next year. Bro. Carpenter invited us about a year ago to hold a tent revival with his church on their property. We are scheduled to be here in late August. 

When I took the tent down for the last time this year I was so tired that I did not even want to think about tent revival. It only took me about 10 days to get over that! When I was walking around their property Saturday I was about to shout just thinking about what God was going to do.

We appreciate Bro. Carpenter inviting us to his church. I met Bro. Lester Carpenter 30 years ago. He has had a tremendous influence on our lives. It was so good to be with them.

Pastor Lester and Sis. Linda Carpenter

With Kelly Jo added in for good measure!

Although it warmed up here today the weather forecast for our route home was too bad for us to chance trying to make it. We have not been home since August and we are anxious to see everybody but I do not want to drive the bus on ice and snow while pulling the tent trailer if I can help it. We decided to err on the side of abundant caution and sit here this evening. We will try to leave early Monday morning by God's grace.

We got back from KFC as First Pentecostal was starting church (Because of the weather they only had one service today at 2:00) so I went in for service. Bro. Jarvis preached good from the book of Luke and I am glad I went. These folks have been so kind to us. I sure appreciate them allowing us to stay over another night in their parking lot.

Davy

Christmas Service in London, Kentucky

Saturday Evening's Post

Wow! What a great night in London, Kentucky at First Pentecostal Church! I am so glad that Pastor Vernon Jarvis invited us for this special Christmas service. It was so much fun and the Lord moved in the service too. It was good to be back with all the First Pentecostal folks plus it was great to have Bro. and Sis. Gabbard and several of their folks from Bond and also folks from Bro. Lester Carpenter's church.

The church was absolutely beautiful. We were kind of busy during the night and we neglected to get many pictures at all. We took a few before church and a couple from our late night Starbucks run. This  is all we captured.

We are hoping the weather will allow us to have church in the morning and start toward home tomorrow afternoon. If not then we will go north when we can. Have a great Sunday.

Davy

Ribs and Christmas Music

Friday was a busy day and so far today is working out the same way. We were about 3:00 AM getting to bed Thursday night after our last late night trip back from Hazard. Friday morning came too early but we wanted to get everything ready to ride before lunch time.

We were able to get everything ready by 11:00 and then we headed over to Bro. and Sis. Gabbard's for a great visit and wonderful lunch. There is nothing "diet" at Sis. Ann's house so Friday was definitely a splurge day.

The ribs were some of the best I have ever eaten!

After visiting a while longer we headed back to the bus. We have been parked at the Bond church fellowship hall and we appreciate Pastor John Gabbard and the Bond church for allowing us to park there. It is one of our favorite places to park and the Bond folks are some of our favorite people.

I cranked up the BoggsMobile and headed toward London, Kentucky. I was going to the place where the trailer was being worked on and Kelly Jo and Odie needed to make a Walmart run. The trailer was at Visone RV north of London and they were giving me an idea on what it would take to make a little repair to the bus. It was going to take more time than they had and more money than I had so we put it off to another time.

The trailer was not quite ready so I left it and parked a few miles away in a small RV park near the interstate in London. I thought I might go get the trailer this morning so I wanted to be close. The trailer was finished this morning but they told me I could swing by and get it when I start toward Ohio Sunday or Monday depending on the weather.

I ran up this morning to pay for the repairs to the trailer. The wheel I had trouble with a week ago Saturday needed quite a bit of work. Thankfully the hub and spindle are OK. The large inside bearing was in bad shape and should have been replaced last Saturday. The inside bearing that was replaced last Saturday had to be replaced again. 

The roadside mechanic in Knoxville installed the wrong size bearing. The ID was almost 1/4 inch too big! That night I suggested that he take off another wheel and get the right bearing size from it but he was sure he knew what it was. Obviously he did not. He also left off a crucial washer when he put things back together. The guys at Visone RV said that if I had driven much farther I would have ruined the hub and the spindle too.

I told the mechanic in Knoxville but he responded kind of hateful and did not even acknowledge the fact that he put the WRONG size bearing on my trailer. I really appreciate he and his wife coming out on a very cold Saturday night but I think the $277 he charged me plus whatever Good Sam paid him at least deserves the correct part, especially on something so critical.

It should be in good shape now though. The guys at Visone RV replaced the bearings in that wheel, cleaned and packed the bearings in all of the other wheels and installed new brake shoes all the way around the trailer. It was very, very painful paying the bill this morning but I am confident it is done right. The other bearing all looked great but I figured it was best to clean and pack them too.

We pulled over to First Pentecostal in London about 12:30 today, unloaded all of our sound equipment and then parked the BoggsMobile. After we set up the sound we practiced an hour or two. We are doing a Christmas service her tonight for Pastor Vernon Jarvis and his folks so we are singing a lot of material we do not usually sing. We are looking forward to the service at 7:00.

We are supposed to preach for Bro. Lester Carpenter tomorrow morning and then we will be pointed toward Ohio. There may be one slight problem in that plan. The weather guessers are calling for sleet and freezing rain over night so there may not be any church tomorrow morning and we may not be able to travel north at all. The weather is worse the farther north you go. We will see.

God bless you all.

Davy