TRIP WIRES

I believe one would be safe in saying that I am not much of a planner.  Although, in working with the Emergency Management Agency for many years, it has been a large part of my job to plan.  I have pretty much tripped and fell into most everything I've ever done. 

When graduation time was approaching in high school many of my friends had plans of what they were going to do with their lives. "I'm going to this college".  "I am going to work for this company".  "I am going to get married".  "I am going into the military".  Me?  I planned no further than graduation.  "Just get me out of here and I'll be happy". 

But there was this little thing called the Viet Nam war going on and God had an idea.  Without a plan of my own, God placed a "trip wire" in my path.  I stumbled over it and fell right into the U.S. Coast Guard. 

Boot camp in the Coast Guard was interesting to say the least.  At the conclusion of that little event they put us through a battery of test, questions and interviews to see what we were qualified to do in this outfit.  I had no idea what I wanted to do. I was a teenager who had done nothing significant but work on the family farm, tinker with hotrods, and play ball a little. I had no interest.  So God stretched out another "trip wire" and I stumbled into diesel engineman's school.  Upon the completion of this school I assumed that I would be on a ship or on a base somewhere with the primary duties of working on engines. But no, another trip and I fell into a search and rescue unit at a little place called Galveston, Texas.  It was an island resort of such where people went to vacation and relax and where there was a great shrimp fleet and a booming shipping business.  So with a splash, I found myself on a small boat with two other young men and we were suppose to save lives and property on the water. 

After I left the Guard, still with no plan, I found myself back at my home town of Calera as a member of the Calera volunteer fire department.  I guess because I had been taught to fight fire and save lives in the Guard, I thought it was something I could do at home.  One night a man named Neil Harkins came up to me at the fire department meeting and asked if I would like to go to EMT school.  I had no idea what and EMT was but said sure.  Another stumble, another fall and I find myself a few weeks later with a state of Alabama Emergency Medical Technician's license. 

Immediately, I was offered a job working for the ambulance service in Chilton County and fell face first into another rewarding and challenging job.  Working midnight shift with Bobby Martin as my driver I did a lot of on the job training and tripped and fell into EMT II school and Paramedic school.  I had always hated school but now I found that learning this stuff came easy.  I was offered a job teaching EMS and when I got up off the floor, found that I really liked sharing what I had learned with others. 

As good as God had been to me and as many blessings as He had given me, I still turned my back on Him and sinned against Him, my family and my loved one's.  I tripped again and found myself working as a Ranger on the river as far away from people as I could get.  I spent many lonesome days and nights just me and the river and the woods.

But a job came open and with the encouragement of Charles Cupp I tripped and found myself hired as Director of the Chilton County Emergency Management Agency.  I could go on and on with other examples of "trips" I have made.  Buying a home, extra jobs, more training, churches and friends I have met and worked with.  But honestly, none of it was planned, at least not planned by me.

And today I find myself at another "trip wire".  I have worked for Chilton County for thirty years and today will be my last day working for them.  As I walked back from the tabernacle this morning I realized that I had tripped over something else called retirement.  I certainly don't dread it.  When I have contemplated about it, it has seemed a good thing to do.  I think others have worried more about it than I have.  I'm not worried because you see when you have tripped as many times as I have you learn something. I have learned that there is a loving, caring God who is always there to catch you and soften your fall. 

Derek stopped by the garden on his way to work last week.  I think he was concerned that I might be concerned that I was getting old and feeble and useless because of my retirement.  As I tied up my tomatoes (which are doing great I might add) He said, "Old man, this retirement stuff ain't the end, it's the beginning".  I think I see that and I am excited to see where I land.