Last Voyage of the War-Ox

Okay, so maybe oxen are not your typical warrior animal, unless you live in some third-world country where oxen are more plentiful than cars (Arkansas may be a third-world country, but cars are more common than both oxen and horses combined). But this old pickup has had a lot more in common with beasts of burden than those swifter, sleeker steeds. And it is about as tough as those sturdy bovines as well. But the Mighty Blue Bantha is ready to go out to pasture for good.


Reason? We needed to do some tree-trimming work around the ministry here, so the only vehicle I knew that I could drop tree limbs on while standing on the cab was this old reliable beater. So I filled the fluids on it and drove it to Fayetteville from the farm. Not a good idea. The radiator leak meant that I had only water for coolant which was not enough for the heat we have been having. By the grace of God, it didn't melt down the block. However, the transmission fluid was lower than I thought, so it stopped shifting properly along the way. Again, by the grace of God it didn't lose top gear until I was in town. And while dropping tree limbs, I managed to not break any windows on it. Plus it performed admirably in hauling brush out of town.

Rather than push my luck, I decided to coax it back to the farm Wednesday night after church. Oh yeah, and haul a big load of firewood and on top of that a couch for the youth room at church. It once again taught the lesson that one can get by with less on vehicles if you trust God and check the vitals religiously. So after 15 years of service and unknown number of miles from Canada to Louisiana, the truck deserves to be kept on the farm hauling firewood and stuff. Who knows, if I get the coolant issue fixed, it might come out of retirement again. But she needs a rest. By the way, the 15 years I've owned it, all but six months of that time she has been a wreck (I flipped it in an ice storm). And the unknown number of miles is because for a couple years I drove it without speedometer or odometer while rangering. And I got fewer tickets then than with a speedometer. Hmm.


"Let your conduct be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)

I understand, I know you're jealous that you don't have an old truck like I do. I would be too. But be content with the lightweight little vehicle God has given you. My Toyota, "The Yak", is a little jealous that it doesn't yet have the stories like my Chevy has.