Resisting the establishment that says “stay home” during these storms

Though I miss our highly modified Jeep, it’s been fun venturing the roads and highways daily since our winter storm began. I did so to rebel against the establishment that says, “Stay home!” Especially our local news media who ran that narrative ad nauseam. Consequently, our local towns were ghost towns on Monday and Tuesday, and somewhat Wednesday. 

But today was a different kind of fun. My wife wanted a better pair of Muck boots, the Artic Pro level. But I warned her, that the black ice had arrived.

On the main highway out of town, we experienced some mishaps. One lady in a van right next to us did a really cool slow-motion 360-degree spin out at 40MPH. I laughed, only because she had remarkable skill, she recovered, and pressed on. While laughing I thought to myself, “We need to press on too.”

We arrived at our destination, and she loved her boots so much, she wore them out of the store. And yes, she did pay for them.

The only major struggle with driving in this weather, is the roads in the ‘back of the woods’ in our rural community do not receive proactive storm maintenance by the government. Frankly, I like the fact we don’t have the government helping us in that regard. I like that our water infrastructure still runs because we do not have city or county water. We need to be more self-sustainable.

While driving home I finally had to swallow my pride and put the truck in four-wheel drive. I told my wife “Don’t let this reflect badly on my driving skill level.” But what I did NOT know, was the front axle did not lock while in four ‘low.’

A back road 3 miles from our home was an incline with 100% black ice. We didn’t make it. Not only did we not make it, but we also ended up stuck off the road. My wife didn’t like it when I said, “Now we really get to try out your new Artic Pro boots.”

But our disabled truck was not as bad as a passenger car that ended up in a steeper culvert. But the story gets better. A neighbor whom we have not yet met came cruising along with his macho truck with his set of dualies.

He offered to strap me out but did not have a recovery strap. I told him I had a recovery bag and used it yesterday to recover a vehicle. Our wives were smart. They stayed in our trucks while we hooked our straps up, and his monster pulled our truck back onto the road, and up over the top of this hill.

All the while another passenger car nearby met their fate. But to add insult to their injury, they had a dead battery. Incidentally, on Tuesday I jump-started another vehicle. So, I whipped out my portable charger, again, and after their engine was running, a farmer used his tractor to pull their vehicle out of that ditch.

I am so thankful for today. Had we not taken this reasonable risk to get my wife’s Artic Pro Muck boots, we never would have met our neighbor. We never would have been able to assist the passenger car that had no chance without the help of others. I would have never been able to help the other stranded vehicles on the other days.

All of this was a perfect display of the doctrine of God’s providence and His Divine decree. And how He used ordinary people to participate in the extraordinary ways and means of His decree.

If we could, we’d do it again for the glory of God. Don’t always go with the establishment. I share these verses with you, and my closing thoughts below.

“Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.” – Proverbs 5:18-20

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9

This principle was applicable both ways.

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:13-16

Lastly, how can a Christian or the church be the salt of the earth and/or light of the world if we’re staying home in obedience to the media? How can we love our neighbors, or how can they love us, if we’re staying home?

Church history tells us men like George Whitefield, Francis Asbury, John Wesley, et.al. traveled thousands of miles annually on horseback. Enduring far worse storms than we experienced this week in the “Bible Belt.” And today we have heated cars and better roads.

UPDATE 01/19/24: Apparently the hubs in the front axle must have been stuck due to being froze (-3 overnight)? They work great again and am thankful for that experience.