Summer's Ending

Summer vacation for some Schools began in late may, late Spring, and now Summer vacation has come to an end. Some Schools have already began. The School which I drive the School bus for begins today [August 19, 2009].

It seems to me that Summers are really too short. Maybe its due to global warming :>), and I do say that with a smile. It is actually due to kids going back to school, the teachers being there to teach them, drivers being their to get the kids where they are supposed to learn. Enough frivolity.

I am thankful to be driving a bus for a school like Cassville Schools. We have a staff that works together to make the best possible environment for kids, teachers, bus drivers, administration, and the maintenance people. At the bus garage it is almost like we are family.

That kind of environment makes it where you enjoy going to work everyday. It doesn't seem like work. It is a joy to see the kids you haven't seen all Summer long. If they come back that is. I say that because we did hear of one who will not be returning due to drowning just this past week. My heart goes out to the family. That will be so tough, and my prayers are with them in this difficult heart breaking time.

If you have a clean record, love kids, and need to make a few extra dollars; and you can fit it into your daily schedule; you might want to think of driving one of those big yellow monsters. Go to your nearest school and I know they can tell you how to go about it. You might only get started as a sub driver, but that is how I started. Try it out. You might enjoy it. And in most cases you do get all Summer vacation off.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Guest At My Front Door

It is infrequently that we have any guests show up at our door. Usually they come in cars, pickups, or ATV's; and they don't come often.

Yesterday morning June 25, '09 I had just settled in my reading chair, settled in for my daily reading in the Bible, and I heard a scratching sound at the front door; and that is in my office where I do my reading. I got up, turned on the light for the front porch, and there he was. It was a young raccoon come letting me know he was there.

He turned to walk away, then turned to face me again, and stood on his hind legs with his arms up in the air. I believe that is a universal sign of surrender. "I give up.", he said; then he turned and ran away as I unlocked the door.

God's creatures have a way of teaching us lessons.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Headlights On the Road

This is just going to be a short reminder to those who drive the highways of our land. It is important that you be seen when you are on the highways driving a motorized vehicle. Some evidently do not realize how dangerous it is when they cannot be seen by other motorists.

Just this past Saturday morning near my place of dwelling, it was foggy, I was making a left turn into a gas station when all of the sudden there was a F150 pickup which did not have any headlights on. I made a quick and sudden decision and sharply and quickly got back into may lane, and there was no accident; thank the good Lord. The funny thing about this is the man driving the Ford pickup was some one that I know. I did not find that out until this morning when I entered the bus garage, before driving my bus route for the morning.

When we are on the highways we need to be as visible as we can possibly be. Safe driving is no accident. I do not claim to be the safest driver on the road, however, there are things which I endeavor to do which helps me to be more visible, and one of them is turning headlights on in the fog, even when it is light out. It is also wise to turn on headlights during cloudy days and rainy ones. Another time to have them on is at least thirty minutes before sunset, or sooner, and have them on up until at least thirty minutes after sunrise. It is a wise thing to even keep them on when driving long distances day or night. It is especially helpful when you drive a dark colored, and some other colors of car.

Better to arrive alive, than to the morgue dead. That is for you or the other driver.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Summer Break, YEAH!!!

For some you don't know what it might mean by the term "Summer Break", however, everyone who has about anything to do with School, and its yearly sessions knows, at least those who are working from around the end of August to the end of May. There are workers of public schools, such as the maintenance people who work all year round, and they only get a week or so vacation each year. Thank you maintenance people and all year round workers at the public Schools, yes, even the Administrators.

Summer break is great for those who face the students each year, teaching them Reading, Riting and Rithmetic; you know the "3 R's". I am afraid, however, that it has now gone beyond the three R's to covering a lot of things that really should be left to parents, and churches. Then there are the Bus Drivers who always have their troubles behind them. Until you have driven a School Bus you have no idea how stressful the job is. The driver must always try and maintain a safe driving speed, keeping eyes on the road, watching the mirrors, and from time to time watching the kids. A sudden movement from one child can distract the driver, and if not careful can lead to a very serious accident, with a few children being seriously injured and, God forbid, maybe even killed.

I have sometimes wondered how I could handle it if I made such a grave mistake as to do something that would injure or kill a child while driving a Bus. I have determined that if I ever do, the School will not have to fire me; I would quit, and never drive a bus again. I pray that never happens.

Yeah! School bus driver's need the Summer Break, as do the teachers, and all who work with students while school is in session. Summer is not officially here, but it is here.

My wife and I just returned on Friday May 30 from spending a few days at our Baptist Associations Youth Camp at a place called Baptist Hill Assembly near Mount Vernon, Missouri. We fed about 196 youth, camp staff and CGL's for near to four days. We will return, the Lord willing, in July for Children's camp. We are working with a good group of of people, about nine total, as cooks. It is such a joy to see their faces light up as you feed them something they really enjoy eating.

May all have a great, safe, and God blessed Summer.

-Tim A. Blankenship