Where do you get strength when you need it?
Last week I stopped for lunch at Storm’s Drive-In in Lampasas, Texas. If you’ve never experienced Storm’s, you’ve been deprived. I know there’s another location in Hamilton, Texas, but unsure of others. They might be a predecessor to Sonic, but also reminds me of Larry’s Better Burger in Abilene. Great burgers, fries and shakes. That’s about as All-American as it gets!
Lampasas takes me back to the Summer of 1980 when my brother Rich and I worked on the Goodrich Ranch. I have no idea how we heard about the possibility of spending the summer as ranch-hands on The Goodrich, but I’m confident it was a connection through my dad.
This place was impressive, I recall the figure as 30,000 acres that included borders on the Colorado River and Lake Buchanan. Rich and I lived in a tiny white, wood-frame house, we shared a double bed, cooked for ourselves and the bathroom only had a tub. Not ideal, but we embraced it.
That summer’s memories with Rich are rich indeed. Our assigned mode of transportation was an old pick-up and we listened to WBAP on the AM dial out of Fort Worth, with constant reminders from Dick & Hal to take care if working outside in the heat. If you don’t remember the Summer of 1980, it was record-setting in heat and lack of rain. Funny thing is that I don’t ever recall being concerned.
We knew where every fresh, cold water spring was located and would go out of our way to stop and enjoy. We also learned of a creek off the beaten path, accessible only by horseback, which had a deep, clear pool for an evening rinse.
There are many more memories with Rich from that summer on The Goodrich and I cherish them because he and I were not real close, otherwise. His life on earth ended a few years later, when he was 22 and I was 26. He is now in my “cloud of witnesses” and I think of him when I need an extra boost of strength.
In the movie Top Gun, after Goose died and the class of naval aviators graduated, Maverick is flying in real combat and gets in a turbulent situation, where he is tempted to quit. But he clenches his best friend’s dog tags in his fist and says, “Talk to me Goose!” In similar fashion, I’ve even said out loud, “Talk to me Rich!” and found a little extra.
We don’t know how long we’ve got, so be a friend and don’t waste an opportunity to invest in others and make memories. We can draw strength from friends, but nothing like the power available from a Higher Source when we are growing tired.
“Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame; and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lost heart.” (Hebrews 12)