Only in Texas

Keith just called me into the den to watch a TV clip from the Houston morning news. He’d paused it on the screen so I could really take it in. It seems that an eighteen wheeler carrying “animal entrails” overturned under one of our major freeways. 4000 gallons spilled all over the road causing a considerable traffic jam. Not only am I praying for the truckdriver’s well-being (he does not appear to be in serious condition, praise God), I am praying for him to get a new job. You just never know what kind of load people are carrying.

You’ll be glad to know that we have another post coming quickly so you don’t have to deal with this one for long.

I love you.

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111 Responses to “Only in Texas”

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Comments:

  1. 51
    purefire says:

    Ewwww. My husband and I were once behind a McDonalds truck that overturned, boxes of burgers and fries are all over the highway. I’ll take boxes of food rather than…. well, you know ;o)

    Thanks for the post. My 12 year old daugher loves “randomness” and I think this qualifies as “random”! I love that you share so much of what goes on in your daily life with us.

    I’m prayin’ about the Siesta bible study – sounds great. I’m just praying for the women to ask; that God will put together the group He wants.

    Love all ya’ll to pieces.

  2. 52
    Kimberly says:

    Hey Beth,

    My brother came upon a similar accident on an interstate in GA. It was cleaned up enough so that people could drive through, but oh, my brother was wishing he hadn’t. He said his car smelled for weeks, even after he washed it. Yuck.

    Love you, too!
    Kimberly

  3. 53
    Anonymous says:

    This happnes a lot hear in Redsville well in Greensboro .You wouldnt beleve some of the things thay have had in the trucks.God gave us a very sepcail soft rain, today .Was so neat & peacfull. I am gald the truck driver is ok.God bless love sister in Christ Victoria

  4. 54
    LynnSC says:

    “you just never know what kind of load people are carrying”

    Now, that really spoke to me this morning. I feel like I am carrying quite a load these days… and my trucks load overturned in front of God this morning. Now, we didn’t make the news… but He had quite a clean up on His hands. Thankfully, He can handle it.
    Lynn

  5. 55
    Momma 2 5 says:

    That is so funny and gross at the same time. You are right, only in Texas!
    Love Ya!
    Amanda in SC

  6. 56
    MITZI says:

    Oh Beth, maybe God is giving you some new material for teaching! :O

    Laying the “rotten sin” down.?!

  7. 57
    Kelly R. says:

    HA!! That has me a little worried. We are moving to Texas in August. (My husband will be attending Texas A&M for graduate school) What else happens only in Texas?

  8. 58
    Lee says:

    I almost split a stitch. That is quite unfortunate. Poor guy.

  9. 59
    CrownLaidDown says:

    Well, get a load of that!

    Don’t know if you’ve read, but Nicol (from Selah)…her darling newborn Luke stopped breathing last night. Please pray for their family. http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/2008/05/luke.html

  10. 60
    Stacy says:

    Ok, it may be a Minnesotan thing….but I don’t know what “animal entrails” are! It sounds as though it’s not very good whatever it is….my imagination is running wild here! ๐Ÿ™‚
    Is it safe to say “Praise God no one was buried under a heap of them then?!”

  11. 61
    pm9patch says:

    “Praying for him to get a new job” brings up a question… ’cause I have quite a “smelly” job myself (not in the literal sense). But I’m wondering if there is a good Bible Study or trade book out there about finding satisfaction in a very unsatisfying job? I know the Bible teaches us to “do all things as unto the Lord,” but when the boss bears a stronger resemblence to the enemy (though he claims to be a Christian), it can become quite a challenge!! Don’t get me wrong; in this day I AM grateful to have a job at all, but am quickly coming to “the end of my rope.” Since the Lord has not answered my prayers by opening up other doors, my assumption at this point is that he wants me to stay here for some reason; but I could sure use some sound Biblical guidance for “hanging in there.”

    If no one knows of any, would you join me in praying for one??

    Sisters in Christ

  12. 62
    CountryKat says:

    Wow. Only Texas for sure! Ewwww!!

    Ain’t that the truth that you never know what load someone is carrying.

    Cara

  13. 63
    Cindy-Still His Girl says:

    I LOVE that you immediately recognized that as great blog fodder.

  14. 64
    DeDe says:

    Isn’t it amazing (amusing) what we will talk about. Us ‘bloggers’ enjoy just about anything don’t we.

    Comes to show us ~ looking at another persons (um…) ‘stuff’, makes our ‘stuff’ seem so insignificant at times doesnt it – great reminder. Stuff happens! Even off of trucks!

    Keep it coming!

  15. 65
    Anonymous says:

    Around here, it’s chicken waste that we have to contend with. Get behind a truck carrying that stuff and you’ll have to pull over quickly. What a smell!!!

  16. 66
    DeDe says:

    I like Mary’s post, about the Oreo’s being dumped over… not only a ‘waste’ but by golly that is a TRAGEDY! Bring in the clean up crew QUICK, isnt there a 1 hour rule (verses 5 second rule) for truck spillage! I bet there were plenty of volunteers for that salvage operation!

  17. 67
    Anonymous says:

    I live in Houston and drive that freeway everyday to work. Luckily it was cleaned up before I went through at 7:30 a.m. My first thought was how nasty! Driving Houston freeways is never boring. Always something new and exciting.

  18. 68
    Anonymous says:

    I saw that! I saw that! and thought to myself…what “animal parts” are they referring to?
    LOL! It was a little amusing until i had to sit in traffic this morning behind the mess….
    But loved the example of what load people carry around us…it’s funny, we have all read about women who use plastic surgery to look younger, lose weight to look more attractive…but all of us are so well-versed at making ourselves look so good on the outside so no one can see the “real” load we are carrying underneath…wonder what would happen if we crashed and our burdens came rolling out for all to see? Would someone life-flight us to safety where we could be healed?
    Love you Beth!
    Lana

  19. 69
    redheadcsm says:

    Oh dear…I can’t even imagine that sight! Not that I particularly want too – bleaahhh! Reminds me of the day several years ago a big truck carrying lemons overturned just outside of Pasadena. I am rarely anywhere near Pasadena as I go through life in Southern California (farther south than Pasadena) but there I was caught in an absolutely horrific traffic jam on the 210 freeway made no better by all the horrible puns and “turning lemons into lemonade” comments being offered by the radio traffic people!

  20. 70
    Sooz says:

    Thank goodness the driver is okay but I’m with you…he needs a new job! Yuck! I worry about driving all the time since my mom, sister, and I commute to work together. We have the same situation as you, Amanda, and Melissa. We all work together in the same job and love being together as parent to child but also as best friends. Its rare but so sweet!

  21. 71
    Stephanie (Ocean Mommy) says:

    Sweet mercy. That sounds like something that would happen around here!

  22. 72
    hisfivefooter says:

    Gross! I agree with the other siesta’s: I immediately thought of the spiritual applications of that kind of story! What I also want to know, is WHY? I am from Seattle, I could understand a terrific load of coffee grounds to be used on various composting bins-But what on earth do you in Texas use entrails for? Please help with this pondering question!
    Lots of love-
    Lisa in Kirkland

  23. 73
    Cathy Davis says:

    Yuck…

  24. 74
    Abby says:

    thanks mama beth…
    that makes the 7 diarrhea diapers i just changed in the last 3 hours seem a little less frustrating ๐Ÿ™‚ oh nanny job, how i love thee..

    you make even my toenails smile

  25. 75
    Mr. and Mrs. D says:

    Boy, oh boy, do I miss the South! No offense to the NE Siestas, but I just gotta say that living here in the NE is almost like living in a foreign country for me! But at least I can get SWEET TEA at McD’s now!

    BTW, I have grown to love my NE Siestas. ๐Ÿ™‚

  26. 76
    Michelle V says:

    Eeewww! I don’t know what else to say to that! I’m sorry to say, but I’m glad that was in your part of Texas! ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Michelle

  27. 77
    3girlsmom says:

    Grooooooossssss. That totally makes me laugh, though.

    At the same time, I’m wondering why on earth would someone pay to ship animal entrails. Probably shipping them to a bologna/hot dog factory.

    AAAHHHH! That’s gross, too! ๐Ÿ™‚

  28. 78
    Joni says:

    Perhaps your story should be titled “Only in Houston!” LOL! I used to live there so I can say that! :o) Guess who’s picture is on the back of my new S.S. quarterly for summer? Here’s a clue: Things are “stepping up” next quarter.

  29. 79
    Fizz Fam says:

    Had I not read the comments, I may well have lived the rest of my life thinking that “entrails” meant poop. Learn somethin’ new everyday. Good times.
    Love & Blessings,
    Sam*

  30. 80
    Amanda says:

    Yeah… gross. And you’re right, you just never know what kind of load… yuk.

    Thanks for the grin today. Needed that.

    Love you too. God bless! ๐Ÿ™‚

  31. 81
    Kari says:

    Lets pray for the people who have the job of cleaning that up! YUCK! Now that’s a dirty job!

    Love you LPM!

  32. 82
    cheryl says:

    Sandy, try having to do that on a motorcycle!!! My Husband and I were on a trip to California from Ms. and got behind one of those….yuck!

  33. 83
    Shannon Pate says:

    You just never know… hahahaha!! This post is just one example of why we all love you so much!!!!

  34. 84
    bahead(mimi24) says:

    Wow, what a truckload–but you know everything from “guts” to “oreos” can be a big load to carry for someone. We must remember that our God is a God of “cleanups” and I thank Him everyday for “do overs”. I’ve needed a few in my life.

  35. 85
    Anonymous says:

    I’m carrying a Load! Please pray for my son He is fifteen today and has a bad attuide and anger issues but doesn’t see it. It scares me. His name is Christopher! I would really appreciate the prayer!

    Love to all my Sisters
    [email protected]

  36. 86
    deb w from MI says:

    Oh Goodness Gracious!!!!
    I thought it was BAD enough when we lost our luggage going under an over pass with our Teen Missions International bus, heading for the airport in 1988!!! We had “entrails” of creamed corn, spam, pinapple, ketchup, etc., etc. that exploded in our luggage.(Other than a few people losing some camera film to the juice, it was Good Times!!!) ๐Ÿ™‚

    May the Lord continue to give us grace in the Yucky, not so good times!!!
    Love and Blessings to all of you Siestas!!!
    Deb W.

  37. 87
    Susan B. says:

    Truth is stranger than fiction!

  38. 88
    anita from kansas says:

    Now this post took guts to write. ๐Ÿ™‚

  39. 89
    Missy says:

    Umm….thanks for sharing that. Loved the visual I got there!! ๐Ÿ˜€ 4000 gallons?? Yucko…

  40. 90
    Kristen says:

    You make me laugh..”You never know what kind of load people are carrying” ๐Ÿ™‚ LOVE IT!

  41. 91
    Allison says:

    Okay, this is the comment I ALMOST posted earlier…

    Am I the only one who doesn’t know what an entrail is??

    …but didn’t, for fear that the answer would be yes. But now that I’ve read that Melissa looked it up on dictionary.com, I feel soooo much better! (I looked it up on wikipedia, by the way.)

  42. 92
    Outragous grace says:

    No guts………..no glory! ๐Ÿ™‚

  43. 93
    Kristib says:

    Yuck! It would be just like my man to want to gross me out by putting a picture like that on pause so I could take it all in and be ill. Then he would laugh as I gagged.

    Liked the application to loads people carry.

    Looking forward to a better visual with the next post. (ha,ha)

    Love ya!
    Kristi B.

  44. 94
    Anonymous says:

    Wow. I’ve been battling a flu bug for the past two days and when I read “animal entrails” just now, it almost sent me back to the bathroom.

    There’s got to be a good modern day parable to be had in here somewhere – but I don’t have the stomach to try and figure it out.

    Hope tomorrow on Houston’s freeways are better than today,

    Warm in Alaska.

  45. 95
    Anonymous says:

    You just never know how God is going to let you know He’s aware!
    Things are very difficult in my marriage right now and I was crying out to God on the way to work this morning. Feeling a combination of hurt and anger and frustration and knowing I can’t react in kind and expect God to do a life changing work in my spouse.
    How amazing that Someone so spotless and holy and wonderful chooses to be with us and tells us to roll our ugly feelings onto Him.
    Love and thanks….

    PS – It’s stories like that that make being a vegetarian more appealing – probably for the critters too!

  46. 96
    Anonymous says:

    I would love for all yall to take moment and think about the animals’ lives who were just a waste because of this guy’s carelessness. Of course I am concerned with the safety of the driver, who is apparently ok, but those animal ‘parts’ (assuming they were headed towards use of some sort) are now being thrown in the trash. Only the Lord knows what those various animals suffered in their probably short lifetimes, only to be strewn all over a highway that created a big mess for all parties involved! I think its disgusting, yes, but more sad than anything for us to be so wasteful of what the Lord has put us in charge of. God gave us rule over all the animals, may we not abuse that responsibility. Just some food for thought.

  47. 97
    Joanne (The Simple Wife) says:

    Oh. My. Goodness.

    Being a stay at home mom suddenly sounds like a much easier, better, happier job…

    Joanne

  48. 98
    Heather says:

    Oh, Beth, not only in Houston. I live in Iowa, and happen to work with truck drivers when they are in accidents much like this one. You would be surprised about the amount of animal entrails and offal one must deal with.

  49. 99
    Tara says:

    You said that in Texas you all do everything bigger. I guess that applies to “animal entrails” as well! And 18 wheeler full of gross baggage!!!! However, I guess that’s what we are all like without Christ- A great big mess!

  50. 100
    Georgia Jan says:

    Beth: Oh my soul, I wonder where he was taking the entrails and for what purpose? That is just wild –

    We live in farm country here in Georgia, and the Perdue Chicken plant is “close by.” When my boys were little and would see the big 18-wheelers loaded down with chickens in the crates, and occasional feathers flying off in the wind, they would holler: “Mama, do they know where they are going?” Bless their hearts.

    We love you girl,

    GEORGIA JAN

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