137 ~ My Only 18-Wheeler Road Trip

By Kay Heitsch

When Bill opened the door of the cab of the 18-wheeler, I had no idea what adventure would lie ahead of me in the next 12 days, covering 4,773 miles.

I decided to take this road trip because it was fall, and Bill would be traveling East. I knew the trees would be beautiful.

I struggled to climb into the front seat. Wow, I was sitting up a lot higher than I expected. I liked that! Bill told me there wasn't much room inside the cab, so I shouldn't bring too much stuff. I got the necessities, and of course, my knitting and Dr. Peale booklets.

I enjoyed stopping at the truck stops. I told Bill how surprised I was that all the truckers were so friendly to me. He said, "Do you know why?" I answered, "No." Bill replied, "It's the way you smile and look them in the eyes. Most people don't make any eye contact, and you do."

I found some names of towns interesting on the trip: Coolville, Ohio; Guysville, Ohio; Promise Land, PA; and last but not least, Purgatory, MA.

When we were driving through Purgatory, Bill was making some funny remarks about the town's name. All of a sudden, we saw flashing lights come up next to the truck. Oh my gosh, we were being pulled over. The police officer came up on my side of the truck. There I sat, knitting away. By the look on his face, I don't think he was expecting to see Ma and Pa Kettle.

This police officer seemed a little grumpy at first. He asked for Bill's log books but found nothing wrong. I'd just finished making a cell phone sack, so I slipped a Bible verse inside and handed it to the police officer. I told him it was for his wife, and I hoped he'd have a nice day. He gave me a big smile and thanked me.

All kinds of people make a living driving 18-wheelers for many different reasons. I was able to give some booklets and my cell phone sack with Bible verses to several people.

One night, I met a woman in the bathroom at one of the truck stops. I'm friendly, so I started talking to her. We exchanged first names. Mary shared that the reason she was riding with her husband was that her son had been killed on a motorcycle, and now she couldn't stand to be alone. I shared with her how our son, Todd, had also died suddenly in a car accident.

Mary went on to say how hard it was to talk to anyone about her son because no one understands this kind of pain. She was in awe that I had come into that bathroom, and after all these years, she had found someone she could talk to who would understand.

We hugged each other, knowing the pain we both had been through. I gave her the cell phone sack with the Bible verse inside.

Mary's husband was waiting for her, and she told him how grateful she was, after all these years, to meet me. They both agreed it was no accident; we were brought together.

This was my one and only road trip. These were some pleasant experiences. However, I developed a horrible UTI and was allergic to the antibiotic. Bill and I both decided that riding in an 18-wheeler was not for me.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

136 ~ God Knew What I Needed

By Kay Heitsch

As I look back, I can see how the Lord kept me so busy with helping others, exercising, playing games, and doing shoveling and yardwork that I hardly had time to have a pity party. God knew what I needed.

It's incredible how helping Bea, Arlene, my in-laws, and at times, Twyla helped me. Then the Lord made sure I got exercise by going to Planet Fitness, doing yardwork, and shoveling. At night, I could play Farm Town or Farmville to relax. Plus chatting with friends in text messages while watching fun shows on TV.

I won't lie, it wasn't easy mentally and emotionally having Bill driving in all kinds of weather all over the country. I had a friend call me to let me know how bad the weather was where Bill was driving.

I finally had to tell her that if I wanted to know about the weather, I would check myself. I couldn't control the weather, and stressing about it wasn't helping. I was going to trust God.

Brandon was living and working in Kabul, Afghanistan, at the time. I had to stop watching the news because Kabal was on the news every night. Being able to put my trust in God, there aren't words to even describe how comforting this was.

Knowing Noah, our only grandchild, and our children were dealing with not knowing why or what was causing all of these physical problems just might have done me in, but God...

I am so thankful that God knew what I needed at this difficult time in my life. Being able to put my complete trust in God and knowing He was in control sure helped me.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

135 ~ I Had Hope

By Kay Heitsch

I was excited when our son-in-law, Joe, called and said our daughter, Shannon, was at the hospital about to deliver Noah.

Bill was on the road, so I made the trip to see them by myself. I was excited when Shannon handed me Noah. I knew immediately something wasn't right.

It wasn't long before all the hospital doctors also knew something wasn't right. They put different labels on Noah, like failure to thrive, floppy baby syndrome. Finally, they called him "Mystery Baby."

Noah had a lot of problems, one being that he couldn't suck. So they put a feeding tube in right away. Even with the feeding tube, Noah would throw up everything. It wasn't long, and Noah had surgery too. There are no words to describe this tragic situation.

Watching your children go through this isn't easy, but God helped me.

I came home, and a person I hadn't seen in at least 40 years contacted me on FB. Cathy wanted to know if I would like to play a game online called Farm Town. I had no idea what it was, but I decided to try playing it.

Our kids really didn't want other people to know how bad Noah was, so I had to keep his dire situation to myself and from anyone who might know them.

As I look back, I remember how I made a farm called "Let the Son Shine!". On my farm, I put a playground for Noah. I had hope that one day, Noah would be able to play on a playground, even though at the time, I wasn't sure he was even going to live.

God brought me many friends on Farm Town. While playing this game, you could chat with people. They asked about the name of my farm, so I shared my faith. Plus, they asked about the playground. I was able to share with them my hope of seeing Noah one day play in a playground.

Noah not only played on a playground but also participated in several sports with the Special Olympics. To God be the glory!

Noah was finally diagnosed, at age 15, with a syndrome that only 50 people in the world have been diagnosed with. No wonder he was called "Mystery Baby."

I'm so thankful I had hope! God knew what I needed and brought total strangers into my life to help me during this tragic time.

As you can see, God turned a triumph out of a tragedy!

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

134 ~ Finally I Came To My Senses

 By Kay Heitsch

Bill and I were both at PF when they closed for COVID-19.

So we decided to buy a treadmill. As of right now, I am on #3. I try to walk on it every morning. The treadmills seem to have a limited number of miles before they quit. I enjoy walking on it!

I do miss not going to PF, but I didn't renew my membership after being there 7 years.

While Bill was on the road and Brandon was working in Afghanistan, I was by myself most of the time at night.

The guys at PF were looking out for me, but sometimes their suggestions made me more apprehensive than necessary.

One day, one of the guys asked me if I had heard that so-and-so had been shot! I hadn't heard about it, but I now listened to the whole story. Then he pulled up his shirt and showed me the gunshot wounds he had. Good grief!

Now, "J" made a suggestion. He thought I should go to the pawn shop and use a tape recorder to record a gun being cocked, just in case someone tried to break in at night. Yikes, I hadn't thought of that!

Now I did give it a thought, so that night I hooked a chair in the bedroom door. Wouldn't you know, I kept hearing noises all night long!

Finally, I came to my senses! I prayed, put some earplugs in my ears, and fell asleep. No chair, and no tape recorder. I made up my mind that I was going to trust the LORD to take care of me.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

133 ~ Hi Mom!

By Kay Heitsch

Bill didn't visit PF very often since he was still driving all over the US and even Canada. However, on occasion, he did visit as my guest.

Being who I am, I would tell my PF friends that Bill had come with me and I wanted them to meet him. Let's say, they were more interested in meeting Bill than Bill was in meeting them. Bill and I are not alike.

As I said before, several of these guys called me "Mom". I loved it when I was on the treadmill, and a couple of these big, tough-looking guys would yell, "Hi Mom!" as they walked by.

Most of these guys who called me Mom were black, so some people would look surprised! I might add that not all the guys who called me Mom were black, though. Some still call me "Mom" to this day!

When I introduced Bill to one of my guys, he immediately said, "I always wanted to meet my dad! It was so funny to see the expressions on the faces of those who heard that statement.

As you can tell, I loved PF and I had a lot of fun there. I'm thankful God gave me this outlet because a lot was going on in my private life at the time. I needed a distraction.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

132 ~ Tattoos

By Kay Heitsch

I'm usually comfortable around all kinds of people. I'm not really sure why, but I am.

One day, I was on the treadmill and a young guy got on the one next to me. I noticed his many tattoos, so I asked him about them. He smiled when I said I bet I'm the only person without one here.

I introduced myself, and he said his name was Josh.

I was curious about how painful it must have been to get so many tattoos. Josh explained that it depended on where the tattoos were placed.

I told Josh I saw one I liked that would go along the side of my foot. I wanted it to read, "Walk By Faith." Josh let me know that putting a tattoo on the side of my foot would be very painful. Thanks for letting me know!

Our conversation went on, and I asked Josh how long he had been a member at Planet Fitness. Josh responded that he had been coming there for a few years.

When we were both getting off the treadmill, Josh said something that surprised me. He said, "It was great talking with you. Do you know that you are the first person I've spoken to here? Most people are intimidated by the way I look."

I made another new friend that day, and I learned a long time ago you can't judge a book by its cover.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

131 ~ Michelle, My Forever Friend

By Kay Heitsch

I met many people at PF. It's interesting how some people will sign up and attend a few times, then they never return. Some people have the idea that they can lose weight quickly. However, you can always eat more calories than you burn.

Some people I met have remained Forever Friends, just like some of the individuals I met at the Memory Care Center. I am blessed.

One of my Forever Friends was a gal named Michelle. Michelle and I met in the Ab Room at PF.

I began doing my workout when I noticed my key fob was missing from the necklace I was wearing. I went into a bit of a panic.

I didn't know Michelle, but she could tell I was upset. I told her I was going to run up and see if anyone had turned it in.

I came back into the Ab Room with my fob. I was so thankful! Michelle was from California, and she immediately said, "You must have good Karma!"

Michelle and I became good friends even though she is much younger than I am. Michelle shared a lot about her life with me. I gave her a Have a Great Day - Every Day! Book. She loved it!

Michelle got married while we were in PF, and she asked me to attend her wedding because her mom couldn't be there. It was outside. She had "If You Ever Have Forever On Your Mind" by Vince Gill played while she came down the aisle. I had never heard that song before, but it's become a favorite of mine.

I know God brought Michelle and me together. I love her and always will.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

130 ~ Remembering Names

By Kay Heitsch

One thing you will notice about PF is that the staff are friendly. They always greet each person when they come in to workout. For me, since I was there so often, they always called me by my name. I liked that!

Since I liked being called by name, I tried to call other people by their names too. I didn't always remember a person's name, so I wrote their name with a description on a note in my phone. When I saw them, I would check out who they were on my phone.

I'm friendly and tried to help people feel welcome and at ease. Sometimes, coming into a gym can be intimidating for some people.

I know not everyone is like me, and that's okay. However, I found that most people would always smile when I called them by name.

If I didn't see someone for a while, I would let them know that I missed them when they returned.

Not all PF gyms are the same. I have been in 5, and they all have a different vibe to them. I mentioned that to a staff member, and they totally agreed, having worked in several. Additionally, PF is a franchise, so things may differ due to its ownership.

All the PFs I have been in have been very clean. These staff members were not only friendly but also hard workers. After working out for 7 years, I had never been sick, not even once.

This morning, I wrote about God knowing our names. Our names are important to God. When we mention each other's names, it shows them that we care and notice them.

As Christians, remembering a person's name can be a way of showing God's love in a hurting world.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

129 ~ Fun MTA Bus Drivers

By Kay Heitsch

I am a people person. That being said, Planet Fitness was a good place for me to spend time. Meeting people from all walks of life, different ages, and unique stories made my afternoons enjoyable.

I will admit that, being in my 60s, I was one of the oldest there. That was fine because I have a lot of energy and could keep up with most of the younger people.

While working out one day, I met a group of people who worked for the MTA.

John, one of the bus drivers, had been in the military as a fitness trainer. He would keep the other drivers motivated as they worked out on the machines and weights.

I really liked these MTA drivers and looked forward to seeing them. One day, I heard John using my work ethic, considering my age, to motivate some of the girls.

I have been posting jokes on FB in the morning for a long time. For a while, I posted puns. When I came into PF, I would look for John and his group. John would always ask what the pun of the day was. Everyone tried to figure out the answer.

Learning about people and working out with them was fun. I never thought that working out at a gym would be a triumph in my life, but it certainly was. God knew what I needed.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

128 ~ People Change

By Kay Heitsch

I would try to go to Planet Fitness at a time when I would see people who came in early and those who came after work. I rarely went on the weekends, but did go often during the week.

It was interesting, but I met a shirt-tail relative of Beas' at Planet Fitness. Bea did not like this guy because Joe had been in a motorcycle gang in Texas and was nothing but trouble, according to Bea.

Joe must have mellowed by the time I met him, because he was a very nice guy, but Bea refused to meet him.

Joe would walk next to me on the treadmill, so I learned a lot about him. Joe said he had been heavy, but he had lost a significant amount of weight because he had developed heart issues.

One day, Joe told me he was going to Texas to attend a reunion with his motorcycle gang. He was proud to have lost weight and couldn't wait for the guys to see him.

On several days a week, Joe would stop at Sam's Club and buy rotisserie chickens for his dog. I never asked what kind of dog he had, but he loved this dog.

Joe had a girlfriend who enjoyed cooking. I would bring in recipes for him to share with her.

One day, before I left for PF, I had the local news on. I looked up and I saw the obituaries going by. I noticed a guy's name was the same as Joe's. I thought to myself that I would ask Joe if this guy was related to him.

When I walked into PF, the manager asked to talk to me. She brought me back to her office and told me Joe had died! He had taken his girlfriend to the airport and had a heart attack in his truck on the side of the road. I felt very sad.

Joe's girlfriend had a memorial for Joe at a Country Club that I attended. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of people from Planet Fitness who were there. These Planet Fitness people were like family, and they showed it by attending Joe's memorial.

I met one of Joe's gang members at the memorial who had come from Texas to pay his respects. He mentioned how surprised the guys were to see Joe nice and slim.

Bea might have liked Joe if she had given him a chance. People change! I was happy I had met him.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2

127 ~ The PF Billboard

By Kay Heitsch

Knowing I would be alone while Bill was on the road, I made an effort to stay in shape.

I got up early, before 6:00, and did my cleaning and Ball workout before heading out to help these ladies. Sometimes in the winter, I had to shovel to get out. I was walking in the neighborhood too, as often as I could.

Being in my 60s and mowing with the push self-propelled mower, and shoveling, with Little RED wasn't always easy. I had energy, but I wasn't strong.

Bill was home one weekend, and we were out. I noticed a billboard advertising Planet Fitness. I told Bill I wanted to check it out. I joined and became a Black Card member.

As a Black Card Member, I could bring a friend and use the tanning beds, massage chairs, and massage water bed. Believe me, after mowing and shoveling, that massage water bed felt great!.

Not everyone thought going to this PF location was a good idea. PF was in a mall where most of the stores were closed. I was informed that this area had some issues. So what do you think I did?

I befriended all the intimidating-looking bodybuilders in the club. It was great! These guys called me "Mom." I knew if I needed to ask for help, they were more than willing to help.

God was taking good care of me with many PF friends. I was a member of PF for over 7 years. I'll share a few stories later.

Remember how I led you on this long journey. Deuteronomy 8:2