We've been asked if we are in need of a vehicle for Amanda. People have even offered to loan us a car. We have another 4x4 suburban, and plan to take our time to find a replacement. Amanda goes to school for half a day and is only 6 minutes from home. There is no pressing need for another truck. We appreciate the offers though.
We were told it is a shame we lost the value of the truck. Here's her story. See if you think we lost or made out.
We purchased the 1994 F150 for $1200 in July 2010. God gave us an incredible deal! After cleaning out the oil stains, we drove her for a little over two years. We loved the truck from the word "Go!" We even named her "Truck" because we said she worked so hard for us that she deserved a capital letter when you said her name.
She served our county when the tornado struck by taking supplies to tornado victims. The truck took Amanda and I over debris to houses that had not been reached yet. Debris even fell on the cab, so we were glad we drove in instead of walked!
We carried away 10 truck and trailer loads of heavy debris from the big barn fire. Then, we used it to haul home all of the things the insurance covered!
Truck's higher profile got our family home after some tidal flooding occurred due to a hurricane. It took us on snow covered roads for the prettiest "sleigh rides."
We used her to pull logs Clint had cut down in rough terrain closer to our house where they could be managed easier. We also used her to pull the trees we used for the teepee we built.
All of our children have driven it on the farm. We used it to clear land after the fire and then later to put down coyote traps when that beast was a problem. Clint stood on the truck's roof many times as a way to reach house siding or limbs on trees.
We took "Truck" on many vacations and drove on 4x4 beaches. Clint took everyone on several trips to see the wild horses in Corolla saving us the cost of the $50 per person tours. (Clint says this alone returned our value.) Truck carried camping and biking supplies as well as hauled our travel trailer on dozens of trips. Clint and I also had some awesome dates in remote and beautiful places thanks to that truck.
Our older children hauled their friends and a load of bikes on many biking expeditions. Because her dash was so roomy, Clint and I would often pick up a meal and drive to the waterfront for a quiet moment together.
We used it weekly to run errands because the bed was easier to load than our cars or suburban. We often filled up half or more of the truck bed with the week's supplies for our family and animals.
We used her dozens of times to help other people get their stuck cars going again, and towed cars home with it. We recently used it at night to help locate a heart patient who was lost in the woods beside our house. The list goes on and on and on. Trucks are like that!
"Truck" had developed an oil leak, so we either had to invest some money into her or retire her. We had been praying about what to do. God answered that prayer too!
Now, Truck is back where she started....serving our county again. She is training firemen how to get crash victims out of crumpled cars safely without further risk of injury. For that, we got a free tow and a tax credit. The fire department will get training and will recycle the metal for the department. Pictures of Amanda standing beside it unharmed will be used to promote seat belt safety.
We feel God gave us far, far more value than the $1200 we paid for it. And, we know He will provide another great deal out there for us as we look to Him to provide the right truck at the right time and place.
