Latest / Travel With A Purpose / Earl and Pearl and the Louisiana Monster

Transcript

Earl and Pearl and the Louisiana Monster · Travel With A Purpose

• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: Hello, fellow snow journals.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Dave Light, and welcome to Travel with a Purple, a podcast designed to keep Swurners and friends informed, entertained, and inspired.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: In today's episode, we hear a story from Earl and Pearl Traveler.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: Just to let you know, this story is based on something that happened to Lynn and I, although Earl's version might be slightly exaggerated.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: It was one of those wonderful evenings at the lodge when nobody seemed ready to go back to the RV.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: The potluck dinner was over, the dishes had been cleaned, and several sojourners had gathered around the tables to play a good round of hand and foot and to share stories about their traveling adventures.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_00: That was when Earl decided everyone needed to hear about the alligator.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: You folks won't believe what Earl and I saw on the interstate this afternoon on the way here, he began.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: Earl looked across the room at Sheila Little.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: He's right about that.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: By the time Earl finishes telling it, nobody is going to believe it, she said.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: Earl just ignored her and leaned forward in his chair.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: Well, for geographic precision, we were traveling through Louisiana west of Vicksburg, Mississippi.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: You know the area, a lot of low land and standing water from the Mississippi River.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: We were driving along, minding our own business when Pearl suddenly yelled, Earl, look out.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: I said, Earl, look over here, Pearl corrected him.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: There was no yelling.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: Well it sounded like yelling to me, Earl replied.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_00: I suppose everything sounds louder when you suddenly find yourself staring into the jaws of a twenty foot alligator.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone in the lodge turned towards Pearl.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_00: Pearl calmly shook her head.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: It was about six foot long.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: Six feet from nose to eyebrows, Earl insisted.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: You should have seen the rest of him.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: According to Earl, the enormous creature was on the shoulder of the interstate with its mouth wide open.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_00: It appeared to be patiently waiting for traffic to clear so it could cross the interstate.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: Earl said it had the look of an alligator that understood traffic laws, and was simply waiting for the proper opportunity to proceed.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: I'll tell you one thing, Earl continued, that alligator had a mouth big enough to rip the bumper right off the RV.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: Earl explained that he had immediately assessed the danger, checked every mirror, tightened his grip on the steering wheel, and prepared to take emergency evasion if the alligator made a move towards them.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: Pearl explained that Earl continued driving at the same speed while she watched the alligator disappearing behind them.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: I remained calm, Earl said.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: That is what an experienced RV driver does in a crisis.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_00: You asked me if I thought he would chase us, Pearl said.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: Well I was gathering information.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone asked whether Earl had taken a picture.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: There wasn't time, he answered.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: When you're facing a twenty foot alligator with a wide open mouth, your first response is protecting your passengers.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: Pearl calmly smiled.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: He was six feet long, safely on the shoulder, and we passed him in about three seconds.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: Earl leaned back and folded his arms.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: Some people have a way of taking all the adventure out of a perfectly good story.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: Sheila Little had been listening quietly from across the table.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: Finally, she looked at Earl and said, Earl, that alligator grows two feet every time you tell the story.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone laughed.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_00: Even Earl laughed, although he continued to maintain that Pearl had underestimated the alligator because she had seen it from the passenger side of the RV.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: Beneath Earl's considerable exaggeration, however, was a helpful reminder for every traveler.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: Hazards can appear quickly and in unexpected places.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_00: An animal may wander near the road.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: A piece of debris may fall from another vehicle.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: Traffic may suddenly slow.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: Rain can reduce visibility.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_00: Wind can make an RV difficult to control, and another driver can change lanes without warning.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: You know what?
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: We've experienced every one of those, and you probably have too.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: The same principle applies, though, to our spiritual journey.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_00: Many of life's dangers appear quietly beside the road.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_00: A temptation may seem harmless at first.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: Poor decision may appear to offer an easy shortcut.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_00: Resentment can settle into our hearts.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: Pride can cause us to ignore wise counsel.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: And spiritual neglect can gradually move us away from God before we recognize how far we have traveled.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_00: Proverbs chapter four, verses twenty six and twenty seven tells us ponder the path of your feet, then all your ways will be sure.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: Do not swerve to the right or to the left.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_00: Turn your foot away from evil.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: Hondering our path means paying attention to where we're going.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: We look ahead.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: We recognize dangers.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_00: We make careful choices before temptation becomes a crisis.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: God has given us His wonderful word, prayer, and Christian fellowship, and the wisdom of faithful people to help us see what may be waiting beside the road.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: Some dangers are obvious, like an alligator sitting next to a Louisiana interstate with its mouth wide open.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: Others are easier to overlook.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: They may appear attractive, harmless, or insignificant.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: Spiritual vigilance helps us recognize where a choice may lead before we take the exit.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_00: So as we travel, let's keep our eyes on the road and remain alert for hazards.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_00: As we journey through life, let's keep our hearts attentive to God and turn away from anything that could pull us from his path.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: And if Earl tells you he once faced a 20-foot alligator on the Louisiana interstate, ask Earl for the official measurement.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: And Sheila Little will probably tell you that depends on how many times Earl has told the story.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_00: Well, friends, thank you for listening to this podcast.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_00: I invite you to subscribe and share it with others.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Dave Leighton, and remember, we glorify God as together we travel with a purpose.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: Happy sojourning.