Thinkin' about Saturday Work On Sunday

See that line of trees way over there? Yes, WAY over there! In our business we would say " 1/2 mile in and 1/2 mile out". A survey crew works their way back turning angles and shooting distances to determine the new property line, and then you walk all the way out. For those of you who are savvy in geodetic science, this story would be different if we had robotic instruments and 4 wheelers, but we don't and so this is how it is!
This instrument has been faithful and "trusty" all these years, but alas a problem has developed and the company that repairs and keeps it "fine tuned" says that new parts are no longer made for it...hhhmmm, sounds like someone, just might want to sell a new instrument! So I'm tellin' ya this baby, the instrument that is, gets a lot of pamperin' cause we can't have him just give up on the job!
Our teenage sons are great help to their dad and they are all good at pamperin' the "baby". However, there are times when they have other, shall we say obligations, like REAL jobs *smile* or stuff like that, and they can't help...SSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOO I help. Now, I'm not so confident in pamperin' the "baby". That's where the "1/2 mile in 1/2 mile out" story comes into play. Without giving you a class in Land Surveying 101 right here on this blog, lets just say that land surveying involves a lot of walking AND not always in the best of conditions or weather. The person who runs the instrument...not so much! Well of course the instrument man still has the same weather and conditions, but they are at the instrument.
For the person carrying the rod, yep, there's a lot of walking, however it is the cute and smart guy, my husband, in the picture above who knows shall we say...where to walk. After all he's, the surveyor. However, when it is my turn to help, on my knees *slight...ok huge! exaggeration* I beg and plead to be the one to walk, because I'm highly intimidated by the instrument to which we must coddle and coo! And so, I load up...for this job...2 rebar, 2 lathe, spool of pink ribbon...yes, I really said pink...see me smile, 2 survey caps, the 1 pound sledge hammer, oh yeah, and the rod AND the walkie talkie...I'm thinking at this point, I should have brought the little pink Barbie backpack.
We've done all the stuff we do to set one point and now I'm headed to the final point...1/2 mile in. I'm thankful that the ground is frozen, I'm not sinking in mud with every step and losing my shoes as I pick up my feet. I'm thankful I didn't have to climb that fence that I just walked passed. I'm thankful that I'm not trudging through a foot of snow. I'm thankful that the corn has been harvested and I can just cut across the field not having to worry about the farmer's crop. I'm thankful that it's not too windy, just cold! I'm thankful that we have this job. I'm thankful that I have 2 sons, even though they couldn't help AND I'm thankful for my husband. I hear static, and then his voice comes across the walkie talkie. "Hey, babe, I'm really really really sorry you're the one having to do that." See he's been watching me all along through the tiny little scope on the instrument. He knows right where I am and truthfully right where I'm headed. I don't.
I told him before I started out to keep me on track. Isn't that funny! I chuckle to myself.
I've walked many miles with 2 little boys and now little princess to stay by their side while they rode their bikes, surely I can do this!
My hands are full, I keep walking not wanting to stop and dig in my pocket for the walkie talkie to respond.
But I listen. And walk. His voice is silent. Silent. I think I must be doing OK...I listen and walk and walk.
Again static, his voice, "I'm watching you, and you're a little off line, go left about 4 feet...no the other left". I'd gone right!
I adjust my steps, and hear static, his voice, "Good line." I walk AND listen. Silence. Walk and walk and listen. Static, his voice, "When you've gone about 20 more feet, I said feet not paces, stop, and I'll check your distance." We do that process. Eventually I am in the spot where I need to be to set the rebar property corner. His voice, "That's it! Set the pin right there! And come on out!"

I'm so happy! I laughed at myself as I realized I had tied a BOW with the pink surveyor ribbon! Now I'm traveling lightly with just the laser rod and the sledge hammer...1/2 mile out! Yahoo!

But I thought about God too. I believe he's always watching me and you too for that matter. Sometimes as we walk it is silent. But when we hear his voice, we know he's been watching all along. HE knows where we are headed and the angles and distances we will have to turn to reach the goal!

Oh God, You are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
Old Testament Psalm chapter 63 verse 1

Have a wonderful restful Sunday!

Love, Rachel