As a beautiful red cardinal flew by Ramona’s kitchen window, she was reminded of her neighbor’s garden flag that reads: “When a cardinal appears in your yard, it’s a visitor from heaven.” Ramona’s thoughts immediately changed direction to James, who left his earthly home the day before, on Monday afternoon. Ramona smiled as she remembered one of James’s stories he enjoyed sharing.

During the mid-70s at Princeton High School, two 11th grade boys got into an argument, which led to a fight. As punishment, the teacher gave one of the students, James, a special job. The instructions were to get a wheelbarrow and go to the baseball field. There, he was to transfer so many loads of sand to another designated location on the baseball field. As James began his assignment, he was understandably feeling much anger, for he was not the one who had started the fight, after all. And to add insult to injury, he certainly didn’t feel like the punishment fit the crime, so to speak.

However strange enough, James’s feelings of anger gradually transformed into feelings of enjoyment, but most of all – he became focused! As he filled the wheelbarrow with sand and made his haul, he anxiously returned to the sand pile for another load. He more than exceeded his teacher’s expectations until the sand pile didn’t exist! As James was working to level that sand pile, the Holy Spirit seemed to be working in him. It seems, right there and then, on that hot, dry, dusty baseball field God showed up and revealed a future prophesy for James…and put a dream in his heart. As James told his story, Ramona heard another voice: Jeremiah 29:11 --- “For I know the plans I have for you…”

After high school, James, along with his wife, Debra, worked numerous manufacturing jobs in cabinetry and computers, while selling vegetables they grew in the summer and firewood they chopped in the winter. Then….in 1994, about 20 years after his first “hauling job” at Princeton High School, just as God promised, James L. Corbett Trucking was born! As religious poet, George Herbert wisely penned, “God’s mill grinds slow, but sure.” Now, James became the dream-maker, helping others build their dreams by supplying them with building sand, topsoil, rock, gravel, mulch and asphalt. Looking back at his first “hauling job” at Princeton High School, James certainly learned a valuable lesson and he learned it well: “He (God) honors faith and obedience. He will honor your faith if you will trust Him in a walk of obedience. You will have a secure confidence that you are walking in His will. You will be surrounded by His peace.” (Charles R. Swindoll)

On May 17, 2018, the day before James and Debra’s 41st anniversary, James had a very close call on JC2 -- Debra’s truck. James was on 701, near Devils Racetrack Rd., when a front tire on the passenger side blew. His dog, Muffin, was riding with him that day. James was hauling a full load and there was a 15-20 foot deep, tiled-ditch beside him. Thankfully, he managed to keep the truck on the road and also in his lane. The tire that blew damaged the right fender and bumper, knocked out the headlights, damaged the hood and nearly scared little Muffin to death! James called Ramona the next day and told her about the incident. He said, “Yesterday I learned two things: I was a pretty good truck driver and I had Jesus Christ in my pocket.”

God led Ramona to share James and Debra’s story with Scott Mason. As part of WRAL’s Tar Heel Traveler video series, “Keep on Truckin’” aired in July 2018. During that time, God also gave Ramona the following words entitled “The Truck Driving Duo.”

Needless to say, James was a most dedicated, hard worker for nearly his entire life. He planned his work and worked his plan --- to a T. I truly believe the campground was his World for Worship where he enjoyed the fruits of his labor, where he felt God’s Peace and Presence, and where he enjoyed the beauty and wonder of God’s creation. Our Daily Bread author, Lisa M. Samra, so eloquently explained: “Although creation doesn’t have an audible voice, as God’s handiwork it is one important way we learn about the one who ‘made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them’ (Acts 14:15). In creation we see evidence of God’s glory (Psalm 19:1) and aspects of who He is, such as His eternal nature (Romans 1:20)”

When I think of James, I can’t help but think of mine and Debra’s granddaddy, too. Like Granddaddy’s, James’s hands with scars and arthritis, plainly told his story. And I know that James, like Granddaddy, never stopped believing. I can see Granddaddy now --- sitting in front of the old black and white Zenith television, his eyes closed and his hands resting on the screen as the Oral Roberts Abundant Life Choir are singing “Only Believe.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 so graciously reminds us, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” (KJV)

All of a sudden, another beautiful red cardinal flew by Ramona’s window.