I've Never Seen That Before

About two weeks ago, I had some work done to my 4 Runner. The valve cover gaskets needed to be replaced. The work had needed to be done for a while but it took forever to diagnose. I picked it up on a Saturday. The truck seemed to be running fine until the following Tuesday morning.

I am not sure if you are familiar with the Piankitank River Bridge but it has been under construction for some time now. The two lane bridge has only one lane open to traffic. The other lane is completely undriveable. There is no emergency lane or shoulder. The only room to move is in the one lane that you are traveling in. If you've been over it, you might remember it more because instead of road workers directing traffic, you will find a stop light that determines which side of traffic can cross.

Anyway, on Tuesday morning, I was first in line and when the light turned green, my oil light came on and the engine cut off. I quickly prayed, "Oh please God, the truck can break but please don't let me be the disabled vehicle that stops traffic -both ways- on a busy one lane bridge first thing in the morning."

I turned the key and it started up again.  I made it across the bridge and about a mile (Thank you God) before the oil light came back on and it cut off for good. I was able to coast into a subdivision.

I heard some crazy sounds. I smelled some good smells. I looked under my truck and sure enough, oil was dripping from underneath. "This isn't good." I popped the hood and the pulley for my timing belt was broken. It had busted through the plastic cover and was revealing itself to me. "Oh no, this isn't good either."

A man stops by and offers to help. He looks under the hood and says "I've never seen that before." A fleck of awareness strikes me as if this is my queue to tune in to what God is doing. Just that morning, I said a prayer and asked God to show me something new. I chuckle a little; this man's words cannot be a coincidence. I feel myself accept some kind of challenge. "OK God. I'm yours. Yes, I meant what I prayed, even if it is this. Reveal your power."

Of course I also prayed that God would make me satisfied only with what he gave instead of what I want. The situation before me is definitely not what I want. I want a running vehicle. Heck, a new car is just fine. I boldly ask for it. Why not? Colin and I have been talking cars for sometime and just have not been in a position to buy another one. Neither of us saw this coming though. This truck was our better vehicle.

I get my phone to make calls and ironically my cousin's boyfriend, Steve just took over his family's towing business and they live immediately behind me. How convenient. (Thank you God).

I'm out in the country and so it will be a while before he gets to me. I pop the hatch in the back of the truck and I sit there making calls. Within minutes, I have three cars that I can borrow if necessary, offers for a ride into work, and other 'willing to help' offers. (Thanks again).

Then I notice the day. It is beautiful! We've had some super hot streaks lately but it's not hot this day. I comment a lot that I want to live somewhere that is in the 70's year round with a slight breeze.  The weather is EXACTLY that. I giggle a little and lift up another (Thanks).

Finally the tow truck arrives and the Steve looks under the hood. Again I hear, "I've never seen that before." (of course I will hear it about 5 more times before the day is over). I tell him my prayer. We share funny smiles and talk about where to take the truck.

In the ride back to Gloucester, I try to make a mental list of things at I am thankful for about this situation. I didn't get tires or other work done to the truck that was needed yet. -Not because I was waiting for something. I just couldn't seem to get our schedules right to make it happen. This must be why. (Thank you God). I didn't even fill it up with gas. I was on E. (Thanks again). I wasn't in a wreck. We were all OK and the kids weren't with me. (Thanks some more)

I know that the issue with my truck is major but I just have so much peace and I just can't stop laughing.  You know what- that is truly something new, for me. I do laugh a lot. I try to be positive but there was a season in my life where the back of my mind was a dark room filled with worry. Not just worry but sometimes obsession. There is plenty of opportunity for that here. But I feel different. Instead of my freaking out about the problem, or the expense or the inconvenience; the peace of God sustains me (Philippians 4:7) and I know that it's a gift from him. -Not just Peace but Joy. (Romans 15:13). (Thank you God)

I stop by to see my regular mechanic to have him take a look at the truck before I return it to who did the work. I just want to confirm whether or not what has happened, is or is not related to what was done. My motor is gone. The cam has completely snapped. The mechanic said "It looks like a freak thing". He even follows it with the magic words.

I don't think it's a freak thing. I am not blaming God or even trying to blame anything one else. Life happens. Things happen. But God provides. (Philippians 4:19). Before I had even made it to this point of my day, I had 3 offers for a loaner car for an indefinite period of time. I didn't even have to ask.

I started to refuse them because that wasn't the solution that I wanted. It wounded my pride to need something from someone else. How much do we doubt God's power when he doesn't answer prayers the way that we think that he should answer them? -As if our plans are so much better?

My heart might want a new engine. My flesh might want a new car. We tell God that he can answer prayers with a (fill in the blank). While we can and should be specific in our prayers, we need to be sure to leave enough room for God to be God. How many times do we think that he's not answering simply because his (fill in the blank) is different than ours. We don't even recognize that we already have a solution. Or maybe he can't do what needs to be done because we didn't give him enough room to work. A loaner wasn't what I wanted but he provides.

I'll say it again- He provides.

And again, HE PROVIDES.

He sees the whole picture. There are a lot of things going on in my life right now. Car payments are not what I need. Truthfully, there are a lot of other things I need to take care of before I even consider this motor. God knows this and I now agree with him that the very best solution is the loaner car at least for a bit. Without my having to ask one person, he provided 3.

I don't know how the rest of this story will end yet.  -But I remind myself not to put faith in things. I  also note that I really like the person that I am growing up (in Christ) to be. (Thanks again)

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While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18 NASB)