So it took me four hours to get home from Lincoln last night. For those of you who don't live here, it's a 90 minute drive from Lincoln to CC.
Why?
Well...I was talking on the phone to Allie, and I heard this weird thumping noise. My tire was flat. Like really, really flat. Hmmm... I wonder how long I'd been driving on it like that? So I pulled off on the interstate exit and York and called Caleb.
If you know me, you know. I have NO talent at fixing anything. That's why I married a man who can fix everything. =)
So, the last time I remember anyone trying to show me how to change a tire was in highschool. My dad and I were on our way back from track practice or something at school when the tire broke. It was freezing. And I stood there thinking, "Why do our cars always break?" while he showed me how to change dead tires. He has lots of practice. =)
Since then I've just let Caleb take care of all mechanical things. It's so much faster. And easier.
But last night Caleb was an hour away.
So armed with my Odyssey's manual and Caleb's directions on the phone, I went to work.
I pulled the spare tire out of the van and found the jack.
Then I found the spot to put the jack (that part was not easy).
I had to kick the thing that unscrews the lug nuts (I think that's the right word...) to get them unstuck. Apparently Caleb tightens things much tighter than I can untighten them.
He kept saying something about 100 foot pounds.
Whatever that means.
And I was spinning the little thing on the jack to make the van go up when this nice man appeared.
By this time I was freezing and wishing that somebody who actually had a clue what they were doing would show up and rescue me. But I was also VERY impressed with myself. I had just changed half a tire BY MYSELF!
So, this man is the director of Christian Heritage (a Christian adoption agency here in Nebraska) and took pity on me because he has a wife who doesn't know how to change tires either. He didn't figure he'd want his wife sitting on the side of the road trying to change a tire while his three kids ran around like psychos in the back of their van (which is what Julia was doing in the back of our van...)
And I was thankful.
Thankful that he knew what he was doing.
Thankful for the help.
Thankful that he was not creepy, and I was not scared of him.
Thankful for a man to choose to be late to his meeting in order to be God's hands and feet in my life.
Thankful that God takes good care of me.
This has been a hard week for alot of reasons. I feel on the verge of panic about different things at different times. God does not seem the least bit interested in what seems to me to be best. And I was desperate for a reminder of God's goodness.
That man walking up to my van was God stepping into my life saying, "See? You could do this by yourself, but I'm paying so much attention to even the little details of your life that I'll help you. This man will be Me walking into your life to remind you that I take good care of you."
I needed that yesterday.
And I wondered... Something had to go wrong for God to point that out to me. So maybe the things that seem terribly wrong in my life are the setup for God to stun me and those around me with His goodness and mercy and kindness and love.
Just maybe.
Doesn't really feel like that most of the time.
But here's a quote I read today.
Why?
Well...I was talking on the phone to Allie, and I heard this weird thumping noise. My tire was flat. Like really, really flat. Hmmm... I wonder how long I'd been driving on it like that? So I pulled off on the interstate exit and York and called Caleb.
If you know me, you know. I have NO talent at fixing anything. That's why I married a man who can fix everything. =)
So, the last time I remember anyone trying to show me how to change a tire was in highschool. My dad and I were on our way back from track practice or something at school when the tire broke. It was freezing. And I stood there thinking, "Why do our cars always break?" while he showed me how to change dead tires. He has lots of practice. =)
Since then I've just let Caleb take care of all mechanical things. It's so much faster. And easier.
But last night Caleb was an hour away.
So armed with my Odyssey's manual and Caleb's directions on the phone, I went to work.
I pulled the spare tire out of the van and found the jack.
Then I found the spot to put the jack (that part was not easy).
I had to kick the thing that unscrews the lug nuts (I think that's the right word...) to get them unstuck. Apparently Caleb tightens things much tighter than I can untighten them.
He kept saying something about 100 foot pounds.
Whatever that means.
And I was spinning the little thing on the jack to make the van go up when this nice man appeared.
By this time I was freezing and wishing that somebody who actually had a clue what they were doing would show up and rescue me. But I was also VERY impressed with myself. I had just changed half a tire BY MYSELF!
So, this man is the director of Christian Heritage (a Christian adoption agency here in Nebraska) and took pity on me because he has a wife who doesn't know how to change tires either. He didn't figure he'd want his wife sitting on the side of the road trying to change a tire while his three kids ran around like psychos in the back of their van (which is what Julia was doing in the back of our van...)
And I was thankful.
Thankful that he knew what he was doing.
Thankful for the help.
Thankful that he was not creepy, and I was not scared of him.
Thankful for a man to choose to be late to his meeting in order to be God's hands and feet in my life.
Thankful that God takes good care of me.
This has been a hard week for alot of reasons. I feel on the verge of panic about different things at different times. God does not seem the least bit interested in what seems to me to be best. And I was desperate for a reminder of God's goodness.
That man walking up to my van was God stepping into my life saying, "See? You could do this by yourself, but I'm paying so much attention to even the little details of your life that I'll help you. This man will be Me walking into your life to remind you that I take good care of you."
I needed that yesterday.
And I wondered... Something had to go wrong for God to point that out to me. So maybe the things that seem terribly wrong in my life are the setup for God to stun me and those around me with His goodness and mercy and kindness and love.
Just maybe.
Doesn't really feel like that most of the time.
But here's a quote I read today.
Our feelings do not affect God's facts. They may blow up, like clouds, and cover the eternal things that we do most truly believe. We may not see the shining of the promises - but they still shine! - Amy Carmichael
