Can you believe it? A few weeks ago, I posted a blog about my flat tire experience and how I saw God's hand in my rescuing. Well, a similar thing happened last week! Ugh! Or Amen! 1, 2, blessings a few later, and I find myself taking a pause to count my blessings...again!
I was driving through the car wash after work. I flipped the air conditioning on because the heat -- a whopping 95 degrees Fahrenheit -- was stifling. (Besides, the air conditioning had gone out at work; so, I was ready for a cool down.) My vents usually blow a little warm air out for the first minute or so, but the vent seemed to get hotter instead of cooler. I fiddled with the dials, and turned the air off and on again. At the wash, the car cooled down once the water started hitting my hood, and cool air finally started blowing. Whew!
Once the wash finished, I made it maybe 50 feet when lights started flashing "Hot Engine. Check Coolant" on my dash and my car started saying "Turn car off. Turn car off." Okay, I complied and pulled over and turned the car off. Stepping outside, I immediately strapped on my backpack and hoofed it over to the Menard's store (only a block from where my car went kaput) to escape the heat and come up with a plan. The air conditioning inside was a balm after the heat blast from my vents and the wafting heat from the pavement I endured on my walk over.
Of course, I started making calls to get roadside assistance and a ride to my home, 23 miles away. As I waited for friend Linda to pick me up, I started counting the blessings:
Thankfully, my vehicle stalled in town and not in the country, where I would not have been able to find a safe place to wait while I made towing arrangements.
Thankfully, I have roadside assistance. The operator initiated towing services immediately.
Thankfully, the tow company didn't require that I wait around in the heat; I left my keys, and they took my car where it needed to go.
Thankfully, my friend, Linda (you rock, lady!) was home and available and able to give me a ride home.
Thankfully, my dad was able to give me a ride to work the next morning on his way to his favorite fishing spot.
Wow. That's so much, but my God is a God of more than enough. So the blessing didn't stop there. Still, I am pausing today to reflect on how quickly life's challenges can impact the way we do faith. I could have focused on the negative things:
My car broke down.
I had to walk a block in the scorching heat.
I had to pay for a replacement motor cooling fan.
I had to ask people for rides.
I couldn't live by my own schedule.
This is stinkin' thinkin'. Last week, Julie posted about how the "muck and mire" of life can drag us down. When the way is not clear, it's hard to see anything but a wall of fog, like this on one of my recent travels (don't worry, I pulled into an inlet to safely take this photo):
In my mind, I knew if I just drove into the fog slowly and carefully stayed on the right side of the yellow line, I would make it safely through. Still, a niggling doubt tried to pull anxiety into my heart. I wasn't taking the bait. I took some advice from Joyce Meyer and I did it afraid! I drove through the fog, and this is what it looked like (a la' my dash cam; no videotaping while driving occurred. I was too worried about possible traffic from either direction):
I could see what I needed to see to get to the other side. My reward was this stunning view:
Now, I'm not a professional photographer (that's my brother), and my picture doesn't do what I saw justice, but the reminder that God will shine his light and His light will overcome the darkness (John 1:5) struck me the moment I came through the fog to a clearing and saw the sun light shining through these trees.
What a beautiful sight!
Both times my car has had problems in the last month, I could not see the outcome clearly. My way was blocked with fog, but God was working behind the scenes to bring me beautiful light in the darkness.
Not only did my car get fixed, a part was available the very next day.
Not only was the part available the next day, the service station was able to get my vehicle fixed right away so I didn't need to arrange rides or get a loaner.
Now, things don't always happen this quickly, and I could choose to look at this situation and say "Why did this happen to me?" or "How come I keep having bad luck?" We can let the negative in and choose to live in the darkness, but God doesn't want us to; He promises better when we choose to look to Him, when we choose to trust Him, and when we choose to live by God's word.
It's easy to think the negative, to be down and burdened by the obstacles of life. Sometimes, bad things are going to happen. Just last week, I was talking to a neighbor who was struggling because his friend had committed suicide. When tragedies like this happen in our lives, the darkness can threaten to overcome us. John 1:5 declares that God will overcome the darkness. We don't have to live in the sad things or bad things; we can move into the light and see the promise God has made. I choose to count my blessing by the good things that happen to me. I choose to see the ways God works in my life. I choose to live in the light.
Best,
Michelle
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