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Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Another Opportunity to Make Lemonade


They wanted to surprise their Daddy last Thursday. That’s why T.J. and Allie were driving from Spokane to Gig Harbor. Mike had flown in Wednesday night so he could watch our youngest, Sarah, play tennis. It was the only time this season he could come to watch her play. Of course it was a rain-out on Thursday because we are in the Northwest and that’s what happens in the spring. It rains. A LOT!

We got a call from our oldest son that his brother and sister were headed to the Harbor to surprise us but were currently on the side of the highway with a “smoking’” car. We were surprised all right. We didn’t know they were coming, and the car was purchased just 3 months ago. It had already been in the shop and cost us $$! What now? With the help of a tow truck company that came and evaluated the problem, we had three options; spend over $450 and have it towed back to the shop that worked on it before, have the kids spend the night in Moses Lake (where?) and get it looked at in the morning, or take a chance, keep the fluids filled, pray, and head over the mountain. My husband wasn’t voting for the third option but that’s what the kids chose. They really wanted some family time.

They finally arrived at 1:30 in the morning and the repair shop here spent the day trying to diagnose the problem. After a fun weekend of hanging out, watching Sarah play in a tennis tournament (it didn’t rain on Saturday!) and going to church together, it was time for the kids to head back and for me to take my husband to the airport to fly back to Chicago.

I got the call right after I dropped off Mike. They were pulled off the highway with steam rising and fluids bubbling. What does the Mom do? Well, since my husband’s cell phone was turned off I just headed toward my kids. Isn’t that my job? Mom’s immediate love response is search and rescue.

“It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1Corinthians 13:7

It took a while to find them because they didn’t know their exact location. Mike finally called us and it was determined that I would switch cars with them. And so… they’ve got my dependable, cute red Kia Sorento with my Good- to- Go bridge pass and I have their “needs repair” car that doesn’t have a bridge pass and has their campus parking sticker.

"Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged." Corinthians 13:5

If you read my blog on January 27th called, “We’re under a Car Curse” you’re probably shaking your head. Yep, here we go again. Another possible lemon of a car and the thought of “making lemonade” does NOT sound good at the moment.

I thought it timely that the sermon I just heard focused on “It’s not all about me!” Even though I already miss my car and worry about how much the car repairs will be, right now it’s about my daughter Allie who will be graduating from college in a month. She has a lot going on in the next few weeks and to be without a car would have been quite hard. Sarah and I can share. We only have three more days until we’re leaving town for spring break. I have learned over the past 25 years of parenting that I will do whatever is necessary for the welfare of my children.

God, sacrificed his one and only son for our welfare. Have you been contemplating what Jesus did for us as Easter weekend approaches?

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

I made it back to the Harbor without the car overheating and pulled into the grocery store parking lot where I was given another unexpected lesson. Next to me was a van with a man sitting at the wheel. I did a double take when I saw the amount of stuff and trash piled almost to the ceiling in his vehicle. My first reaction was of disapproval, and then I realized that this man was most likely living in his van. He was spending the day in the parking lot because he had nowhere else to go. Where does he park at night? How does he afford gas and food? Does he have a family?

I have a home in Illinois, a place to live in Gig Harbor, food in my refrigerator, a debit card to buy expensive gas, and our family has four cars (one which is a bit sick at the moment…)

Thank you God for reminding me how blessed I am, take care of the man in the van, and making lemonade sounds pretty good right now.

In His Grip, Jane

1 comment:

  1. jane! what am amazing post! this ministered to me big time. thanks so much! (so sorry about the car...)

    ReplyDelete