I never know what's gonna happen next
So, the transmission on my car started to go out last week. At this point, it's still driveable, but that's not going to last for long. Sometimes, it's time to move on from things, and the Chevy has been a real blessing to me, but in the last little while, it's needed a fuel pump, a new windshield, tires, and I just can't see spending more money than the car would be worth to fix the transmission.
My truck still runs, and since changing the heater core, it's actually running much better than it was. It still needs some love, though, and I can, as my son Jake pointed out to me a couple of years ago, literally watch the gas gauge move as I drive it. Gas is cheap right now, but even at cheap, $40 every four days or so is going to add up to a car payment pretty quickly.
I have a new to me 2015 Toyota RAV4. I love the thing. It's peppy, comfy, and more me than the last few cars I've owned. I've learned to be grateful for what I have, and I'm truly grateful for the service the Chevy gave to me, and to the people who needed rides or to borrow it for a spell. But its' time with me is at an end. I have a couple of things I want to try that won't cost a lot of money to do to it, and if they don't work, then it's off to whoever will throw me $300 for the thing.
I just put new tires on it, and I'd like to recoup the $300 I spent on them. I spent a lot of money on the Chevy in the last little while. The battery died. I put a new one in it, but fortunately it was under warranty. I put a new fuel pump in it, and now the gas gauge doesn't read right. The windshield cracked a couple of weeks ago. When a car starts to nickel and dime you, it's trying to tell you it's time to let go.
And judging by how things worked out, I think it was time, and the time turned into a blessing. I was able, after everything I've been through, to get a loan with an interest rate under 5%. I can afford the payments. I don't want to have to, but I can.
The second thing that happened this week is that, and I figured this would happen eventually, just not the way it did, was that I was face-to-face with the guy who used to be my roommate. I've faced harder tests of my faith, but this was a no-doubt doozie.
And the question always is: Are you what you say you are? By that, I mean, do I forgive like Dale, or am I gonna forgive like Dale has been forgiven? Am I going to be like Jesus? I didn't do that myself, I had to pray, a lot, and hard. I knew the meeting was gonna happen, and where, because of the opportunities God gives me to serve Him. But I wasn't sure how I was gonna react. I didn't run away, either. But I also know that not everybody faces things they don't want to; sometimes in fact, some people can't. In the end, though, God saw fit not to take those opportunities away from me. Instead, He used them to grow me as a Christian.
I'm not saying it was easy, but I've forgiven others for more, so it was the right thing to do. A handshake was offered, a few pleasantries were exchanged, and that was that. As we cross paths in the future, at least the awkward moment is over.
I had one day off this week. It was today. All I wanted to do today was to go for a joyride in my new hot rod. But then, I noticed that laundry piled up. I needed groceries. The handle in the shower was broken and needed to be replaced. The water filter in the fridge needed replacing too ($50! what a ripoff!) There were dishes to do, I needed to dust, and things needed to be put back in their proper places. Miss June went for a ride to the Home Depot with me. I saw a little bit of the football games, but one day a week off leaves you with not a lot of time to take care of things, so you make the best use of the time you have. All my chores got done, but I didn't get my road trip.
I want to end with the story of a co-worker praying for me. I badly needed some divine help because I almost threw a hammer across the hangar yesterday. I was fighting with a part that I didn't want to take off. I told anybody who listened that someone who knew what the hell he was doing was required. The guy came over and told me that I could do it, he was busy. I used to be a fuels mechanic so I knew how to do it, but I knew that taking the coupling apart was gonna be a bad idea. I fought with this thing for almost an hour when a co-worker offered to help. I told him there wasn't much room for an extra set of hands. That's when he offered to pray for me, and I said I could really use that.
He asked God, in a very half-hearted manner to "Please give Dale the strength he needs to fix this coupling." About ten minutes later, and with this guy's assistance in pushing the coupling sleeve up from the bottom, I was able, with that Divine help, to get the thing put together. God answered his prayer, and right in front of him.
I love it when God shows up and shows off!
If someone offers to pray for you, ALWAYS take them up on it!
God is good! All the time!
My truck still runs, and since changing the heater core, it's actually running much better than it was. It still needs some love, though, and I can, as my son Jake pointed out to me a couple of years ago, literally watch the gas gauge move as I drive it. Gas is cheap right now, but even at cheap, $40 every four days or so is going to add up to a car payment pretty quickly.
I have a new to me 2015 Toyota RAV4. I love the thing. It's peppy, comfy, and more me than the last few cars I've owned. I've learned to be grateful for what I have, and I'm truly grateful for the service the Chevy gave to me, and to the people who needed rides or to borrow it for a spell. But its' time with me is at an end. I have a couple of things I want to try that won't cost a lot of money to do to it, and if they don't work, then it's off to whoever will throw me $300 for the thing.
I just put new tires on it, and I'd like to recoup the $300 I spent on them. I spent a lot of money on the Chevy in the last little while. The battery died. I put a new one in it, but fortunately it was under warranty. I put a new fuel pump in it, and now the gas gauge doesn't read right. The windshield cracked a couple of weeks ago. When a car starts to nickel and dime you, it's trying to tell you it's time to let go.
And judging by how things worked out, I think it was time, and the time turned into a blessing. I was able, after everything I've been through, to get a loan with an interest rate under 5%. I can afford the payments. I don't want to have to, but I can.
The second thing that happened this week is that, and I figured this would happen eventually, just not the way it did, was that I was face-to-face with the guy who used to be my roommate. I've faced harder tests of my faith, but this was a no-doubt doozie.
And the question always is: Are you what you say you are? By that, I mean, do I forgive like Dale, or am I gonna forgive like Dale has been forgiven? Am I going to be like Jesus? I didn't do that myself, I had to pray, a lot, and hard. I knew the meeting was gonna happen, and where, because of the opportunities God gives me to serve Him. But I wasn't sure how I was gonna react. I didn't run away, either. But I also know that not everybody faces things they don't want to; sometimes in fact, some people can't. In the end, though, God saw fit not to take those opportunities away from me. Instead, He used them to grow me as a Christian.
I'm not saying it was easy, but I've forgiven others for more, so it was the right thing to do. A handshake was offered, a few pleasantries were exchanged, and that was that. As we cross paths in the future, at least the awkward moment is over.
I had one day off this week. It was today. All I wanted to do today was to go for a joyride in my new hot rod. But then, I noticed that laundry piled up. I needed groceries. The handle in the shower was broken and needed to be replaced. The water filter in the fridge needed replacing too ($50! what a ripoff!) There were dishes to do, I needed to dust, and things needed to be put back in their proper places. Miss June went for a ride to the Home Depot with me. I saw a little bit of the football games, but one day a week off leaves you with not a lot of time to take care of things, so you make the best use of the time you have. All my chores got done, but I didn't get my road trip.
I want to end with the story of a co-worker praying for me. I badly needed some divine help because I almost threw a hammer across the hangar yesterday. I was fighting with a part that I didn't want to take off. I told anybody who listened that someone who knew what the hell he was doing was required. The guy came over and told me that I could do it, he was busy. I used to be a fuels mechanic so I knew how to do it, but I knew that taking the coupling apart was gonna be a bad idea. I fought with this thing for almost an hour when a co-worker offered to help. I told him there wasn't much room for an extra set of hands. That's when he offered to pray for me, and I said I could really use that.
He asked God, in a very half-hearted manner to "Please give Dale the strength he needs to fix this coupling." About ten minutes later, and with this guy's assistance in pushing the coupling sleeve up from the bottom, I was able, with that Divine help, to get the thing put together. God answered his prayer, and right in front of him.
I love it when God shows up and shows off!
If someone offers to pray for you, ALWAYS take them up on it!
God is good! All the time!
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