January 31, 2014

Thanking God for His Protection

January 31, 2014

Everyday God is protecting us and taking care of us in ways we may never know this side of Heaven.  Sometimes He gives us just a glimpse of the way He has provided for us.  This afternoon was one of those times for me.

Last night when I went to pick up my grandson at Driver's Ed, my car was making a new noise.  I have told Ron that due to my hearing problems he needs to drive my car occasionally to see if there are new noises that I have not heard.  By the time I got home (the entire trip to Driver's Ed and back is probably a little over a mile), the noise had stopped.  I did mention it to Ron when he came in around 9:00 last night. 

This morning, I heard the noise when I started the car, but the noise stopped within a couple of blocks.  At almost the end of the work day, I told Ron I was going to the bank to make a deposit and hoped to be back before closing time.  Since it was almost closing time, I did not take my granddaughter with me - her dad would soon be coming to get her.  She had come to the office after lunch and spent the afternoon.  Two blocks from the bank I went to make a right turn off our main street in downtown and suddenly lost all power - the engine had died, I had almost no steering and no brakes!  Yikes!  I was just slightly into my turn and was aimed right at a large pole holding the street light.  I turned the steering wheel with all my might using my strong arm and my weak arm.  I was applying the brakes with all my leg strength and managed to turn the car enough to just barely clear the intersection. 

Thankfully, I was turning onto a one-way street because I turned not just into the far left lane, but the parking lane.  Thankfully NO ONE was parked at all on that street.  Thankfully there had been no one in the crosswalk.  Thankfully there was no one on the sidewalk.  I did not run up on the sidewalk except for just the width of the curb, but I would have been so scared if anyone had been on the sidewalk, not knowing if I could stop or turn enough to avoid them. 

I had brought the car to a stop against the curb on the left side of the street and sat there and started shaking.  Very little shakes me up, but this sure did!  I called Ron and know I must have scared him with how shaken I was.  He said he would lock up and be right there (it was almost closing time anyway).  He brought our granddaughter with him.  Ron looked at the engine and quickly determined the problem.  (He will probably say I explained this all wrong, but he is already asleep, so I can't have him fill this in.)  It turned out that a bearing had frozen up and the belt slipped off, so the engine died when that happened and I had no power steering or power brakes. 

God had cleared a path for me to bring the car to a safe stop.  Usually at that time of day, there isn't much traffic downtown, but today there was.  A few days ago, there was not one car parked along main street in that area, but today all the spots on main street were full - but the ones of the side street I needed were empty.  There were people walking everywhere in the next two blocks, but none at the corner where I was trying to turn.  God prepared a place for me.  Was I shaking?  Yes!

The neatest thing that happened came a few minutes later.  Ron told me he thought he could drive the car to our mechanic (4 blocks away - one turn and then a straight shot).  He told me to get my things that I needed out of my car and move them to his.  My granddaughter took all my things (briefcase, tote bag, jacket, garage door opener, etc.) and put them in Grandpa's car.  Her dad (our son) had his office just two blocks away and it was time for him to be leaving to come get her at our office.  I said I would walk her to his office and meet him and Ron called him to let him know.

I warned Ron to be sure he could turn the steering wheel and that the brakes were working before he pulled out into traffic.  He said he could manage it.  As my granddaughter and I stood on the sidewalk and watched him slowly, carefully pull away, I said, "I sure hope he knows what he is doing."  Instantly she replied with a spark in her voice, "He does."  I laughed and said, "Yes, you are right, and he is much stronger than I am.  He can turn the steering wheel."

How can I NOT think of God and the way He cares for us?  Do we stand by and say, "I sure hope He knows what He is doing"?  Our instant response should always be, "HE does!"  And He is so much stronger than I am.  He can steer my life in the right direction.

Ron had brakes.  I didn't because the engine had died.  He had strength to manage the steering without the power steering.  He safely arrived at the mechanic's place and the mechanic quickly spotted the problem, hurried to the parts place and had the problem fixed and us on our way in probably under 30 minutes.

I had walked our granddaughter to meet her dad and then they walked me back to Ron's car.  I went to the mechanic's place and checked with Ron.  Then I returned to my original plan and went to the bank to make a deposit.  By the time I got back to the mechanic's place, the car was ready.  All of this is within a 6 or 8 block area.  Perfect place, perfect timing, for a part on my aged car to give out.  It could have been in a worse spot, at a worse time, with not so great an outcome.  Thank you, God for your protection!

As for the rest of the day, my left arm and wrist had hurt all day.  I am sure I am going to be very sore from the strain I put on both arms this afternoon.  I took some Tylenol as soon as I got back to the office this afternoon.

Our oldest grandson was at the office this morning and he and I got a good bit of work done.  I had started yesterday packing up all of the 2013 records and he helped me finish that chore today.  He priced merchandise and later his sister and I put much of it away.  Our grandson left at 2:00 and our granddaughter arrived about 1:00.  She helped me clean some and then I let her do some sewing. 

Several years ago a good friend who was also a quilter, passed away.  Her daughters gave me a lot of her fabric and projects in progress.  There was a large Ziplock bag filled with pieces she had cut out and never put together.  I gave my granddaughter that bag this afternoon and let her try out the sewing machine.  She quickly worked on several projects.  She tried out the pieces in the way they were intended to be used.  Then she tried them her own way.

Next she put some rows together without pinning as she sewed.  Without obsessing over matching corners.  Just having fun.  Her corners matched pretty well.  She then took this piece (below) and folded it in half, stitched up the side seams and had a bag.

She cut some tiny pieces and made a small book showing several floral patterns.  I think this is for her doll.

She just had fun.  It was a good afternoon with her and a good morning with our grandson.  God is good.