God’s Mechanic

Another story from our recent adventure at the coast – one with Our Father’s hands all over it!

One of my greatest blessings- my back yard in the Spring

Everyone had eaten their breakfasts, showered and dressed. We were getting ready to head out to check out some new places – granted there are not that many since we have been coming here for over 30 years!! We were all looking forward to some fun and a good meal or two. We decided to head for Swansboro, a delightful coastal town on the intracoastal waterway and White Oak River.  It is this town that attracted us so many years ago where my husband and I were married.

As my daughter started her vehicle, she noticed the battery light stayed on. It was NOT on when I used it the other day when I went to renew my driver’s license. (See my previous post).   Neither of us quite knew what that meant, so I dug out the owner’s manual. It did not look good.  A faulty alternator was suspect and that could spell trouble.  Cyndi headed out as we tried to figure out the best thing to do.

From the island, there is a high and long bridge that you take to get to the mainland. The manual said you should get assistance/service immediately – that sounded ominous. So, knowing that there was an Auto Zone not too far up the road on the other side of the bridge and that I happen to like Auto Zone, we went there.

A kind older employee came out with a tester, suspicious of the alternator and sure enough, the alternator was low – can’t remember how low, but basically it was not charging the battery. We asked how far we could get – back to condo? Call AAA? He said maybe 2-5 miles but the battery could die at any time.   Breaking down on the bridge going back to the condo would be BAD. It is only two lanes wide. And getting a tow truck and police to direct/divert traffic would have been crazy!!

We trusted him. So, I got on the phone with Enterprise (there were none close by) and reserved a full sized vehicle.  My daughter texted our mechanic back home with the alternator reading to see if we “were in trouble”. He texted back that we need to get a new alternator asap. So, I reserved a car and she started calling local repair shops that the Auto Zone folks said were nearby.

I heard back from the rental company in the closest town to us. We were too far for them to come get us and they had no cars that were big enough for all of us and our “stuff”. I was told to try the location in Jacksonville. In the meantime, a repair shop said they could work on the vehicle tomorrow and hopefully get it done by tomorrow evening. Sheesh. We had no way to get it there and no way to get a rental car.

Looking out my front door!

Then, out of the blue (love that expression), the older man said he had just called a shop two blocks down the road and they would be glad to work us in that afternoon. AND, they would be over $100 cheaper than the other place, could get the alternator right away and had a nice waiting area. So, we drove down there and sat in the waiting room.

During that time, I met all kinds of wonderful Christians – who knew?  (HE did). We got to spend lots of time talking about the Lord, how He had spared us from possible ‘on the road breakdown’, possibly getting hurt, being without a vehicle, saved us money and brought us to sit and be with some really wonderful people!

The kids were getting hungry and hence a little fussy. We didn’t know how long it would be as the shop was waiting on the alternator to get there. There was a little gas station grill a block down, but we weren’t sure if we wanted to go there. Just then, an older couple with whom we had been talking with were told their vehicle was ready. I was up at the counter checking on our status. The couple whispered to each other and then offered to take us anywhere we wanted to go to eat! WOW. The husband quoted some scripture about how we should do for one another.

Just at that moment, the shop manager came in and told me they would be done within 30 minutes. I thanked him and the couple for such a kind offer. Since we would be leaving soon, we would be okay. We talked some more about the Lord and then they left. What a blessing!

How often we find ourselves in a situation that seems overwhelming and we get anxious. I was that day. But soon, Father calmed my heart and then gave me so many opportunities to talk about Him with others. And the rest of that week and probably for a while, I am able to share this story with others.

Matthew 6:34    Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Psalm 34:4      I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.

Philippians 4:19    And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.

 

AMEN!