When Everything goes Wrong

I thought it was just me. It wouldn’t be the first time in my driving career that I couldn’t get a clutch in all the way. But when Ed noticed it, too…well, let’s just say I was very blessed to get home from work on Friday evening. For when I tried to park our Tucson, I couldn’t get it into reverse. Then I couldn’t get it into first. And then I just gave up, left it blocking the alley and ran inside to get Ed. He got it into first, pulled it around the block and parked it on the street. Where it sat until we got it towed to the shop Saturday morning.

It was a difficult Friday evening for me. While we knew we needed work done on the Tucson to keep it in operation for at least another year that was going to cost some money, replacing the clutch had not been on that list. We also had until its inspection in July to figure out how we were going to get our lone vehicle to the shop and what we would do (be stranded at home?) for however long it took to get the thing in inspection-passing order. Now we couldn’t get the thing in gear to get it anywhere, we don’t have a regular mechanic, it is the weekend and we don’t have family or friends to help us out in this situation. Yes, I cried. A lot. Ed took my hand and prayed with me, but I honestly felt God had left Pittsburgh, too. The loneliest city on earth.

Saturday morning rolled around. I felt better after a decent night’s sleep, but I still felt very much alone and helpless. By nature, though, I’m not a sit-and-waddle-in-my-problem type of person. First things first. We need that Tucson. So, come what may, it has to go to the shop and get fixed. Ed had called around the night before and a mechanic in Robinson said he would have time to at least look at it Saturday. So, Ed called AAA to get a tow truck to take it there. Meanwhile, I called to get a rental car for at least the weekend and Monday. Ed went with the tow truck driver to drop off the Tucson, plus the driver was nice enough to drive him down the street to Enterprise to get the rental car. As life must go on, once Emry was up from her nap we went grocery shopping. On the way, the mechanic called…

Yes, I was expecting the worse. Even though I was resigned to the fact, I could see the dollars dropping out of my meager savings account. But then I could hear Ed saying, “Really? That’s it?” And then he grinned at me before turning his attention back to the mechanic and grilling him on other things the Tucson needed for inspection this summer. When he got off the phone, he grinned again and said, “Isn’t God good?” And I felt ashamed. For, yes, God is good. And I am fickle and faithless.

The outcome was this: somehow the hoses/cords/whatevers that hook the clutch to the gears so it all shifts together nice and smoothly had gotten kinked up and tangled. All the mechanic had to do was untwist it all. And now that we had a rental car and the Tucson was in the shop, well…we had them do the couple of things we knew we had to have done. And while that cost more than I ever like my car repairs (or anything else) to cost, I knew that expense was already budgeted for. The mechanic said he could get it done by Monday evening when our rental car was due back, but he called us Sunday evening and said he had already finished it. So, not only did we return the rental car early and so get a refund, the mechanic also gave us a 10% break on all the repairs. Lord willing, the thing is ready to pass inspection in July which should only take a few appointed hours in the shop at most.

God is good. Even when I think He’s wandered off to greener pastures. Even when I think He’s left me, and doesn’t care, and only wants to throw wrenches in our plans. And He has blessed us so richly. For while we aren’t millionaires and our incomes simply pay the bills with a little left over, there is a little bit of savings to tap into when things like this happen. And while our Tucson is not the brand new Tacoma Ed dreams about, it has been a very reliable vehicle these seven years I’ve had it, and I pray it will be so for a little bit longer.

God is faithful. God is merciful. God is sovereign. And He hasn’t left Pittsburgh. Thankfully. Now if I would just remember that every day and live in His graciousness.