A crazy car morning.... yet, peace in the midst of it all.

This morning my husband's car was the one in back and it wouldn't start.  The battery was stone cold dead.  Dead as a door knob.  You get the picture.  There was no juice whatsoever in there.  NADA (nothing).  So, we rushed around to get the battery and planned to plug it in and put it on "jump" mode so we could hopefully get the kid to school on time or slightly late.  We got everything set up and I sat back in the driver's seat and noticed the engine lights were on, so I tried to crank it and it cranked.  My husband was staring at me through the windshield with the clips in his hand saying he hadn't even attached them yet.  ODD!!  The clock showed the battery had been working for 3 minutes.  Very crazy.

I facilitated/taught a Bible Study this morning in downtown Chattanooga.  After it was over, I got back in my car and the ignition wouldn't move.  It has been doing that off and on and we had the ignition replaced once before.(what we thought was a year ago, but turned out to be 4 years and 1 day ago--4/10/09).  I tried for about 30 minutes to get the key to turn over.  I wiggled it.  I tried to feel the key in the ignition and magically move everything to work together, to no avail.  Usually I can get it to work within 5-8 minutes.  Not today.  And today, my friend Kathleen had made it back to Bible Study with me, so she was stuck too.  I was able to contact insurance who contacted a towing company.  Kathleen and I got to walk up and down the block for about 20 minutes.  The towing company came.  My new friend Jeremy got things set up and then told me he needed the key so he could turn it over to put the car into neutral.  I told him that the ignition wouldn't budge and that's why he was there. ☺  Thankfully, Toyotas have a button you can push to put the car in neutral.  I learned something today.  We rode in the cab of the tow truck to Firestone.  If that were on my bucket list, I could cross it off.  I may write it in. ☺  It was a pleasant ride from downtown to Firestone and we had a good conversation.  It was enjoyable.  Why not try to make the most of rough situations?!?!

We got to Firestone.  It was my buddy Bill's day off.  Maybe that's best.  Because he probably would have given me a hard time.  That's when I learned it had been 5 years and a day instead of one year that we had the ignition replaced last.  After making all the arrangements, I went out back to get the key and talk to the tow guy again.

Guess what?!!?  He had gotten the car to start.  And, so did I.  But, I left it there anyway because this has been going on for a while again and there's only so much that graphite can cure.  Besides, what if this was my opportunity to get it fixed before it happened and I was stuck somewhere not so safe?!?!

Firestone called me this afternoon to tell me that they finally got it to lock up.  YEAH!!  There is some concern about whether or not this particular ignition needs to be key-coded or not (a matter of $$) but they are checking into it. 

I am good with whatever needs to happen so that this car that has gotten me many miles can continue to run for at least 5 more years or so (it's a 2000 with about 196,000 miles). 

Kathleen's husband picked us up, we ran through Starbuck's so I could get them an offering of thanks, and they dropped me off at Bi-Lo so I could get my husband's car.  He wasn't there, so I walked to Wendy's to get the keys. 

Whew!  And, how/why HIS car died over night?!?!  He probably left the lights on by mistake or didn't close the door well.  After all, he didn't get home until about 9:45pm due to the robbery at the pharmacy last night.  Yep, you read that correctly.  His pharmacy got robbed last night.  BUT, nobody was hurt and since this guy has done this before locally, they are hopefully going to catch him. 

Crazy stuff happens in life.  I try to see them as adventures and opportunities. 

And, of all days, today is our daughter's 12th birthday. ☺  Happy Birthday!

I took my Jesus Calling devotion to Bible Study with me today to "bless" them with today's message.  I had NO IDEA how much this message would be something I would need to hear and would need to live into today.   I am grateful that I haven't complained and have been able to have peace that flows deeper than I am aware.... even when the adrenaline rush flows.

Here is the devotion for April 11 from Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.  Maybe it speaks to where you are today and/or something you have experienced.

"THIS IS THE DAY THAT I HAVE MADE.  Rejoice and be glad in it.  Begin the day with open hands of faith, ready to receive all that I am pouring into this brief portion of your life.  Be careful not to complain about anything, even the weather, since I am the Author of your circumstances.  The best way to handle unwanted situations is to thank Me for them.  This act of faith frees you from resentment and frees Me to work My ways into the situation, so that good emerges from it.
     To find joy in this day, you must live within its boundaries.  I knew what I was doing when I divided time into twenty-four-hour segments.  I understand human frailty, and I know that you can bear the weight of only one day at a time.  Do not worry about tomorrow or get stuck in the past.  There is abundant Life in my Presence today." (page 106)

Scriptures: Psalm 118:24; Philippians 3:13-14

Handling unwanted situations in thankfulness and continuing onward on this adventurous journey,

May you find joy in this day!

Debra ☺