Small Miracles

I asked one of my friends for a suggested topic to write about, and she said, "Cars, or small miracles." It's funny that she would say this. In my world, they are often one in the same, this week in particular.

I like excitement and adventure. I like a good adrenaline rush now and then. I love to ski, but usually end up going down the black diamond slopes on my butt, rather than on my skis. It is the age old problem of desire vs. talent. I don't have any real athletic talent, so I have to get my thrills in more creative ways.

I drive mechanically challenged cars. Nothing gets the heart rate up, and the adrenaline pumping quite like driving a car that chronically over heats in a city with legendary traffic congestion. It is a race against the clock, and the odds. I try to accomplish all of my stops between morning rush hour and evening rush hour. I make my stops as quickly as possible, and avoid any lengthy meetings. If I am not home by 4pm, I am looking for a productive place to spend the next 2 hours waiting out the traffic.

This past week was especially challenging. The Christmas shopping craze threw off all the normal traffic patterns. My skills are sharp. I only had to pull over once to let the car cool and add some coolant. I keep my trunk fully stocked with supplies; jugs of water, coolant, a funnel, etc.

It would seem logical to buy a new one, or at least take this one to the shop and have a professional fix it, but where is the fun in that?
1. The thing is paid for. It is really hard to argue for a car payment.
2. It has a really great stereo. It's a Bose stereo with high end speakers. I can really rock out in that car!
3. I can take the kids to the beach and not worry about sand in the carpet, or any other sort of mess.
4. The last time I took it to a shop, it came back with more problems. I think it is like Mr. Burns, all the things wrong with it are in a delicate balance, keeping it alive. If I fix one of them, the rest might just kick it over the edge.

These car challenges are also great faith building opportunities. More than once car trouble has brought me to call on my Heavenly Father in prayer. Often my children have silently prayed, while I tried to figure out what the trouble was, and how to get us where we need to go. I witness small miracles regularly.