What A Day…

What a day, what a day…

I woke up this morning feeling excellent.

Last night was the best sleep I’ve gotten in the van yet.  It takes me awhile to adjust to places.

We went about our routine.  Eat breakfast… walk the dog around the Wal-Mart parking lot… go in and go to the bathroom.

As we were ready to leave a nice old man gave us directions to I-81, and like that we were off on our way to Gatlinburg, TN.

As we were approaching the highway we both noticed that the engine was louder than normal.

Then we both noticed that the van didn’t want to shift into third gear.  Then we noticed that we were on the interstate and couldn’t go more than 35mph.

That’s exactly when we noticed that the hazard lights don’t work (possible) or that I just couldn’t figure out how to turn them on (probable).

By this point the van was overheating and we couldn’t get off the interstate fast enough.

As we pulled off of the highway at a random, rural exit the first establishment we came across was an auto mechanic.

Providence?

No.

No one was home.

And now the van wouldn’t start at all.

We prayed about it for awhile, bam --- the van started.  But the transmission was still on the fritz.

So we called AAA, and they towed us to the nearest Dodge dealer.

I know, we probably could have gotten it done for less somewhere else.  But when you’re on the road how do you know a good shop from a bad one?  In the end a guarantee is only as good as the man behind it.

We tossed the tow truck driver his $25 and tossed the dealer the van keys.

We ate sitting on top of a grate inside of a self-service car wash to stay out of the weather.

Two hours later we headed back to the dealership.  $2,600!

The transmission needs replaced. For dealer quality work you’ve got to pay dealer quality prices.

What can I do?  I don’t know the town, I don’t know anything… I had to ask what town I was in.  So, they’re going to do it… it should be ready Thursday.

Thursday???

That’s two nights and we can’t sleep on the dealer’s lot.  It’s supposed to be 31 degrees tomorrow, even in Tennessee.

About a mile away there was a church on a hill.

We trudged up the driveway.  We rang the doorbell.  Do you know where we could find a place to stay?

--- You stand here, I’ll call the Salvation Army ---

I know that there are a lot of crazies out there.  But is it out of the question that someone should have a chat with us and then decide to invite us into their home for the night?

Apparently.

The Salvation Army was full, but the Mountainview Baptist receptionist was able to work us in on borrowed accommodations.

So the baptists were nice enough to drop us back off at the dealership so that we could get their shuttle service to the Salvation Army.

I don’t know if this is the hospitality Jesus had in mind.

Finally, we arrive at the Salvation Army.  Sorry, no dogs allowed.

If the excrement hadn’t previously hit the fan, it was now scattered across the room.

So we did the only thing we could do… we started walking.

What we would’ve given for a $19.99 Motel Six.

We walked a long way.  That’s when we saw the United Methodist Christian Life Center.

Hey!  We’re Christians!  We don’t want to DIE in the cold!  The Christian Life shoe fits.

So, we stopped in.

A nice man named Doug greeted us at the door.

There was a lot of waiting involved.  But before we knew it, the United Methodist church put us up for a night in the local Red Roof Inn.

All we wanted was for someone to invite us into their home and say, “here’s a floor to sleep on”.

But thanks to all of the crazies out there, we wound up in a hotel.

Hot Dog.

Doug and the United Methodist Church, we owe you one.

Praise God, he is faithful to provide for us.

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’” (Matthew 25:31-46)

I guess the question now is, would we have let a stranger stay in our house?

I don’t know.  But what’s important --- would we now?

You’re damn right we would.

Comments

I think the question is, would we let a stranger stay in our VAN?

Damn right we would, we even have a pullout bed.

Give me oil for my Ford, keep me truckin’ for the Lord.

Wow! I’m so completely inspired by this story. I now have a little more faith concerning God’s provisions in our lives. (Too bad you guys had to go through what you did in order for ME to learn the lesson...)

We do what we can.

We just got the van back a couple of minutes ago.

It seems to be running smooth.  But we’ll see…

yup. people can really throw u for a loop sometimes. good or bad. while traveling alone basically in Dublin and London I was at the mercy of other people from time to time.  I could not find a tube station for the life of me on day so i just simply asked a stranger and she helped me find one and helped me get a pass. for her it was so simple but for me the london underground was a giant mountain with me at the bottom in sandles and a teeshirt. not ready for climbing.
in prague the metro only announces stuff if czech. so of course a line breaks down i have no idea what is going on. one of my students happened to be in the same car on the way to school one day and translated for me. im at the mercy of a 13 yr old. but so grateful. he doesn’t even understand.