My sister, Pat, and her husband, H P, were with me and Kat on vacation in the Ozarks and Pat wanted some of the abundantly available field stones for her home back in West Tennessee . We found an undeveloped cul-de-sac where we loaded a few large, some medium and a several small stones into the floorboard of the ever-sinking Betsy, our aging SUV. Satisfied that she had all she wanted, Pat announced that we could move out, but with each revolution of the wheels, the crunch of gravel and dirt was accompanied by a loud and unkind whish of air. I turned to the family, “a flat”.
Not to worry, Plan A, I have a can of “flat fixer”. Extracting the can of salvation, I quickly attached it to the ailing tire and pushed the button which would free the healing liquids through the tube and into the tire. White yuk blew from every connection and we all gasped as the compressed salvation escaped into the air, not the dying tire.
Plan B…Kat and Pat were assigned to trek back up the road to the store, Cravens, and purchase yet another can of ‘first aid’. HP and I tackled Plan C, jacking up the car and replacing the not too round tire with the yet to be found spare. Found it. Flat!
A friendly local, Van, was flagged down by HP and after observing all the miseries Pandora’s Box could contain, Van announced he would go and retrieve his neighbor’s compressed air tank. Next was the arrival of Brody in his bright new red pick up truck. Brody was quickly dispatched to pick up the dynamic duo, Pat and Kat.
I placed a call to the facilities reception center for Janice, Sue, Nancy or anybody who was manning the phones. Janice answered and responded with the assurances that help would be sent.
As I lay there in the dirt and rocks, I reflected on the situation and its aging participants. I had the time to reflect on the friends and new found neighbors who had been drawn into this occasion.
The forest, rocks, trees and ‘friends’ were all a part of the tapestry being woven by God for our edification and subsequent acknowledgement of His loving care. Yes, we were definitely discomforted and distressed. While He did not orchestrate the obnoxious occasion for us to experience, He, God, Aba, Father and Papa, took this which we found stressful and began to apply His balm of Gilead; both healing and expanding our understanding of ‘community’. The car didn’t just have a flat. I was not alone in the vehicle. And, the four of us were soon joined with several others who were drawn into an opportunity for ministry and for growth.
“Thank you, Father, for your loving and watchful eye. Thank you, Papa God, for sending me this lesson of community through this adversity so lovingly cloaked in growth-filled stress on an old dirt road.”
Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow,
Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow,
nor reap nor gather into barns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not worth much more than they? MATTHEW 6:26
