Saturday, October 1, 2011 - Sweet Ride

     We've been a one-car family for about six weeks - until last night.  We drove an Avalon for 14 years and loved it because we had put so little money into anything but routine maintenance. We would still be driving it if someone hadn't rammed into it, leaving it  totalled and unsafe.  We prayed for guidance and Tom searched for another Avalon but gave up due to changes in the used car market and the scarcity and higher prices of Avalons. 
     We were test driving our second-choice car, a beauty with lots of features and power, and were about to buy it when it lurched at a stop sign.  We prayed.  "Lord, show us what to do. Make it happen again if we should take the car back and forget it."  The car did it twice more to a lesser degree, but the message was clear and we returned the car. Tom called and questioned a mechanic who confirmed our decision.  God sent red flags to protect us from a nightmare of car repairs on a car that couldn't be trusted. Stop and think how that fact alone deserves to be celebrated and pondered. How many decisions have I made because I liked the "looks," the "power," the "perks" but didn't take a long, hard look at what the decision could cost me in the long run?"  How many "red flags" have I turned pink or simply ignored?  Why do we choose "exciting" over "reliable?" 
    But wait, there's more. When we drove away from that car lot, leaving the shiny car with hiccups in the rearview mirror, we were relieved but still without a car. Tom moved to the next car on his list and off we went to a Nissan dealership, only we accidentally turned into the Hyundai/Mazda dealership next door. Tom asked about the car he wanted to see, but, of course, the salesman knew nothing about it. He did however ask, "What car would you really like to have?"  Tom sain, "An Avalon due to reliability, but they're hard to find and cost-prohibitive."  In a blink, we were whisked across town to a Ford dealer where a pre-owned Avalon had been traded.  A beautiful car, but without all the fluff. Just our style but priced too high for our Dave Ramsey plagued budget. We prayed.  The salesman let us drive it back to the first dealership and we remembered why we love Avalons.  We were shocked to find this 2007 car was a single-owner car with only 29,000 miles on the odometer.  The table talk began.  When we realized they weren't coming down enough, we prayed, let go and stood to walk out. The manager joined us and we explained that his price and terms were great but we weren't in a position to take advantage of them, thanks to Dave Ramsey and his debt snowball. He was also a recent graduate of Financial Peace so he understood and asked what price we could pay. We told him and we drove away -  in the Avalon. 

     God stopped one purchase when our pens were poised, used a car at a Nissan dealership to allow a wrong turn into a Mazda dealership where they took us to get a Toyota from a Ford dealership across town. I love the way God works and it's become my habit to ask God to send His answers in ways we can't deny His working. No way could we have found this car on our own or afforded it without His intervention. We're praising Him and thanking Him and still a bit in shock that His promises about "the desires of your heart" and "more than you could think or imagine" stretch all the way into the auto arena.  He cares, even about cars.


Father, I can't stop thanking You for Your intervention and provision.  Thank YOU! You don't set the world spinning and leave us to fend for ourselves.  You love to be actively involved in everything to do with us but we shut or leave You out. Forgive us for closing the door on Your Love. Forgive us for leaving You out of decisions. Thank You for red flags and warning signs. Make us wise to them.  You've blessed us more than we ever hoped or imagined and we want the world to know of Your lovingkindness toward us.
"Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name!"
In the Name of Jesus Who taught us God knows how many hairs we lose over major decisions when He's right there to help us.