Mixed Blessing
I’m staying so busy with gardening, travel and other pursuits and projects; I haven’t had much time to update my blog. I have wanted to share with everyone the mixed blessing I had while at my daughter’s over the Easter holidays.
Before Easter 2006
I had driven my own car the 500 or so miles to our daughter's home so that I could use it to take the grandchildren places while she prepared for their seasonal transition to the Chicago area. The children and I planned an all day excursion to the local Exploration & Science Center. Their mother made me some maps as the Center is downtown but just off the Interstate. We started out about 11:00 a.m. Of course, it being so close to Noon, they both wanted something to eat. Also, of course, they did not want food from the same place. Luckily, both places are in the same shopping area, so we went through the drive-ups but had to wait a while at each one.
Just before I drove onto the Interstate, I thought I’d better review the directions and maps to be sure I knew where my next interchange would be. The map was not in the place where I had put it. So I pulled off the road onto the parking lot of a business complex to see if I could find it. I could still not locate the map or directions, so I used my cell phone to call my daughter to see if I had left it at her house. She responded that it was right there on the counter. So, I started the car back up and started back to her house about one and one-half miles away. I noticed that the warning light for the radiator came on immediately. Well, my car is about 12 years old but has always been very well maintained and this was surprising to me. I noticed that the temperature gauge was rising rapidly and I prayed that we could make it to my daughter’s before it reached the danger zone. I told the grandchildren that there was something wrong with the car and they needed to get out as soon as we got to their house.
Just as we pulled into the driveway, I noticed steam coming out from under the hood. We all exited quickly and got as far away as we could. I, of course turned, off the engine. Well, that cancelled our trip to the Exploration and Science Center. It turns out that a plastic inlet valve had been in the process of cracking for some time and had chosen that day to separate. Water from the radiator was not going into the engine but rather spraying onto the outside.
Now you may wonder, “Where is the Blessing?”
Can you imagine what would have happened had I not stopped and had to wait in the lines at the fast food places? I would have driven straight to the Interstate and probably had the engine overheat then, or at best, in the downtown area of their city of approximately a half million. With two young children in the car, that could have been disastrous. I am so thankful that we were still close to the children’s home when I noticed the problem.
1Thes 5:18
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
(KJV)
Before Easter 2006
I had driven my own car the 500 or so miles to our daughter's home so that I could use it to take the grandchildren places while she prepared for their seasonal transition to the Chicago area. The children and I planned an all day excursion to the local Exploration & Science Center. Their mother made me some maps as the Center is downtown but just off the Interstate. We started out about 11:00 a.m. Of course, it being so close to Noon, they both wanted something to eat. Also, of course, they did not want food from the same place. Luckily, both places are in the same shopping area, so we went through the drive-ups but had to wait a while at each one.
Just before I drove onto the Interstate, I thought I’d better review the directions and maps to be sure I knew where my next interchange would be. The map was not in the place where I had put it. So I pulled off the road onto the parking lot of a business complex to see if I could find it. I could still not locate the map or directions, so I used my cell phone to call my daughter to see if I had left it at her house. She responded that it was right there on the counter. So, I started the car back up and started back to her house about one and one-half miles away. I noticed that the warning light for the radiator came on immediately. Well, my car is about 12 years old but has always been very well maintained and this was surprising to me. I noticed that the temperature gauge was rising rapidly and I prayed that we could make it to my daughter’s before it reached the danger zone. I told the grandchildren that there was something wrong with the car and they needed to get out as soon as we got to their house.
Just as we pulled into the driveway, I noticed steam coming out from under the hood. We all exited quickly and got as far away as we could. I, of course turned, off the engine. Well, that cancelled our trip to the Exploration and Science Center. It turns out that a plastic inlet valve had been in the process of cracking for some time and had chosen that day to separate. Water from the radiator was not going into the engine but rather spraying onto the outside.
Now you may wonder, “Where is the Blessing?”
Can you imagine what would have happened had I not stopped and had to wait in the lines at the fast food places? I would have driven straight to the Interstate and probably had the engine overheat then, or at best, in the downtown area of their city of approximately a half million. With two young children in the car, that could have been disastrous. I am so thankful that we were still close to the children’s home when I noticed the problem.
1Thes 5:18
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
(KJV)
posted by Rainbo @ 5:13 PM
0 comments
