"Just Happened"

It was one of those mornings.

Steve called me to tell me that he had run out of gas while driving to the gas station. Both of us having not followed our typical rule of keeping at least 1/4 tank in the winter, I knew that I was almost out of gas also. Yet it was up to me to drive to the gas station to fill that lovely red container and bring it back to Steve so he could get to work.

As I turned on the van, alarm bells rang. My tires, all four of them, were low on air. Of course. But that "little" detail was going to have to wait for later.

Then it took me ten minutes to pull out of my driveway. Apparently 8:37 is the prime time in the morning for buses to drive down my street on their way to the high school. Finally I was on the road.

The window fogged up on the way down a steep hill. Nothing like driving down a snowy, curving road with no gas and no visibility!

I prayed all the way to the gas station, and moments later I coasted safely to the beautiful gasoline pumps.

After getting gas, I sat for a few minutes to let my windows defrost. I knew Steve was waiting for me, but I couldn't call him because...you guessed it, his cell phone had died. And I had the charger.

Finally I got back up the hill and pulled in next to Steve. He was freezing and very, very happy to see me. He quickly poured the gas in his tank and drove away.

As I pulled into my driveway, the spare key I had taken, since I couldn't find my regular keys, fell into the crack between the steering wheel and the dashboard. I imagined a long stick with a half-chewed sticky piece of gum on the end, but opted instead to just finally walk back into my house.

You would think this would be enough to shatter my day. But guess what? I was elated!

Instead of seeing all the negatives, I reveled in the blessings:

Steve's cell phone is broken and can't make outgoing calls. I "just happened" to call him right as he ran out of gas. Had I not done that, he would have been stuck with no way to let me know.

Steve was supposed to take Kahlan to swimming this morning. I "just happened" to decide at the last minute to give her the morning off, and so we slept until 6:30. Had he run out of gas at 6:15am, I couldn't have helped him until I was finished getting all the children to school.

I had an appointment with the dog groomer this morning that I "just happened" to cancel right before calling Steve. Had I not canceled the appointment, I would have gotten the children ready and headed out the door without ever calling Steve and finding out his predicament.

Scripture "just happened" to pop into my head as I was driving down that winding hill. I wish I could tell you what it was, but I truly have no idea. He gave it to me when I needed it, and it got me through with no anxiety.

After losing my spare key to the cavernous hole and walking back in my house, my regular car keys "just happened" to be sitting right on the counter...in plain sight.

God is so good. This could have been a horrible day, but instead it left me filled with joy and thankfulness.