Flat Tire

On my way home from a church meeting this afternoon, I was surprised by one of those "not so convenient" moments. As I crossed the railroad tracks, my thoughts drifted to a conversation I had just finished with a friend. A smile mirrored my affection.

I was rolling right along, listening to the beat of KLOVE, when suddenly I noticed a very loud and surging noise that seemed to come up from the floor board. Accompanying this new sound, was the smell of rubber. I slumped in my seat, knowing that it was a flat tire.

A flat tire is never something that can be planned for. Wouldn't it be nice if we could schedule those in? I think the third Monday of twelfth month would work out for me. I guess the truth of the matter is, even if I could schedule them in - I don't think I would.

Whether I am in a hurry or not, flat tires always end up being an inconvenience. I could be on the way to drop the kids off for school, or coming back from the grocery store . . . and with one pop of a tire my schedule is demolished.

After the rubber hit my nostrils, I pulled off the road knowing that driving on a bare wheel wasn't going to benefit anybody. There is something so interesting that happens when I'm caught off guard by something. It's like time stands still. Suddenly I felt very small, and the distance to - well anywhere - seemed terribly far. This afternoon, I grew a new appreciation for my green machine.

It took me a moment to gather my thoughts and asses the situation. Okay, I have forty five minutes before Makayla has to be picked up. Who should I call? Well -my knight in shinning armor of course. Mark very graciously responded to my plea for help. Between a parade of phone calls, he dropped what he was doing and came to my rescue.

While I waited, cars zoomed by causing the van to shake with each passing. I rolled down the window for some fresh air, and grabbed my discipleship book. There is no need to waste a productive moment like this. Before I flipped to my bookmark, I wondered how long it would take Mark to arrive.

Will he get here in time for Makayla to be picked up? What about the boys - I have to get them too. How will I get the tire fixed? Will I try and squeeze it in this afternoon, or change my morning appointment to get it taken care of?

Details swarmed around my head like a mass of bees. It made concentrating on what I was reading difficult. But moments later, my worries subsided as I submitted each detail to God. He has been giving me a lot of practice waiting lately, and this afternoon - I felt very much like a pro.

Just as Mark began to pull up, I heard a voice from the other side of my van.

"Is someone helping you ma'am?" Said a young man who came out of nowhere.

Who's this ma'am he is talking to I wondered. (I never feel old enough to be called ma'am.)

Yes, that is my husband right over there - but thank you for stopping, I really appreciate it.

What a guy. I never saw him pull his car over. I didn't have my hazards on or anything - but this gentleman discerned that I needed help. The flat tire was probably a pretty good clue. He looked harmless enough, and I'm pretty sure he wasn't a lunatic. Still, I was glad to see my hero enter the scene.

Mark climbed out of his truck, and proceeded to work on getting the spare in place. He worked silently, and diligently. With a bloodied up hand and sweat pouring down his face, he finally tightened the last bolt. In that moment, I really did feel rescued. Mark knew just what to do to get my van running again, and I knew that he would work until it was finished. I felt warmed by his chivalry.

There is something God wanted me to take notice of as everything played out today. At every point of reference, there was somebody there to care for me. There was my friend's office that I had just come from, the stranger stopping to see if I needed help. And of course, my wonderful husband, doing only what wonderful husbands can do. And to top things off, the tire man was able to squeeze me in, and my friend Debbie (who just happened to be driving by) gave the kids and I a ride home.

Loved, cared for - this is how I felt today. All of those unforeseen circumstances can sometimes really throw me for a loop. They can throw a monkey wrench into my schedule, forcing me to roll the window down and relax a little - which really wasn't half bad.

Back at home, I am happy to report that the tire is all fixed, and life resumes to normalcy (or as close to normalcy as it can). This little hiccup in my day made me take time and stop to smell the roses.

And in the grand scheme of things - that is really where the rubber meets the road.