No Coincidences #5

God is merciful, God is compassionate, God is...Australian?? (No worries, Mate!)

One of my biggest obsessions --fear, really -- was that my 25 year-old Minivan would break down. Bad enough in a populated region...truly awful in the inter-mountain West, where there are often no services and no 'bars' for many miles. If you need a tow, you may have to hitch-hike 100 miles to reach a phone, wait hours for the tow truck to pick you up, then backtrack to the car -- easily a full day before reaching the garage. A narrow mountain road with no shoulder, an absence of mile markers (let alone mail boxes or cross roads), no other traffic to give you a lift...(Where am I? How would I know?).

7 May 2018, 0530 AM --Fish Lake, Utah

Packed up my camp early. An awesomely beautiful alpine lake, a few thousand feet higher than yesterday's lonely road from Blanding to Hanksville, the last green I could count on that day as I was heading for US 50 ("The loneliest road in America"). As I crested the 'bowl' which held the lake, the temperature gauge in the van literally pegged out as I watched it. Red-lined. Frantic, I looked up and there was a dirt road and -- wonder of wonders -- a wide pull-out. First "thank you Jesus!" A few engine checks -- fluids full -- second TYJ! Check my phone -- BARS! 3rd TYJ! Connected to AAA -- 4th TYJ!

"Where are you?" "I'm at the intersection of Forest Service Road 46 and Utah 25." Are you in the traffic lane?" "No -- a good sized pull-out." "Good. We have you. Expect Gary in one hour." 5th TYJ!

I was calming; pulled out a camp chair and had some breakfast. The view was fantastic -- easily 100 miles to the south and east, the next mountain ranges catching the morning sun. Nearer, an aspen or birch forest -- nearer still, a mule deer and her fawn. Praising God. When Gary arrived I could not stop talking about God's merciful provision. A blessing to break down where I did.

"How big is LOA (our destination)?" ("Population 632 when I left, but the town is expecting"). Gary's NAPA store astonished me --I'm no stranger to car parts stores, but he had the biggest inventory I ever saw. I believe he had parts (or could fabricate them) for any vehicle or machinery on a highway, farm, ranch, or mine in the southern half of Utah.

His mechanic unhooked the van and went to work. After 90 minutes he came to me with the 'bad' news: "I'm sorry, but I've checked out everything in your vehicle...and there is nothing wrong with it!" 6thTYJ!

Then the bill: for a 29 mile Tow, and an hour and a half of prime mechanic time -- $69.00! 7th TYJ!

God is so good, so gentle. I immediately saw that the whole morning had been for two purposes: To assure me that anything I faced on my trip was easily handled by the four (!) of us; and for me to let Gary and another ten or so residents of LOA hear my testimony!

11/23/2024