So funny story today.
God is preparing me for The World Race… just not the way I thought.
I know that he has been working on my heart but it seems that he has other lessons in mind also.
There I was, driving down the 3 lanes of solid traffic known as the Dallas North Tollway, chatting with my dear friend Amanda, when suddenly things start to go downhill.
I know it's only May, but Dallas is hot and I have the air conditioning blowing at full blast trying to combat the heat trying to seep in through my windows. Suddenly, the air is no longer cold.
Confused, I continue to drive and try to think of this as only an inconvenience.
When I finally decided to pay attention to the thermostat, my heat gauge was all the way at hot. You know, so far hot that it can't possibly get hotter and all you can think is, "not good, not good, not good".
In a matter of seconds, I hang up with Amanda and pull over to the side of the highway where my car sits at the edge of 3 lanes of traffic moving at a minimum of 70 miles an hour. Leaning over the edge of the road, I see that I'm about 15 feet above the ground.
At this point, I do what any good 24 year old girl would do….
I call Mom.
Then I call the Mechanic.
Then I call Dad.
Then I begin my hunt for a gas station so that I can add water to the radiator in an attempt to get the car to start without overheating. Walking down the highway, I start to think about my prayer time that morning and how much God actively influences my life each and every day.
Then I begin thinking about how this may just be training for something we might experience on the World Race.
After walking along the highway, running down the onramp and across the access road, I survey the road in each direction to quickly learn that there is not a gas station in either direction. So, I make a quick decision and decide that my best bet is Ikea about three quarters of a mile north.
Once inside, I locate a full flat of bottled water and decide that this is my best option. After purchasing the water, I opt to sit on a bench for a bit and, once again, call mom. We have a lovely chat before I set back out.
The looks I receive are comical as I pull my hair back, roll up my pant legs and hoist the flat of water until it sits neatly atop my head. Back to walking. Occasionally, I stop to set the water down and give my aching arms a minute or two of rest. The hour of climbing I did that morning was not helping me out at all.
I make my way back down the highway and set to work. After a little trouble, I get the hood up and the radiator cool enough to open. It quickly swallows several bottles of water and I continue to poor water in until it is full. 5 bottles total. Now is the moment of truth. Will the car turn on and drive without overheating?
Success!!!!!
The water trick worked. Then there was driving back to the mechanic next to my apartment. Now, I'm no dummy. I rolled all the windows down and turned the heat on full blast trying to pull as much heat as possible off of the engine in an effort to not overheat on my way to the mechanic.
Finally, I made it to the shop and that is where my car sits now as I sit at home awaiting a phone call to tell me what the damage is.
God sure has a funny way of teaching us lessons.
