Sarah’s daily chores consist of feeding the dog and empty the dishwasher. Regarding the latter, while she can unload the dishwasher, we never know exactly where she decides to put the dishes! It is more of “Tidying Up by Sarah”.  There are times I stand in front of my kitchen cabinets and think, “Where would Sarah put this item?” It is fascinating and sometimes hilarious where she put things!

A few weeks ago, I was making pasta salad as side dish for dinner and I asked Sarah to unload the dishwasher. She did it, but left two items on the kitchen island. I asked her to put them away but she gave me a blank stare. I repeated myself to put the items away and she looked at me and walked away.

“Why is she not doing it?”

Then it hit me. She left out the colander and a bowl for the pasta salad. She knew I would need them and left them out for me!

It reminds of the most amazing miracle I had recently…

Jack and I went to look at colleges in the Nashville area. On the way home my GPS told me to get off the expressway due to heavy traffic/accident. While we were on this stretch of road on the outskirts of town, Jack rolled down his window to enjoy the warm weather. Then we heard it.

Bang, bang, bang, bang!

It sounded like something was under my car. Did I run over a plastic bag and it was flapping underneath?

As we looked at each other trying to determine what was causing the noise, my car dashboard flashed ‘battery system check’ as the dashboard lights dimmed.

Uh oh.

I called David and he said to find an auto parts store to see if they can test my battery. Jack did a search on his phone and thankfully there was an auto parts store on this same stretch of road only a mile away!

When I pulled in, I knew my car was in trouble. The store employee came out to test my battery, it showed that the battery was fine.

Then why the noise and the message on my dashboard?

Upon closer inspection, the employee made a sad discovery; my serpentine belt which runs my alternator and is a necessary part of the engine was gone. Totally gone!! The last of the belt must have been the flapping we heard.

“We are on our way home to Detroit. I have 8 hours of driving ahead.”

The store employee said that I would need a mechanic and no mechanics are open on Saturdays.

“And I am assuming no mechanics are open on Sundays, as well?”

She shook her head.

My heart sank as I thought about what I was going to do. Even if David hopped in a car that very second to come get us, it would be 8 hours until he reached us. Then what would I do with my car?  I used up all our hotel points already on this trip, so we would have to pay for two hotel nights. I would have to pay for an Uber ride to the hotel (wherever that could be in this remote area…). My mind was racing at the thought of how much this car repair was going to cost us.  I felt helpless and I prayed. No. It was more like a plea. As tears filled my eyes I cried out to my Heavenly Father.

“Lord, I need You! You are my Dad and your girl needs you! I don’t know what I am going to do and I really need You to help me!! I don’t know what to do!”

A few minutes later as I stood looking at my car engine, a man came up to see what was the problem. He quickly knew what to do. As he started to work on my car he looked at me with a wink and said, “I’m a mechanic.”

Within an hour, Jack and I were on the road. I tried to pay him but he refused and said he was paying it forward.

The Lord knew what I needed, much like Sarah leaving out the bowls, and sent help. It was a very clear and humbling reminder that my Dad knows my needs and cares.

“…how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him.” ~ Matthew 7:9b