The car started, we whizzed out of the church parking lot in my Sally, up the hill onto Queen Ka'ahumanu My friend and I were talking about putting in Shania Twain's "Let's Go Girls" and feeling quite hip and young again. A drive in a bright yellow Mustang convertible will do that. I dreamed of my leisurely Sunday afternoon nap waiting for me at home.Not so... it was not my destiny. There was a different scene in the reality show of my life.
First, the power window button didn't power the windows. Then the car just powered out. In the fast lane. No engine. No power. No steering. I was coasting and I waited for the guy beside me to stop matching my slowing down speed so I could use what little power I had left to get off the road.
Turned the key. A faint "Click Click Click." Hmmm... Now what? Finally reached husband after calling around a bit.
A van of friends pulled up behind me - they had left church after me. We jump started the car. It started right off. Encouraged, I saw a renewal of my nap dream. It ran 1 minute. Nothing. Again.
Husband called and got directions to me. Left the car on the side of the road. Called a tow truck. They brought my baby home. She sits completely powerless in my driveway.
$100 for a new alternator. God bless my husband for knowing how to fix cars. And tomorrow I'm working from home all day. No one was hurt. All was done by 6 pm.
Catchy phrase: Life is what happens when we are making other plans. So I had a piece of LIFE today. And it didn't throw me.
No "why me"
No "what did I ever do to deserve this?"
No "after all I do for God, He couldn't get me home from church?"
No "stupid &*($% car!!!"
Just: Hmmm. What is plan B or C? We've got clear til Z and then we can start over. Right?
This thought work stuff is really making a difference. And here's why I'm very glad.
I was on my cell phone to my husband when he pulled up behind me. I just set my phone down on my dash and hopped out of the car to work on jumping the car together. Not our forte - this work together thing. Another battery jump, another loss of power.
My friend had moved to Brett's car and sat in the front seat enjoying the AC while we worked on my Sally. Couldn't get the car into neutral to push it farther off the road. Found a magic button to disengage gears. Sally safely on the shoulder.
As I got back into my car, I heard myself twice. An real time echo. Then I realized. Our phone had never disconnected. My friend had been hearing everything we said through Brett's Bluetooth car phone. I immediately rewound in my head trying to remember anything untoward that I had said or we had said in the heat of the moment. She sensed my mental flurry and assured me that we had not said anything out of line. In fact, she was quite impressed with the level of calm with which we'd handled a very frustrating situation in the heat, hungry and tired.
WHAT?! Thank goodness. My husband's the Bishop of our congregation. That makes me the Bishop's wife. No pressure there.
THAT'S A VICTORY FOR ME!! I chose my thought when the car powered down.
"This is interesting." I didn't jump to, "Something's terribly wrong. We're gonna die!"
And as my grandson, Parker, said on his Instagram yesterday (yes, I know what that is and even post now and again!!) "Life is not a problem to be solved. It is an reality to be experienced."
He's pretty wise for 20. Must be in his DNA!!
Tip of the Day:
Beware of what you say - you never know who's Bluetooth might be picking up your words!!
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