Greetings Dear Reader,
I mentioned that my friend Adam would be sharing his Check
Engine Light story with us. Here it is in his own words:
I learned a long time ago that when you put any possession
or person above God, He can sometimes teach you quickly what is most important
in the world. I have since started
thinking more about my possessions and how they might be of use to Him. When I got a new-to-me truck 2 years ago I
asked God to help me always remember to use it as a tool to help others. It was purchased in the winter, so this was
easy to do. After receiving 10+ inches
of snow some days it is quite satisfying to drive around in 4-wheel drive and
help those who are struggling to get their smaller “smarter” cars out of the snowbanks.
As the weather warmed helping others changed also. It may be helping to move a family, hauling
some furniture, or loading up tools and helping someone with a home
project. It was always enjoyable to know
that with something I was blessed with, I can then, in turn, use it to bless
others.
Life started to change more and more. Work was getting busier, family life was
getting more hectic, and the day to day started to wear on me. I found myself in the grind, moving from one
task to the next, having little time for doing good, or serving others. I started using 4-wheel drive in the winter
to blow past the slower cars to get to the next meeting. I refused to lend the truck out on some
occasions because I was tired. I had
become that person everyone hates who drives a big truck and thinks they own
the road.
Then things started happening. I hit some ice and did a 180 on the highway,
denting in the rear panel on the bed of the truck. There was nothing wrong with the
functionality of the truck it just looked awful. Then in a hurry, I may or may not have backed
into the driver’s door with my wife’s vehicle.
I never do stuff like that. Then
the check engine light came on. We pay
cash for everything and I was quickly worried about the truck having issues
that would drain a vehicle fund. It is
strange to me that my capacity for denseness can overlook bent panels and doors
but get fixated on a simple light.
I like to take God at His word when he says to ask Him for
anything. I usually go to the
extreme. I prayed for my truck to run
forever! Imagine if I never needed to
buy a vehicle again! Through this
thought process, contemplation, and prayer, I also realized that I was misusing
this tool that I was given. I pledged to
be more mindful in the coming days. I
slowed down and became more mindful of others on the road. I started helping people again when they had
a need for a truck. Amazingly, a few
weeks later my check engine light went off!
Over the next few months there seemed to be a constant back
and forth between the engine light going on and off. About a month ago a friend called and said he
had a dead battery on his van. He
wondered if I could give him a jump. He
said he did not have cables. I thought
that I could run into work and borrow some, but it would be quicker to just buy
some new ones. I picked them up from the
store, ran to his house, and jumped his van.
The following week a coworker’s motorcycle died at the gas station. I told him to feel free to use the cables in
the back of my truck. It was interesting
to me that they were even available in the first place.
The 2 weeks after this I was getting more and more
frustrated and rushed. During such times
it is easy to nurture one’s frustrations rather than reaching out and putting
others first. My check engine light came
on again which only exacerbated the situation.
There have been more times than I would like to admit that God says,
“enough of the games” and just slaps me hard.
I had just gotten back from a long meeting an hour drive
away and stopped home quickly for some lunch.
I was frustrated, hasty with my children, and short with my wife. I got back in my truck and sped down the
road. Up ahead I saw an elderly woman
with the hood up on her van. She looked
worried. I remember all of this
happening in slow motion, but I was traveling at 30 miles an hour past
her. She looked at me right in my eyes
and said, “can you help?” I shouted back
at her “I cannot help you! I am too busy to help you!” I am not even sure how
she could have heard me but as the words left my lips, I was shocked that they
came from me. I immediately pulled over
and backed up. I did not know if I could
help, there could have been anything wrong with her van. She explained to me that she had to pick up
her daughter and that the battery was dead.
“All it would need is a jump,” she said.
“Do you have any cables?” I
assured her that I most certainly did! I
saw that her vehicle was too close to the car in front of her, so I pushed her
vehicle back a bit to fit my truck in and jumped her van. She looked at me and said, “there must be a
special star in the heavens for people like you!” I told her that I did not know about all of
that - I was just trying to help.
After I got back into my truck, I was not down the road 100
yards before I noticed that my check engine light had gone off again. It is still off as of this writing. 50 years from now if some old man stops to
help you in a black truck with a few dents in it you will know that God said
yes to a crazy prayer.
________________
First, I wish to thank Adam for sharing his words. I also want to share
how proud I am of the man he is for his faith, his family, and his
community. He is growing as a writer and we will hear more from him.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every
writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a
homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Every human story is part of the great story that leads
to the Father getting everything back to Good.
Contacts for Aramis
Thorn:
#aramisthorn
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