God's Presence

Yesterday we had our “much needed” carpets cleaned. When Dan arrived and asked me my expectations, I replied “Anything you do will be an improvement!" Unfortunately, he arrived a little late and then underestimated just how long it would take to clean all the carpets. I had to leave him alone in my house to go pick up my kids and take them to a doctor’s appointment. While on the way to school I heard a noise in my car two separate times. The second time I called my husband who told me to take the car right over to Dave, our auto mechanic. My schedule did not allow time to take the car to the shop especially since I left Dan the carpet cleaner alone in my house and needed to hurry home after the pick up and doctor’s visit. After all it wasn’t the first time I ever heard a noise in the 150,000 mile Suburban I have been driving for the last six years! Besides, don’t most women kick into denial mode when it comes to their cars and malfunctions??

We made it home fine, said good-bye and thank you to Dan the carpet cleaner and headed out to Girl Scouts. Steve decided to work late so it was the kids and me. As I was driving to Girl Scouts the “check engine oil” light went on. Uh Oh…another call to Steve. I was reminded how I should have taken the car to Dave the mechanic! We agreed I should check the oil when I arrived at Girl Scouts. Now I didn’t want to tell my husband but I had no idea where the oil stick was. I had never checked the oil in my car! It took three of us moms to find the oil stick and determine there was absolutely no oil in the car at all! My next call to Steve was not an easy one. I once again heard how I should have taken the car to Dave the mechanic and how the car could be ruined or maybe cost $10,000!!!

Meanwhile I have boys in the back who are hungry. “When are we going to eat, and what are we going to eat?” I explained that mommy is in a crisis, the car could be very sick and they need to just be quiet for now!!!

I immediately went to the store, bought oil and attempted to put oil in my car while in the Walgreen’s parking lot. Tim and Linda (I think they were angels) came along to help me when they saw me under my hood struggling to get the oil cap off.

As I drove home approaching my house the car made such a terrible noise I was sure it was dying a sudden death. Again, the call to Steve telling him what happened. We determined the car was not drivable and he should come home to pick up Emeline at Girl Scouts and personally get the car to the shop.

Due to the carpets being cleaned my house was in disarray, furniture on top of furniture and out in the hallways. The kitchen was a mess, lunches needed to be made and I had a group of women coming for Bible study at my house in the morning. Standing at the kitchen sink I cried out to God, asking Him for miraculous energy, telling him how overwhelmed I was, bringing to His attention what needed to be done, and praying I would not loose my patience with the boys, who still were not fed!

It was amazing to sense the presence of the Lord. It was as if he just took over! I immediately had a sense of peace, I e-mailed the study girlfriends to ask them to pray, and miraculously I cleaned the house, dinner was made, and all the other tasks complete with time and energy to finish studying for today. God’s presence was so real, as He revealed Himself to me in such a special way.

Praise God the car seems o.k. for now. It never made the noise I heard several times yesterday when Dave the mechanic got a hold of it, OF COURSE!! That's the way it goes!!

"And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be delivered...." Joel 2:32

Sweet dreams and blessings,

Debbie