Our vacation started off in an interesting way –
We have very dear friends who are extraordinarily generous with a cabin they own in the mountains. They have allowed us to visit there each year, enjoying the fresh air, blue jays, lake activities and small town. This year, being no exception, we planned a week long getaway for some needed refreshing, revitalizing and renewing. We are tired and feeling the effects of stress and anxiety over the life changes we are making.
So we started our week by having my car checked over. It had been making some noises I did not recognize and we felt it was best to have it checked prior to driving up a mountain. It turned out to be a good decision because it needed a lot of work. There was an oil leak , the front end pulleys needed replacing, a new tire was going bald because we need a back end alignment, a new alternator, etc. I’m sorry I don’t have more descriptive terms, suffice it to say we were in over $1000 and still more work was needed. We had to ask them to choose the most critical items and what could wait for a while. So we had fixed what we could and decided it was best not to take our car up the mountain. It was tough, but the right decision. We have Robert’s car, but it seats 4 (small) people with no place for luggage. (Jeep Wrangler) We went to Disneyland free on Monday; on Tuesday we went to the Museum of Tolerance. Did you know it is free? It is such a sad and eye opening experience to see what our history was like and where it is now. I was speaking to a good friend about our vacation “plans” and she said “you should bring your car over and my husband will change the alternator and I will feed you.” I thought…I can’t ask someone to do that for us. We can wait. She explained that it was her husband who was insisting that we bring it over. All we had to do was get the parts. She would make dinner; we could visit and have a car ready to go. Again, how can I intrude on people’s lives with my issues? Am I that selfish? I was reminded that when we turn down those who wish to help us, who offer, who respond to being asked; we are not allowing them the chance to respond to God’s prompting. What if God was leading them to help us and they were responding and I stood in the way? These are always questions I struggle with. Support-raising has been an extremely difficult thing for me to do. It has also been a good exercise in relying on God solely. I know that us moving to Arizona will only be by God’s provision. I actually feel at peace with that. It is far too much for me to take on that stress; I would only make it worse. So, I let go and said “that would be incredible, thank you!”
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| our view from lunch on Lake Arrowhead |
So we started our week by having my car checked over. It had been making some noises I did not recognize and we felt it was best to have it checked prior to driving up a mountain. It turned out to be a good decision because it needed a lot of work. There was an oil leak , the front end pulleys needed replacing, a new tire was going bald because we need a back end alignment, a new alternator, etc. I’m sorry I don’t have more descriptive terms, suffice it to say we were in over $1000 and still more work was needed. We had to ask them to choose the most critical items and what could wait for a while. So we had fixed what we could and decided it was best not to take our car up the mountain. It was tough, but the right decision. We have Robert’s car, but it seats 4 (small) people with no place for luggage. (Jeep Wrangler) We went to Disneyland free on Monday; on Tuesday we went to the Museum of Tolerance. Did you know it is free? It is such a sad and eye opening experience to see what our history was like and where it is now. I was speaking to a good friend about our vacation “plans” and she said “you should bring your car over and my husband will change the alternator and I will feed you.” I thought…I can’t ask someone to do that for us. We can wait. She explained that it was her husband who was insisting that we bring it over. All we had to do was get the parts. She would make dinner; we could visit and have a car ready to go. Again, how can I intrude on people’s lives with my issues? Am I that selfish? I was reminded that when we turn down those who wish to help us, who offer, who respond to being asked; we are not allowing them the chance to respond to God’s prompting. What if God was leading them to help us and they were responding and I stood in the way? These are always questions I struggle with. Support-raising has been an extremely difficult thing for me to do. It has also been a good exercise in relying on God solely. I know that us moving to Arizona will only be by God’s provision. I actually feel at peace with that. It is far too much for me to take on that stress; I would only make it worse. So, I let go and said “that would be incredible, thank you!”
We have a new alternator, and full bellies from the amazing
friends we have who worked on our car and prepared for us a yummy Italian
dinner. We drove up the mountain Thursday morning and enjoyed a long weekend of
relaxing and rest.
Trust in the
Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own
understanding. Proverbs 3:5
