There's something wrong with my van. There's a curious whine and I think it is all connected to the power steering. We have scheduled a time to have it looked at tomorrow but meanwhile, it's getting me to work and back home . . . at least so far - BUT - once I get to work I won't even go out on my lunch hour. I don't want to get caught in the middle of town and unable to get back to work and hubby unable to come to my aid. Oh, I just hate it when my car has mechanical failure. I've been through it before and I don't like it. It very well does remind me how blessed I am though, because most of the time I've had a good car to drive and not had to worry constantly of a part falling off or being stranded alongside the road in the middle of the night. It very well reminds me too of how much I take my vehicle for granted. So tonight if I can make it back to my hometown we will drop it by the mechanics and keep our fingers crossed. I only have 7 days left to work and I'm determined that my van will see me through . . . I HOPE!!!
All that being said I've really needed to stay in at the office and work anyway. Most years I usually get the majority of my Christmas shopping done on my lunch hours or after work on my way home, and it's extremely convenient; but this year I've had to stop and figure out specific times to go shopping and I'm definitely running behind.
These are the situations that tend to humble me and remind me of how very blessed I am. The things I cry and whine about are often just "stuff" that other people in the world would probably smirk and simply wish they had that kind of a problem. So far I've not had to endure true hardship, extreme medical difficulties such as cancer or lifelong disabilities; and I've never had to endure the loss of a child. I've NEVER spent a day hungry nor in need of clothing or a roof over my head. How gracious my Lord has been to me. It is my strongest desire that if any of the aforementioned EVER changes that I can still say, "How gracious my Lord has been to me." It is my constant prayer that my courage and hope continue to be strengthened - and should I one day have to endure - I might be up to the task!