My son, Beau, lives in Denver and wouldn't be home for Thanksgiving but was able to get the weekend off before Thanksgiving, to go to a friend's wedding in KC.  He and his girlfriend decided  to drive through the night so they'd have as much time as possible with family. (Who needs sleep when you are 24 years old?)  During  Joy's turn to drive she ran the car out of gas at 3 AM, trying to make it to the next town, 17 miles short of Salina.  She woke Bo.  After some discussion, flashers on, cars passing, temps in the 20°s and car cooling fast, they decided to walk to the next mile marker to find out where they were exactly before trying to call for help.  Cars passed.  They were worried, scared and COLD.  Just as they got back to their car a man going the opposite direction pulled off the highway and ran across to them. 

He had been driving to Salina and had seen their stopped car and when he looked back in his mirror he saw the flashers on and them standing outside of their car.  He was too far past them to help by then so he drove on to Salina, then turned around and came back to help them!  Then he drove them on to the next town to get gas and brought them back to their car before continuing on his way.

I just can't get over how this guy went SO far out of his way for strangers that he wasn't even sure needed help, really.  There are so many ways this story could have ended with a far less happy ending.  I wanted to share what a difference a random act can have.   There is so much bad news in the world today.  We need to hear and share these stories when we know them.  Just sharing them is kind of an RAK in itself because it spreads hope.  

If I had been traveling on I-35 that night, I'd have been like that guy, looking up in my mirror, wondering if those folks need help, weighing the possibilities.  Realizing I was too far past them anyway, I'd have gone on.  I'd have sent up a prayer, and maybe others in those passing cars did that, too.  I'd probably have regretted I hadn't stopped but I wouldn't have gone back to check on them.  So, praise to God, that there are those willing to take a risk, to go out of their way, to give help and hope.  Let them be a shining  example to the rest of us. ♥

Her grass was tall… almost too tall to mow. Luann is a friend, who has kept chaperoning church Youth Mission Trips even after her daughter graduated several years ago. She’s a tough cookie and the kids love her.

She lives alone and rents a charming little white farm house with several acres of mowable yard. She’s been divorced for a long time and is a very capable woman… been taking care of herself for years just fine.

Beau was driving down the road after school with his friend Andrew and they noticed Luann’s yard. They knew the long hours she puts in working at the grocery store and knew she would be there til close. They thought it would be a kick for her to find a nice surprise when she got home tired that night so they drove out to our house and loaded up our lawn tractor onto the trailer.

She caught ‘em though when she came home on her dinner break. The surprise was spoiled but she was grateful. Turned out her riding mower was busted and she’d been having to mow it all with a push mower when she could.

I overheard Angus talking to a friend of his on the phone a few days later. He was asking him about the old mower he still had… how much would he want for it? $500? He didn’t think Luann could afford it… maybe he’d just tell her it was $350 and throw in the rest himself…

I smiled inwardly. Angus had just been talking with me about how we need to really watch our expenses with all the college debt we are accumulating on the kids… we should cut back and pay attention to the neccessity of every purchase.

....There’s just some things you don’t cut back on.

Like father, like son.

Like the Father, like the Son.

It was Saturday evening and Rob had just picked up his daughter after track practice. He headed for home but pulled into the gas station for a cup of coffee. Amanda questioned this since he didn’t usually drink coffee in the evening but he replied that he just felt the urge to stop. He paid for the steaming brew and overheard the clerk and another customer discussing the woman out there with the flat tire problem. He headed straight for her car as he exited, intending to help her change it.

The next morning I entered church and said “Hi” to Rob sitting on the back row. I found my way up to the front and wondered why he wasn’t sitting with his family when I noticed that they were in their usual spot.

The service began with a loud, upbeat praise song. The amplified guitar sounded extremely loud and the drummer seemed to be trying to drown out the guitar. Did anyone else notice how loud and irritating it was?

My right ear was throbbing when I realized it must be sensitive from the cold I was getting over. I literally couldn’t take it. It hurt! I felt kinda rude standing there with my hand over my ear so I slipped out of the row and took a seat at the back right next to Rob. Ah, that was better.

Suddenly the older woman sitting on the other side of Rob began to cough. Rob handed her a Kleenex from his back pocket and then slipped out of the sanctuary. She continued to cough. I dug in my purse and handed her a handful of cough drops and she received them gratefully. She popped one in her mouth and it seemed to give her some relief. Rob returned a few minutes later with a bottle of water for her.

I was pondering the possibility that my ear problem was a God-thing to get me to the back of the church with my cough drops. I didn’t realize that Rob was an even bigger part of God’s little plan for this woman. I thought she might be his mom but I learned the real story later.

The woman had been traveling in an old beat up vehicle, escaping a domestic abuse situation and on her way to Texas. She had a flat tire and exited right here in our town and found her way to the gas station where Rob had stopped for his coffee. She didn’t have a spare tire. Rob called around and there was nowhere open that had what she needed. He ended up putting her up in a local motel, inviting her to church with him, buying her lunch and a new tire and sending her on her way.

I can’t help but think how God’ timing is so perfect. There were so many things that fell into place. She seemed so full of joy and gratitude when I met her. That’s what hope looks like.

Just another small miracle brought to you by God (with a little help from his servant, Rob).