A Car Seat, A Flat and One Very Faithful God!

Last Wednesday started out as an ordinary day in so many ways but then the Lord stepped in it turned to extraordinary instantly!  Here’s how it all went down…

Little Missy Ruby had to go for an appointment in the heart of downtown.  We left the house just after 7am with Elizabeth along as my riding buddy to help lift her wheelchair out.  The freeway is always crazy in the rush hour traffic but for some reason it was amped up even more.  I slowly inched Great White (our 15 passenger van) over to the HOV lane and started the short drive toward the heart of Phoenix.

The appointment was actually to pick up her new car seat and have it fitted to her in the car.  I was clueless as to what car seat to order and happened to mention how much she needed one to my friend Shannon.  Shannon’s daughter Ally had just gotten a new one and she said would be happy to let Ruby borrow Ally’s old one until Ruby’s new one came.  With insurances it would take about four months.

Well when we went for Ruby’s appointment to order the new car seat we loved the borrowed seat Ruby had been using so much so that we actually ordered the exact same one.  The therapist had suggested we try another but when I put Ruby in the other car seat she squirmed her way down, all slouchy-like in a “I’m not happy” pose! I laughed heartily, “So what you’re saying is that you don’t like that seat, huh chica-chica?”  The therapist chuckled too.  Ruby’s truly a comic.

We then put Ruby in the same one she had been using of Ally’s and she sat perfectly still.  Okay, okay girlfriend, we get it.  You want one just like the one you have been using of Ally’s.  The therapist thought it was pretty funny too.  Smh.  And some silly people think she doesn’t “talk” – this sweet chica talks all day long!

As the therapist was taking all the measurements she handed me the color swatches to pick from.  I saw the Berry Pink one and said, “What do you think Ruby? Berry Pink?”  Well Ruby was not into the appointment at all so I just went with Berry Pink.   But as I was driving home I got to thinking about the Berry Pink and began to wonder if we would really like it.  I know it sounds unimportant, but I can’t help it.  I’m a woman and colors of car seats matter if we get to order one!  I was actually thinking that someday when Ruby outgrows it or needs a new one a neutral color would be much better to pass it along to The Gems.

So off and on that day I thought, “I should call the therapist and ask her to change the color to the same one Ally loaned us.”  It was a beautiful gray. But you know how life gets.  The next day I thought the same thing, but the day snuck away and I didn’t call.  And for the next month off and on I would think, “It probably hasn’t cleared insurance yet so I should call and change the color to the gray.”  But each day this wild life of mine would take over and it didn’t happen.

Wednesday was the day to pick it up and as I drove downtown I was thinking of the berry pink car seat we were about to get.  And to be honest, I was regretting that I hadn’t called to change the color a few months ago.  We reached NuMotion and unloaded the wheelchair and took Ruby inside.  She kept trying to escape and Elizabeth was chasing her – over and over – it’s a great game! NuMotion’s automatic doors are Little Miss I-Want-To-Escape-This-Minute dream come true!

As we went into the appointment room I saw the exact gray car seat outside the door all wrapped up to go to it’s new owner and “Orderers Remorse” instantly set in again as I eyed it.  The therapist was getting the paperwork all ready and then left the room to get the car seat.  I was going back and forth between the room and Ruby who was trying to escape.  I’m telling ya’ friends, it’s a good problem!!  Ruby is so mobile that I am going to have to get roller blades to keep up with her!

So I went back to the appointment room and saw the therapist moving the paperwork attached to the gray car seat and looking all puzzled and looking back over her paperwork when I questioned, “Does that one have Ruby’s name on it?”  She wrinkled her face and said, “It does! But you ordered Berry Pink, didn’t you?”  I was now giggling with delight! I told her how I did order Berry Pink but had wanted to call her back dozens of times to try to change it.  She laughed and said, “Well someone up there must be looking out for you!”  I responded, “Oh my gracious!!  He always is looking out for me!  Seriously, He’s heard my hearts cry and I didn’t even have to call you! I am overjoyed! God is just so good!”

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And we drove away praising our faithful God who had our back the whole time!  There is no explanation as to how or why that order mix-up happened, which leaves only one explanation – our astoundingly faithful God.

For the record friends, in the grand scheme of life, the berry pink versus the gray seat doesn’t truly matter, however, each time I glance in the mirror and see my miracle girl riding along in that car seat I will be reminded that our God cares, He moves, He does extraordinary things to surprise us and make us giggle in praise!  And one day some time years down the road (get it?) The Gems will have a beautiful neutral gray car seat!

And if that wasn’t enough for Wednesday morning….

On our way home, as we were rounding the corner into our subdivision I heard a “ping” from the dashboard. For a split second I thought, “Weird I thought we had plenty of gas” and as I glanced at the dash I saw, “Tire Pressure Low”.  Hmmm.  What’s that about?  Within a few seconds I pulled into our drive and climbed out.  The kids came out – they are always the greeting committee whenever we come home!  As they were welcoming Ruby back, I heard a really loud hissing, but was thinking it was a sprinkler or something until I stopped to really listen.  It was our front tire going flat as I literally watched!  flat-tyre-1574330

I was completely dumbfounded!  There had been zero indication that we had a problem while heading deeper into downtown or home.  We ended up having to have it towed and the tire man said that there was a gash in the side of the tire. He said it can happen when they need to be replaced  All we could imagine was what if the tire had blown out while I drove the little girls to the heart of Phoenix in rush morning traffic? Or on the way home?

Even if we were safe, it would have been incredibly hard in Phoenix traffic, not to mention caring for Ruby in those stressful circumstances.  But no, God protected us on every front and the tire went flat in our very own driveway.  I’ve been praising Him for His astounding faithfulness to me.

A beautiful car seat and a flat tire in our own driveway after an appointment?   His astounding faithfulness and divine protection took my breath away.  It could have been so different on the freeway in rush hour traffic.

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And yes, one day I will find a little car seat and a little tire to put in our Memorial Box so we can remember and retell the stories!   Also, should you or your kids be in the need of some summer reading….

Here’s a plug for my two books… The Memorial Box   If you’ve already read Rescuing Ruby, you love the chapter in The Memorial Box about the British Air pilot!!  God is just so crazy-good with His surprises!!

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Rescuing Ruby by Linny Saunders
Rescuing Ruby by Linny Saunders

 

 

 

 

 

4 thoughts on “A Car Seat, A Flat and One Very Faithful God!

  1. I can always count on one of your posts to boost my faith. We’re needing God to show up in a big way (on a number of fronts), the biggest one being we leave to adopt our aging out son in 10 days and we’re still needing a large amount of money. I have been allowing doubt to slip in. What if God doesn’t show up? Thanks for reminding me that God cares about the big and little things, He’s in the details, and is ALWAYS faithful. He doesn’t leave us hanging when we’re obedient. Blessings on you and your family!

    1. Hey Kelley!! I will pray for provision for you!! God is always faithful!! I tell people, pare your expenses down to bare minimum (only mom/dad going and one other going) and then be sure to tithe all the time – He never lets us down! Have you applied for any grants? So excited for you to have a new son!!

  2. Linny! You must be referring to sweet Shannon and Ally that live just a stones throw from my house! If you ever stop by her place send a text and I’ll swing by and bring pop and chocolate. Shannon’s fave!

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