I spent last weekend in McKinney, Texas with several of my work teammates for a continuing education course. On our trip home – as often is the case – we needed a pit stop.
As I washed my hands, a thought materialized within me. “I want to go stand in the sunshine.” So, I made my way back to the parking area to retrieve some hand lotion from the car. In order for me to stand in the sunshine I needed to be on the passenger side of the vehicle. As I stood with the passenger door open, lathering my hands and enjoying the sun on my back, my attention was drawn to a sound that I could not initially place. . . . . “What is that?”
As I focused on the hissing sound, it registered. This was escaping air. With a sudden pit in my stomach I knelt down by my passenger side rear wheel hub. The sound grew louder, unmistakably coming from the tire. I looked all around but couldn’t locate the culprit. After backing the car up a bit to expose the portion of the tire that was on the ground, I returned to further inspect the tread.
Gleaming in the sunlight was a bolt, wedged in the gutter and punctured through the rubber. My two travel buddies had by now returned and I shared the news. We moved the car to the perimeter of the convenience store parking lot, cleared out the cargo space and began unloading the equipment to change the tire.
We spent some time identifying exactly where to put the jack and finally confirmed it by looking at the owner’s manual (when all else fails read the directions). One of my cohorts has a family member that is a peace officer. She had already reached out to him an he was contacting the local sheriff’s office to provide assistance.
As I maneuvered the jack, I noticed a pick up slowly pull up behind us. I looked up and into the eyes of a man who nodded and asked, “Need some help?” I readily said yes, instantly grateful for his offer. Even though I was determined to change this tire, I couldn’t remember the last time I had done so and certainly had not on this vehicle. It does not inspire confidence to be standing there reading the owner’s manual!
As he climbed out of his work truck (had all the makings of a farm pick up), I noticed his calloused hands, work boots, flannel shirt and suspenders holding up his well worn blue jeans. His bright eyes shown from beneath his ball cap and a thick grizzled beard.
He knelt down by the car and took over the car jack. As he worked, another man walked over and greeted this good samaritan. “Hey Lonny! Whatcha’ doin’?” As they chatted, Lonny processed, “I am going to plug this tire.” To which his friend eagerly replied, “Want me to go get the air tank?” Lonny accepted, so his friend turned and over his shoulder offered, “I will be back in about 10 minutes.”
By now, the Sheriff’s deputy had arrived. He also greeted Lonny and assured the three of us road trippers that, “He is taking better care of you than I could. He is going to fix your tire. I could only change it.” As the vehicle owner’s manual instructed that we were not to drive faster than 50 mph on the spare, waves of gratitude washed through me. We were 170 miles from home; traveling 50 mph for the remainder of the trip was less than appealing.
Lonny rolled the flat, punctured tire beside his truck. He pulled out a small kit of pliable small rod-like structures, along with two uniquely shaped tools. In less than a minute he had efficiently and perfectly “plugged” the hole in the tire and was tightening the lug nuts, back on the car. In seemingly orchestrated timing, his friend returned with the portable air pump.
As they aired the tire up I reloaded the cargo space with our gear, readying to resume the journey home. I watched for an opportunity to speak with Lonny and walked over to offer some compensation for his help. From our friendly conversation previously as he worked, I knew that he was a farmer. So, in this moment, I offered to help buy some feed for his animals. He quickly, politely and without hesitation, declined my offer. “I am not taking that.” I gently offered again to which I received the same reply. With a sigh and a smile I quietly asked, “Well, then may I give you a hug?”
He grinned widely and agreed, “I will take that.”
After washing our hands and pulling out onto the highway, I shared some thoughts with my friends.
One could say that it was really lucky that I decided to walk over to the other side of the car. However, because I believe in a King who loves us, I do not believe in chance, coincidence or luck. If I had not heard the leaking tire, we would have gotten back on the road – a long stretch of rural West Texas – and likely been stranded on the side of the road, in the dark, a long way from anywhere.
In my life journey with the Lord, I have come to recognize His gentle leading, in seemingly inconsequential thoughts. On this day, it was the prompting, appealing thought of standing in the sunshine for a few minutes.
Not only did He spare us from being stranded, He also provided exactly who and what we needed, in the moment. These three men – salt of the earth, kind, respectful – readily altered their day and offered their assistance, for our benefit.
We safely returned home that evening, able to drive the speed limit instead of an oh so tediously slow 50 mph!
Thank you, Father, for Your kindness to us this day; and each day. May this kindness be returned 100 fold to Lonny and his buddies.
