Today is a day of remembering. It’s my birthday, a day filled with so many memories of special times with friends and family but on this day, I’ve also had memorable, less-than-stellar experiences that will be a part of me for the rest of my life.
One year, I was 8, my dad asked if I would like to go with him to LA. He had promised my uncle that he would take the bus over and drive a car back to Yuma. My uncle was a used car salesman and he had bought this great car. My dad agreed and asked me to go.
It was my first ride on a Greyhound. We left Yuma in the wee hours of the morning and for the next 100 miles or so we made a myriad of stops at all the little towns picking up passengers.
We finally made it to LA. It was late morning, we found a little cafe and got breakfast and then made our way to pick up the car. It was the car my uncle said, but it wasn’t a great car. In fact, it wasn’t really even a good car, but I didn’t mind, I was with my dad, and he was doing his best to make it a good birthday.
On the drive back we had a flat tire and there was no spare. We were in the middle of the desert, for those of you who know where the Salton Sea is, we were there. Dad knew we couldn’t just wait for someone to come along and help us, so we started walking, with the tire, to the gas station that he knew was up the road.
We hadn’t been walking long when a man stopped and drove us the rest of the way to the station. They fixed the flat and someone from the station took us back to the car, waited with us until the tire was on and we were headed down the road.
Now is the time I should mention that this car had no air conditioning, and we were in the hot desert on July 3rd. Not much farther down the road we came to the small town of Niland. Dad stopped at the little store, went in and bought us some cold drinks, a small trash can and a 10 pound block of ice.
He placed the ice in the trash can and set it on the floorboard of the front seat on the passenger side right next to the air vent. As the air circulated through the car and over the ice it cooled us down some. I thought my dad was a genius!
Only an hour and a half to go and we would be home.
I didn’t realize until years later how differently that trip could have turned out. I just knew that I was with Dad and he always took care of me.
You probably won’t be driving through the desert in a car with no a/c and have a flat tire today, but you may be going through a rough time that has you feeling parched and stranded.
“I am the Lord, and I made you. I am the one who created you. I have helped you since you were in your mother’s womb…3 “I will pour water for thirsty people, and streams will flow through the desert. I will pour my Spirit on your children, and I will bless your family.” Isaiah 44:2-3 ERV
Your Father hasn’t abandoned you. He is there, providing you with cool water and with His help you’ll make it through the desert in good shape!