An Act of kindness

This week our Apples of Gold study is on kindness.  One of the questions in the homework was "share an act of kindness that was shown TO YOU recently".  I thought and thought about this and I couldn't really come up with much.  Not that people aren't kind to me but when I think of an act of kindness I think of someone going above and beyond.  I thought of the neighbor who watches my kids and I thought of the kind words of encouragment I often receive after a post on the blog.  I put them down my sheet thinking I wouldn't be looking at the study again for a week.  Almost as if I were asking for an act of kindness, God presented one.

On my way to Awana with Reece on Monday night, my "check tire pressure" light came on.  We live just a few miles from church and I thought to myself "this has come on many times before.  I just need to tell Brock when I get home, and he'll put some more air in the tires".  As I turned onto white oak road just a few miles from church, I noticed the car was driving funny and I started to hear a noise.  I turned down the radio to listen.  I said "Reece, do you hear that noise?  I think maybe we have a flat tire".  She confirmed that she heard the noise and said "No, I think the tire is okay, mom".  I drove a little further doing a few swerve tests and speed up and down tests on the car.   No...something's not right.  So I pushed the button on my dash to see further detail of the warning.  It said about air pressure "left side - 34 right side - 3"....uh-oh...then I saw and smelled smoke.  Time to pull over.  I was so close to the church I could almost see the steeple. 

I immediately put on the hazards and called Brock from my newly acquired cell phone.  No answer.  He and Brody had gone out to play.  So I called the neighbor and asked her to go out and tell him to call me and that I had a flat tire.  I called Jodi to let her know that we'd either be late to Awana or not there at all.  Brock called back and I told him what happened.  He said he'd be right there and would be bring the good "jack".  My neighbor took Brody as I had his car seat in my car.  After I hung up, one of the guys from church came back after he dropped his kids off.  He offered to help. I told him my husband was coming and he said he could help us.  He started working right away.  Another guy from the church stopped by and asked if Reece and I wanted a ride to Awana.  I knew Reece wouldn't go without me and I figured we better stay and wait for Brock.  That guy dropped off his kids and also came back to help us.  Then another guy who did not go to our church but was on the fire and rescue team, stopped by to see if we needed something too.  He left after awhile but then a state trooper stopped as well.  Brock finally go there and they all got the tire off and on within a 1/2 hour.  The longest part was just finding where the tools were and how to get the new tire out from under the car.  After that was done, putting the new tire on only took a couple of minutes. 

Now THAT is an act of kindness!  So many people stopped to help us.  I will say there was a lady following me that would have saw the whole thing.  She never stopped to see if I was okay or to see if I needed to borrow a cell phone.  It made me really think about times I haven't stopped when I have seen other people helping or seen someone on the side of the road with their hazards on. 

I am always amazed at how God works.  I guess He felt I needed to see above and beyond kindess so I had a real story to tell next Monday!  There were a few things that really struck me about the situation.  The fact that I didn't have a cell phone for almost 2 years.  During that time, nothing happened to me where I really needed to use one.  There is not one time I can think of where I was just desparate for a phone.  I am so glad that I had one for this moment.  Secondly...I am very thankful that the kids and I did not go anywhere during the day.  We usually go somewhere and the fact that we didn't was a sure God thing.  If I had gone somewhere during the day, I would have had both kids with me and a husband who was at work.  It probably would have taken a lot longer, could have been close to nap times for the kids, and could have taken place in an area not as safe as the one I was in.  Thirdly, that there was no serious blow out or accident.  Reece and I had been practicing her verse so I probably wasn't paying that close attention to things.  That could have resulted in an accident.  Very thankful to always have Gods hand and plan in all situations.  Thank you to all who expressed concern and offered a hand in our time of need.  I know it was "just a flat tire" but it truly showed me an act of kindness!!