Welcome to Narnia

Our Idaho town has officially had its first snowfall, and all I can say is, 'Welcome to Narnia." It truly is beautiful here, but I do miss the flats of Kansas. Ivan is loving the snow, though, and although he can't eat it all, he does try.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Josh and I send you our love.

Good-bye, Little Rumbler

Today marked history. And it almost feels like I have betrayed an old friend.

In July of 2003, I bought my very first car, with my very own money. That car, lovingly named Little Rumbler, became a symbol of independence. And it was pink, well, technically "raspberry."


(The day I drove Little Rumbler home...I was 16)

After eight wonderful years of having that little 1996 Pontiac Sunfire, I have moved on. It's crazy how much this feels like a break-up.

Josh and I went to town to look at a 1998 Toyota Corolla today. Little Rumbler, who had 220,000 miles on her, was beginning to get tired. She didn't have power locks or windows. She no longer had the ability for air conditioning. She, and never because of me, was totaled four times in the eight years I owned her. Her paint was peeling off, and her rear brake lights were finicky. And I felt it was finally time for an adult car.

While I did plan on purchasing the Corolla today, I did not plan to see Little Rumbler drive away today. But there was a plan under foot I had not anticipated.

I really wanted to give my car away to a student in need of a vehicle. The retail value on a body like my 1996's was barely $500. Little Rumbler may have been in need of a few cosmetic touch-ups, but she ran well.

After Josh and I drove away with the Corolla, I noticed a woman I had met once back in February. Those two months I worked with Alternative Nursing Services...yes...at one of our staff meetings...that was it. Crystal something...

We stopped at a gas station to grab lunch, and then Crystal came, not driving, but walking up to the station. She came inside and sat down, so I peeked my head out and waved at her. She seemed flustered, so I said, "Do you need a ride?"

"Ah! Yes- do you mind?"

Come to find out, her van broke down a week or so ago, and was going to take about $3,000 to fix.

And my heart jumped...and the words just flew out.

"I have a car you can have. Do you want it?"

And then Crystal burst into tears.

And I burst into tears.

And we drove back to Kooskia and cleaned out Little Rumbler, and I watched her pink, cute little rear-end drive away for what could be the last time.

Crystal wept when she first spotted the car, and exclaimed, "It's beautiful! It's perfect! I have a car!"

She said just this morning, during her 7-mile walk into town for work, she very humbly prayed, "God, I need a car. And I don't want to ask You, but could you give me something?"

And this is where I'm humbled, because how often are we used as the tangible hands of feet of Christ?

It's just a car right? A hot, stick shift, manual windows and locks, paint-peeling car, right?

Not to Crystal. To her, it's livelihood. To me, it was independence.

As Crystal hugged me one last time before she drove back up the hill, she whispered one of my favorite blessings into my ear.

"The LORD bless you and keep you. The LORD lift His face to shine upon you, and bring you peace."

And with tears in my eyes I whispered back, "And to you, also."

God used a pink 1996 Pontiac Sunfire today, and it touched my heart deeply.