Merci for the Mercy

Today was an adventure—exactly what I had planned for the youth group on its trip to Athens, Texas—but in more ways than one. I've got a fish tale (or two) to tell, a tail of another kind to mention and stories about automotive mishaps with happy endings. I'll discuss most of this in tomorrow's post when I have more time to write, but for now allow me to describe how our day began and why I'm thankful.

I took a trip with the kids today and our van blew out a tire outside of town. Fortunately, we were stranded only a mile away from a tire store with two employees who graciously agreed to help us á la roadside assistance. In another stroke of good fortune a couple of friendly Seagoville Samaritans pulled their truck over and helped us remove the I-was-never-gonna-get-those-off-myself lug nuts from the wheel. And in the "wait 'til you hear this" category, a generous individual who saw our predicament and recognized the Methodist cross and flames on the side of our van said he just wanted to stop and see if there was something he could do to help. Before I knew it, he paid for the tire to be replaced by handing the guys from the tire shop a twenty and just as quickly left without the slightest desire to hang around for any thanks or recognition. Truly, I had to ask the repairman, "Did that guy just do what I think he just did?" to which I received the reply, "Yep!" Turns out he attends the local Methodist church there in town and apparently decided to help his neighbor just as the Bible teaches.

Now that's an applicable lesson for us all.

(Thinking of you in Tyler, Marvin.)