Nudges  

I had an interesting experience on a trip to Atlanta, Georgia. 

I've made this trip to my sister and brother-in-law's 

many times over the past 8 years.  

Other than construction or other traffic delays, 

I've had no problems.  

This trip was different.  

Things seemed to be going well 

except my car was louder than usual.  

I thought maybe it was a tire but the car was driving okay.

I pulled into the Tennessee welcome center 

and checked them.  

All was okay. 

I drove on past Jellico and headed down the mountain.  

The noise was still so loud and I began to wonder 

if it was my muffler.

Then I began to hear something hitting underneath my car.

I pulled over at a wide spot and checked my tires.  

All was okay.

Just as I started to get back in the car 

I was startled by a loud backfire.

I checked my tires.

Looked under the car.

All was okay.

I figured it was my muffler 

and that it would just be a loud trip.

I started down 75 again.

The sounds from under my car were getting louder.

Big pieces of something were bouncing over the undercarriage.

Something (I believe Someone) 

nudged me to take the next exit.

Appropriately it was the "Stinking Creek" exit.

Nothing there but a road to a campground.

I pulled off on a wide graveled spot and got out.

This time my driver side back tire was flat as a flitter.

Thankful for AAA, I called the 800 number.

Poor fellow had no idea where Stinking Creek, TN was.

He transferred me to an agent in Knoxville 

who knew exactly where I was 

and said she'd send a wrecker my way.

I knew I'd need to get the tire plugged 

before continuing my trip.

About a half went by before the wrecker arrived.

The driver was very polite as he set about 

jacking up the car and removing the flat.

We discussed where I could get it plugged.

He suggested Walmart at the next exit.

Then we saw the tire!

There was a 6 inch gash that ended in a big hole.

No patching for this tire!

He suggested putting my car on his truck 

and taking it where I wanted to buy a tire.

I decided to go back to his store 

which was also at the next exit.

I agreed.

We got to the shop.

He found a tire.

They put it on.

Okay.

Then he says, 

"Oh, they keep getting on me for forgetting to tell people 

they don't take credit cards."

Great.

I remembered that I had about $60 cash.

I had no idea how much the tire would cost.

He said,

"There's an ATM machine next door."

The lady wrote up my bill.

It was $78.

Great again.

Another nudge.

Two weeks before this I had been led to take a $100 bill 

I had put away for my yard mowing and stick it my billfold.

I'd forgotten all about it until the nudge.

I pulled it out and paid for the tire.

I was on my way no harm done and a 2 hour delay.

The rest of the trip there and back 

a week later was uneventful.

Except, my car still sounded louder than usual.

I just thought it was paranoia on my part.

Now for the rest of the story.

Flash forward to the next Wednesday.

The noise had bothered me and I was trying to decide 

who to get to check it out.

I kept checking my tires but they seemed fine.

Wednesday after work I stopped at Kroger.

The noise was terrible and the car began to handle weirdly.

I again checked my tires.

Eureka!

There was a huge bulge on my driver front tire.

I got back into my car and drove slowly to S & S Tire.

I made it!

They replaced my tire, checked my other two, 

and I was on my way.

No more noise!

Hallelujah!

Some people would call the many happenings in this adventure,

circumstance.

I do not.

I am a child of God.

He has promised to take care of me.

If either one of those tires had blown out 

when I was driving on I75, 

I would've wrecked.

I could have killed or injured myself, 

or worse, someone else.

One blew when I was sitting on the side of the road.

The other never blew.

And I "just happened" to stick a $100 bill in my billfold.

I see God's foreknowledge, 

provision, 

and 

protection

in this experience.

This is why I claim the following:

I trust in the name of the LORD our God!

In whom do you trust?