My Tax collector Angel!

Ok, I know what you're thinking.  Tax collector in the same sentence as an angel? 

 Come on...this must be a joke...right?

Wrong! and here's how the story goes:)

As the whole crew loaded into our little, yet very good on gas, car this morning,

 I noticed that my tire pressure light was on.  

This didn't surprise me too much since light was on a few days ago before I aired it up.

So, on our way to the kids Speed class I aired it up.  

I then proceeded to text my husband to inform him that I must have a nail or something in the tire b/c it was really low this morning.  He responded as you would expect....

"I'll look at it when I get home and thanks for the heads up."

Driving 40 minutes in to class I noticed that my light came on again. 

 That's when I thought...hum, this is a little worse than I before.  

I drove on to get the kids to class and put in my mind that I would air it back up after class...and maybe I won't be able to run as many errands as I thought.

That was the plan and I followed it well.  I can handle airing a tire.

So, again, I aired the tire up after class and headed for the bank.  

As I was driving, I heard a small pop and then a clank..clank..clank.  I thought oh no, I sure hope I didn't run over something with my bad tire...then...oh no, I hope that wasn't my....bu bump bu bump bu bump...as I slow to the side of the Hwy I realized.  

It was my tire.  

I stopped and then smelled burning rubber.  

My first thought was I hope I didn't ruin anything.  My second thought was if I could drive slowly off this over pass to a safer spot.  As my big girls investigated they soon found out that I wasn't getting off this ramp with this very flat tire.

~Deep breath~

I was in a dangerous spot! 

I had no room to open my door unless I found a break in the 70+ MPH cars, trucks, and Semi's.

I called Todd to inform him of our misfortune.  

Poor guy was helpless. His family was in a pickle and he was unable to assist.  

I told myself...I can do this, I am strong and capable.  

I can at least try!  

So that's just what I did. 

I popped the hatch and dug all the tools and spare tire out. 

I was getting things set up when...OH NO! 

Where's my JACK?

So, back the hatch I go to look for this very important part of the process.

NO Jack. 

 I call my lovely husband.  He tells me to look here and there in which places I'd already looked.

I wonder...What is AAA's number?

 The Lord must have made it so that they didn't answer b/c goodness I tried.  

Not long after trying a car with an older man comes to see if he can help.  

Then...a big Ford truck pulls up.  

A man with kind eyes and gray hair.

 A man that stated how bad and dangerous of a spot I broke down at.  

A man that said it took him 10 miles to turn around and get back to me to help.

I tell you...He was an angel!

He was not some burly, bulky cowboy but just an average sized guy by most standards.

I told him I had no jack so he searched his truck for one and found one!

Thank you Jesus.

Problem: The car sits low and with a flat tire this "truck" jack was too tall.  

He said he'd try to lift it to get some clearance but this came up unsuccessful. 

 I said I could help pick it up and as a team we could lift this car... 

I'm Army strong and as my sister would say, I have Cates blood running through me.

We Cates girls have always just been kind of strong for what ever reason:)

Anyway, This guy wasn't confident in our collective efforts to raise this car but I was.

Do you think we got the jack in place?

Of course! To his surprise:)

Then to the nuts.  

Those things are put on so tight...but my angel for the day, loosened them with little effort.  

After that we were set:)

I was grateful and tried expressed during the whole time my appreciation.

When it was time to go I tried to give him whatever cash I had but he wouldn't have for it.  

He gave me his card and gave me some words of advice about the spare.  

Much like a caring father figure.

"I'm so glad I have his card", I thought.

I looked down and there his name was and then...

Tax assessor right under it. 

I can't wait to send a letter of thanks!  

Unwind ~ Be still and know God has got you covered!  

Teachable moment: As we drove off, I recapped with the kids what just happened. 

 I asked them how staying calm helped?

 How greeting with a smile helps? 

How humbleness was needed and how beautiful it looked from someone of help?

 I asked them if I had thrown my hands up and thought this was the end of the world 

would that have helped solve the problem.

Why go through all that? 

To teach calmness in a storm.  

The beauty of humbleness and how not to miss it.  

To teach greeting people...even if it's on the side of the road with cars zooming by.

To thank God for everything!