Hosed

My van likes to surprise me, or maybe more accurately, play tricks on me.

The van started up just fine this morning and we had no trouble on the way to seminary. All was well.

When seminary was over, I went out to the car to start it, but it just sat there, ignoring the key turning in the ignition. We tried jump-starting it to another car, but that didn't work either. One of the teenagers who rides in my van from church to school noticed that there was a severed hose leading from the air filter to the engine. Jim drove the white car to the church and drove us all where we needed to be. I was half an hour late to work. Sigh. Jim then went back to church to see what he could do with the van replaced the broken hose and the van started right up.

Now because it is November, the month where we consider those things for which we are grateful, I have decided to be more like Pollyanna and am going to list the "fortunatelys" in this situation.

1. Fortunately, there were still people at the church so I could get some help in my attempt to jump-start the car.
2. Fortunately, when it became apparent that a jump-start was not going to work, I had a key to the church building so that people who were cold and were too LAZY to get their coats out of their backpacks (and here I am looking at Paul) could stay warm inside.
3. Fortunately, Jim had not gone to work and Jimmy didn't need his car right away so we could have the means to get us where we all needed to go.
4. Fortunately, this little detour in time did not affect the students' attendance. Seminary gets out at 6:50 a.m. and the kids didn't have to be to school until 8:05. So no one was late to school.
5. Fortunately, I had my work number in my cell phone and was able to call to say I was going to be late. And fortunately, my co-workers were OK with that.
6. Fortunately, it was not snowing or raining.
7. Fortunately, Janelle noticed the broken hose. I would have single-mindedly paid attention only to the car battery and totally overlooked a broken hose.
8. Fortunately, when Jim went to the parts store, the attendant gave him a free piece of hose that fit perfectly.
9. Fortunately, the van started right up after Jim replaced the hose. No charge for the fix! We are out only half an hour's wage on my end and time on Jim's. Yay!
10. Fortunately, I have nothing else on the calendar for today and I don't have to go anywhere. (that doesn't really have anything to do with the van, but it's a great blessing to have any day).

Comments

Jen said…
What a positive way to look at a situation that would have been frustrating on a school/work morning. Thank goodness it was just a small and quick fix, and that Jim was capable of that task. I would have been like you and just thought, "The battery is dead," and gotten it towed. Smart one whoever noticed the broken hose.
Jenni said…
Yes, fortunately!!!