A “New Old” Car

 

Updated on 8-20-08

Alycia asked me why I didn’t take a photo of the new car to post here – well my camera is with our youngest daughter who is in Myrtle Beach all week.  So once she returns I will take a photo of our “new old car” for everyone to enjoy.  And Alycia told me that she was glad to read this posting and that my attitude had finally changed!

 

Some of you remember that in April, our oldest daughter was in an accident that totaled the car.  (read about it here http://sandrajo.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/wishing-i-could-fix-my-it-all/)  Due to all that has been going on in our lives, it has taken time, but we finally got a “new old” car last week.  Bill and I had committed to only shop for a car with the insurance check that we received (in other words~pay cash).  We prayed about it, called a friend in the car business, told him how much we could spend and there were 2 cars we could look at.  The first one was not a winner at all – but there was this car — a 1996 Chevy Cavalier that didn’t look bad.  We took it for a spin, ask for the price and it was just what we could afford – so we commited to buy it.  It was that easy – we asked God to provide and He did.

Alycia kept asking me if I was excited about the new car and my response was that I wasn’t excited, but satisfied with it.   I have been driving around a 2000 Grand Carvan that has over 200,000 miles on it, no air conditioning and was in a fender bender 2 years ago that was never fixed.  I had looked forward to the day that the Lord provided a new car – yet a 1996 Chevy Cavalier was not quiet what I was imagining.  This past week, I found myself driving the car and looking with envy at other cars, wishing that they were mine.  I realized that I was just like the Israelites who were not satisfied with the manna the Lord provided them everyday.  They wanted more – they wanted meat – and so God gave them quail (lots of it – so much that they got sick of it) all because they were not thankful for the manna God provided each day.

And then I recognized that I was had the same complaining spirit toward our Chevy Cavalier as the Israelites did toward the manna.  We had asked God to provide a car that we could pay cash for and He did.  It is a nice little car with only 65,000 miles on it and the air conditioning works (even if there is only 1 fan speed ).  No, it wasn’t a new fashionable model – but it will meet our needs at this time.  I need to be thankful to a God who provides exactly what we needed and fits exactly into what we could afford.  When will I ever learn to be thankful and content?

So I have been trying to be thankful each time I get in and out of the car – prayerfully thanking God for the provision of this car for our family at this time.  I do have so much to be thank God for, including a daughter who was not hurt and completely paid for “new to us” 1996 taupe Chevy Cavalier. 

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” 1 Timothy 6:17