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A Pleasant Change

By April 16, 2013August 30th, 2022Devotional

Several weeks ago, Janet and I decided that it was time to get another car. My ride has almost 170,000 miles on it and to be sure, I still love driving it, but Janet is having a more difficult time driving it – seeing who is in the next lane or coming up along side her. So when I take Janet’s SUV, she is left with my car and that isn’t working so well any more. Regardless of all the reasons, we made the call to add a car to our “fleet” and not sell the old one. And since we already had an SUV, I didn’t want another one and therefore, we ended up with a regular sedan. Not that it makes any difference for this post, but I just figured you may want to know what we decided on.

Anyway, the biggest obstacle I face when we think about a new car is the trip to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. It’s been almost 6 years since we have purchased a car and now you know the reason why. I just can’t stand waiting in line at the license branch. I mean, I really hate it. It seems to me that the workers operate at the slowest pace humanly possible and that they take a break after each customer they serve. It just seems like such a racket to me.

Then there is the problem that you never have just the right stuff that is required by the BMV. If you have your signature, then they want a spouse’s signature. If you want to change a plate, you must bring the current registration, which, of course, you left on the kitchen counter back home. Or… where did you put that current insurance card proving that the car is covered by a suitable policy?

You get the idea by now – I just can’t stand the BMV. So I steeled myself and made the decision to get there today. After all, since we added a third car, I couldn’t just swap a plate on a car. When I arrived at the Carmel branch, I was number 81. Oh my goodness! How long is this going to take? Well, you know what? They were already on number 79 and I was the second number called… I didn’t even have enough time to make a phone call. Too good to be true…

I marched up to the counter and was especially polite. Not that I don’t always try to be polite, but I have learned that at the BMV you really have to amp it up a notch or two. The woman who helped me, Jessica, had a great attitude and soon she was fully engaged in my desire to swap several plates on different cars and then order a new plate as well. Then… the snag. She couldn’t do what I wanted to have done. Then, just as suddenly as it began, she found a way, by renewing everything for an additional year, to full accommodate my requests. I paid the bill and was out the door within 20 minutes of my arrival. It was a new record and one of the best experiences that I have ever had – in more than 30 years of going to the branch. Go figure.

To summarize, God sent me a surprise today. That’s right – a little miracle. That’s what I’m choosing to call it and believe me, I thanked God for it – with one of my famous arrow prayers. So the new plates are ordered, the registrations have been put with the right cars and all is well in the Toussaint garage this evening.

The verse for tonight acknowledges God’s desire to to take us by surprise – in a good way! In Jer. 14:9, we are told, “Why are you like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? You are among us, O LORD, and we bear your name; do not forsake us!” My encouragement this evening is that God wants you to be alert and recognize the small things that He does to make your life easier. Believe me, those examples are all around us – but we have to be looking for them. My prayer is that God will continue to bless you and keep you – surprises and all. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…

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