It's all in the way you look at it

(So I have decided that I can't to short posts, yes, I am a bit wordy, but I think this one is worth spending the time to read).

After having such an eventful month I have learned that attitude can be good or bad with everything we have done--it's just all in the attitude you have while doing it. They days I was ANNOYED beyond belief at being in the car for yet ANOTHER day---and tired of hearing Kenzie cry and scream the ENTIRE trip it was not a good day. On the days where we just sat back, enjoyed the drive, and looked for it to be an "adventure" were much nicer days! So let me tell you of my last "adventure" (Sorry if I overuse this word---it seems to be the theme for the last few days).
As I mentioned in my previous post we decided on Tuesday that we could probably qualify to buy a house and the payments would be the same as renting (or cheaper) and we would be owning a house and it would be more what we want for a home (our only rental choices was a 4/2 trailer or a 2/1 house---and the trailer scared us and the house was too small for us). We decided about 1pm to see if we qualified for a loan. We were qualified by 2 on the road by 3. Well---tried to be on the road by 3. We got everything loaded (Kenzie included)---and we were so excited for this excitement for the day (mom and Jeffrey had both said they were BORED that day). Well the car doesn't start. Lucky for us (unlucky for him) Tyler had just got home from work. He drove his truck over to give us a jump. It took probably a good 30 min for us to figure out how to connect it just right. We drive straight to Big Spring to buy a battery. Well my mom buys one and practically BEGS the salesperson to switch out her batteries for her. Hesitantly he attempts to no avail. So we have him give us a jump and we vow not to turn off the car until we arrive at Clay's parents. Wed morning we go to Junction to look at the possible houses---but with moms car not starting we decided to take Jim and Betty Sue's car---Betty Sue's new car and the van that has been randomly breaking down (because we don't all fit in one car!). As I'm typing this I realize how thankful we all should be that we didnt have an "adventure" with the van. We made it back to Wall just in time to pack up moms car, get a jump and get on the road. I was planning to get my hair done that night but we were having to rush to make it in time. We left wall at 345. We arrived at my moms at 9.

Did I mention it should be a 3 1/2 hr drive??? Here's where the last "adventure" I have experienced began. So were headed from Wall on the backroads that Betty Sue drew for us. I had riden this way many of times, but it has been YEARS since I have actually driven it. Clay usually does the driving and I do the riding (aka---sleeping). So were headed through Veribest, Lowake, Ballinger, Coleman, "Cross Plains" (we later came to find out---was not Cross Plains), to Abilene. Abilene?!?! Yes, Abilene. For those of you that don't know, we should have NEVER hit Abilene. I am still stumped as to how exactley we ended up there. We should have hit I20 about 10-20 miles east of Abilene. By this time I realize I am not going to make my hair appt---good thing its a friend doing it for me! Kenzie has been crying by this point for about an hour---the sun was shining directly on her so we decided to pull over to put a pillow in the window to block out the sun. Well, what is the first thing you do when you pull into a rest stop to take a break? Turn off the car of course! Yes, as soon as the car was turned off Mom realized OH NO!!! PLEASE LORD START BACK UP!!! PLEASE!!!! No luck. So here we are, at a rest stop on I20 just outside of Abilene. We tie Dalton up to a pole, get Kenzie out and let her run around in the grass, mom and Jeffrey are freaking out about how we are going to get a jump start. Mom finally asks a man walking past, he so kindly "gives us a jump" so we thought man, this is not so bad---well his car wasn't powerful enough to start her car. Yes, so we are still stranded. Mom finds out she can call roadside assistance to get help. She is on hold for 30 min waiting for a dispatcher and then the poor girl on the phone had NO idea where we were calling from (heck---other than rest stop on I20 just outside Abilene was all we knew!). Meanwhile this trucker walks past to head towards the bathroom. I look at him and think---he looks a little rough he may not be the right person to ask for help---but then I noticed a cross necklace as he walked past. I began wondering if that was a fashion decision or if it was a lifestyle. Well I wasn't wondering for long. As he walked back to his truck after visiting the rest room he stopped and asked "how long are your cords?" (we had the hood up with the jumper cables sitting on the ground). We proceded to show him how long they were so he got in his truck, removed the trailer, reversed to be even with mom, gave us a jump (which took about 10 min of charging---so I talked with the man a little. Had been on the road since California and he was planning on stopping in Weatherford---but I guess he decided he needed a break a little earlier). By this time mom of course was relieved and had to visit the ladies room. She gave me a 20 to go thank the truck driver. When I went around to his truck I said "I just wanted to tell you thank you" and I held out the money. He held up his hands like "im not taking your money" and so I said "yes, take it. It would have cost more money to have someone come give us a jump and it would take more time" and I placed it in his shirt pocket. He proceeded to tell me "Only if you want to. I'm not asking for money. I don't wear this necklace for no reason. I've been a christian for 22 years and before that my life was not good". All I could say was Amen. We proceeded to offer "have a good drive" to each other and off he went. We loaded up the car and was back on the road (an hour later)

As we are driving down the road we began talking about what all we had been thinking as we were stranded there at the Rest Stop. I don't know why I usually don't stress in those type of situations, but I just knew something would work out---and after all it all is just an adventure right? Well come to find out my mom had been so STRESSED and was praying the whole time LORD, bring us some help! Protect us! Get us home! And my brother was getting angry. Angry that we were sitting at a rest stop with no way to get home. And we all were beyond ready to be at home. We had had too much car time already! Jeffrey told me that when he was the most frustrated he looked at Kenzie and she looked at him and he said "I really could use a hug" and she walked up to him and hugged him. He said her hug just made it all better. Seriously, how can such a little being create such a reaction within us? There are many times when I'm mad, frustrated, tired, sad that if I just look at Kenzie everything is all better.

So, thank you Mr Truckdriver for coming to our rescue and truly living out your faith. And my question to you (and me too) is----how do we act when we "wear our cross"? Are we walking examples of how Christ was? Are we willing to help someone in need if it means being late to our destination? No matter how tired we are (he had been driving from California!) we should always be willing to lend a helping hand.