Trains, Planes, and Automobiles

Here in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where I live, they have been installing “light-rail” as the newest form of public transportation and it is scheduled to open next year. Many people are excited to take the new shiny train and leave their cars at home.

Other people are not so excited for many reasons (besides the cost). One of the reasons is because they know the bad thing about trains, cars, trucks, vans, and other modes of transportation is that they eventually break down and need to be replaced.

I write this because Cathy and I have never had to take out a loan for a vehicle; either we paid cash or else someone gave us a vehicle as a gift. We’ve been given many vehicles over our marriage from cars, to vans, to SUV’s. And, this provision extended not only to Cathy and I but to several of our children as well when they were older and in need of their own vehicle.

Each and every time that we needed a different vehicle, usually because we had another child, the Lord provided a new one. Usually when we needed a different vehicle Cathy would pray that the Lord would provide one to not only meet our family’s needs but also she asked for extra room so that we could give rides when the need arose. Each and every time the Lord provided. 

One such provision took place in 1986. A man came up to me after church and he looked a little miffed. He pulled me aside so that he could rebuke me with what little authority he (thought) that he had. Cathy and I had been married several years and we were going through a time of unemployment. He was upset with me that we had received some money from the church’s benevolent fund. To this day I still am not sure how he had this information, but today it would prove to serve me well.

Not working had been rough on me; the whole economy was going through great turbulence. We had been getting hand outs and hand me downs and my pride was bruised; even the car we were driving had been given to us by someone who figured that we needed it.

He continued with his complaint to me that we should not have taken the money that the church had given us. He pointed out that he noticed that we were driving a new car and that my children were wearing “designer” clothes. Then, to top it off, he blasted me that my wife was spending too much money on her clothes and shared with me that for the past few weeks he noticed how expensive the clothes that she wore were. In fact, he said, the outfit she had on cost at least five hundred dollars.

What he didn’t know is that the car was a gift that only looked new because the previous owner who gave it to us as a gift kept it good condition. I had been so embarrassed that the clothes my children wore were donated to us by one of Cathy’s relatives (hand-me-downs) that I hadn’t even noticed that not only did they look new, but that they were designer labeled! And the outfits that Cathy wore were hand-me-downs from one of Cathy’s aunts. I had no idea that they were expensive; I only saw them as used clothing.

Wow; that was all that I needed! I was so grateful that Cathy had relatives with money, good taste, and generosity! I thanked him, got in my car, and drove away feeling like a million bucks! God had not only met our needs for clothing, but He had also met the need for me to not be embarrassed by what we had.

Jesus said;

“Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Luke 12:27-31)

Praise be His name!

"Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."