Not many people would think that flat tires are a gift.

This week that is what God decided to give me.

I had to attend a meeting in Marin.

Well, actually, I didn't HAVE to attend a meeting in Marin. I don't ever have to attend meetings. I drive my friend, Lenora to a meeting in Marin once every three months. It's a friendly commitment. It takes us eight hours to get there but we converse and listen to music and audio tapes and we look at the scenery, so the time passes.

Okay, plus I get mileage compensation.

Anyway, last weekend was the meeting time. We were astounded by the glorious green of the California hills. It's so different than what we are used to in the valley. They countryside undulates plush velvet verde. We watched out the window at the passing beauty and I imagined some far off time in the future when I would take a trip up what some people call boring, old, insomniac-cure, Highway 5 and shoot pictures till my heart is contented. I pretend I am being allowed to stand in the middle of the highway to catch that same perspective as I get from inside my car. I imagine this every time I drive up 5 because it is breathtakingly beautiful in spaces and... we never stop. Large portions of highway five are just full of photo opportunities. But I can't stop and take photos because it takes eight-hours-to-get-there!

And that's with one stop.

We arrived at the Inn at Marin in surprisingly good time. We did not use the "T" word. If you say the "T" word when you are driving then suddenly you are surrounded by traffic and are stuck for at least an hour learning - patience. We tested this theory out this trip and it proved that it is true.
Even if you say, "Gees, we really haven't seen any traff..." Before you say "ic." there are cars surrounding your vehicle racing the snails on the side of the road. Don't say the "T" word when you drive.

We slid into the hotel just in time for the planned dinner - Chinese. As we waited for our hostess to arrive and guide us to a really wonderful restaurant, someone did God's work and left me a gift.

The hostess arrived and we went outside to our cars and...

I had two flat tires...

In the front...

Of my car.

I went to dinner anyway. The hostess drove. When we got back from a very delicious feast, I called triple AAA. The girl on the phone said, "No one gets two flat tires at once. Someone did this."
The guy who put air in the one tire and put the spare on the front said, "That'll hold. No one gets two flat tires at once. Someone did this."

Then the next day when I didn't go to the meeting and instead I went to the tire store. The guy in the tire store said, "I can't fix it till four and no one gets two flat tires at once. Someone did this. I'll send you to my other store. Talk to Basil."

And then when I finally found the other "Can't miss it" store just around the corner, "Basil" very cheerfully fixed my flat.

Okay, he had a guy in a gray jumpsuit fix it. "Wait, I will be with you in a moment"...type, type...type...type...type...type...type...type...
He types with his two index fingers.

Basil is kind of a one thing at a time kind of guy. He's a very good lesson in patience. Especially for an impatient person like me."Can I just ask a quick question?"
"Wait!"
But when I left he said, " Listen no one gets two flats at once, especially two flats in the front. The tires are okay.They are not slashed, no punctures or nails in them. Someone had to let the air of your tires."

There was that "Someone" again. So I thought about that on the way back to the meeting. I thought about how the tires weren't damaged. They weren't slashed like Basil said some other tires were from a nearby hotel. They would not have to be replaced. Seemed like someone was kind of... nice.

I mean what if I had been driving a winebago? Huh? What then?
But then I remembered the meeting and how I had missed half of it. The boring meeting. The boring all day meeting that I attend even though it's not my job to attend it.

And I pulled right up to the turn for the Inn at Marin and suddenly, I had an epiphany.

God didn't want me to attend that meeting, so he sent and angel to let the air out of my tires.

I know, it sounds strange, but he works in mysterious ways his wonders to perform. And I knew he was performing a wonder because every time I go up to this meeting with my friend Lenora, I pass right by this really neat looking toy store and I always want to stop in but...
I never have time. Because I HAVE to attend the boring meeting and be supportive.

That is until God flattened my two front tires. Then when I got to the point where I was supposed to go into the hotel and sit and get a headache for two hours at the boring meeting... I jerked the wheel. It was almost like divine intervention.

When I saw three completely adorable angel like muse dolls in the front of the store? I knew it was divine, and I bought all three for my three writer friends and hey! Another one for me, even!

Thanks God!

That was good!

What a great Gift, you are so thoughtful!

If you want a great toy store you HAVE to go to
Dollhouses, Trains & More in Novato. Linda Becker is the owner and she is so sweet. Oh MY GAWD! I could go broke in their miniature section!
And if God ever gifts you some flat tires, you can learn patience and have your tires fixed at Toscalito automotive. Ask for Basil.

Look out for God Gifts! They are everywhere!

That's it from LaLaLand

Email Carol Wood at Carol@hazelst.com