evening I was travelling back home after picking up a Chinese meal from the takeaway in the local village. It's only just over a mile away, over the hill at the back of the cottage. So I'm just about to turn into the narrow road that comes over the hill, down to the cottage, when the clutch pedal goes straight to the floor and I can't change gear [manual shift] and the engine stalls! Give Kriss a call and she comes out in the other car to tow me home. Vic also comes out to give us a hand after Kriss called him and explained the situation. So, off we go and when we get to the bit where we start to go downhill we unhitch my car and I freewheel the last few hundred yards to the cottage - I'd managed to get the car out of gear so that I could start the engine and have brakes and steering.
At church the next morning I find out about a guy who is looking to pass on a 5 year old car in exchange for a donation to the building fund at Ellel Ministries. Now the car that Kriss uses is due its annual road worthiness check in January and there will be too much to repair to justify keeping a 10 year old car on the road. So fairly soon we were going to be looking to replace it.
On Monday I see H about the car and he tells me that for many years he has bought good used vehicles, never more than two years old, uses them for two or three years and then passes them on free to whoever God tells him too! This time he believes that God has asked him to ask for a donation to the Blairmore House building fund. So we commit it all in prayer, we take the car out for a drive and I pledge a donation. Yesterday I collected the car! But that's not all folks.
In the course of our conversation yesterday H's wife, E, tells me about another ministry that they are involved with, Joseph's Storehouse. E tells me that they have a stretcher to give to this ministry and there are three collection points in Scotland. The Lord has prompted her to share this with Kriss and myself - she doesn't understand why - and of course one of the towns that has a collection point is the town that our daughter lives in! And we are going to visit in two weeks time! Now we all understand why E was led to share this with us! What a mighty God we serve! Praise His Holy Name!
Winter has arrived! Lots of snow in various places throughout the Scottish Highlands; main A9 trunk road between Perth and Inverness blocked in some places; 80 schools closed in Aberdeenshire; a few local area roads closed but here at the cottage, and in the surrounding area, no snow but quite strong winds, sleet and rain. Very cold because of the wind chill factor. So really not a day for travelling about outside. But back to work this afternoon to do the school run and work with the afterschool club.
Kriss has been off work the last three days with a cold and sore joints but is now on the mend. We will get the grocery shopping done this evening and then it will be a cosy time together. Bought "The Wizard of Oz" DVD the other day so we may well watch that.
So that's me up to date and giving thanks for God's goodness, mercy and grace and for the promise of the abundant life in John 10 v 10.
Hope and pray that you all have a good weekend. Blessings.
