Dad was put into ICU on Friday, May 16th. My days have been filled with hospital visits. My mind has been filled with fear, anger and worry. Tate knew I needed to get away to relax so he coaxed me to go fishing off a friend's pier. His plan worked. As we were leaving and discussing supper options, I hear Tate say, "Crap!" A bird had pooped on his head. I couldn't help but laugh. I even got the giggles. He tells me, "It's good to see you smile and hear you laugh. Wish it didn't take a bird crapping on my head for it to happen but whatever it takes." (Now that's self sacrificing love right there!) So before we could go grab a bite to eat, Tate needed to wash his hair. Originally we were going to head to Bossier for Newk's but as we got in the truck, Tate suggested Wendy's since it was closer to home. "I can be good and get a salad" he said. As we get closer to our destination, we start to debate between Wendy's and Whataburger. "Just because I'm turning into Wendy's doesn't mean we have to stop. We can go on to Whataburger." Just as those words come out of Tate's mouth we turn the corner and see a Mom with her two teenage daughters trying to change a flat in the Wendy's parking lot. We look at each other and smile because we both know Tate isn't going to leave without helping. He says, "Apparently God wants us to eat at Wendy's."
As Tate is helping the eldest daughter change the tire, I get to talk with the Mom, Kim. They were headed back to West Monroe from College Station TX after a ballgame. They normally go to Dairy Queen when they're on the road but decided to go to Wendy's "to be good" with their food choices. (Isn't that what Tate had said earlier?) They had hoped to be home by now but were running behind. (I wonder if God allowed the bird episode to happen so that we would be there at exactly the right time.) Her husband couldn't go this trip but had provided them with a 2 ton jack and showed them what to do in case of a flat. Tate went to work but he couldn't get the height he needed so he brought out his jack thinking it would help. No such luck. So he found the jack that came with the Rav4 and was able to change the tire. The ladies had no clue on how to use that particular jack so they were watching closely to be prepared if it ever happened again. Kim tried to buy our supper but Tate refused profusely. "I pray that if Heather or my mom were in the same situation, a kind stranger would do the same for them. All I ask is that you pay it forward some day."
As we drive home I remember the evening's events and see how God has orchestrated the entire thing. He knew those ladies were going to be running late getting home and were going to have a flat tire in a Wendy's parking lot and He needed somebody there to help. He knew I needed to relax and laugh so that I could get my focus off worrying. So He allowed a bird to do an unpleasant deed to give me the giggles and to slow us down in getting supper so that we would arrive when the ladies needed help. He made Tate to think of staying closer to home and "being good" with his food choices by going to Wendy's. He made the ladies choose to "be good" by going to Wendy's instead of going to their normal route to Dairy Queen. Even though Kim's husband provided her with a jack, God knew it wouldn't do the job so He sent Tate to show them what to do next time. Now all of us have another testimony of how God's timing is perfect and how He provides in mysterious ways.
