I thank the Lord for an unforgettable Christmas this year. Every holiday season in the past that I have spent with my daughter and family has been special, but there was something different this year in my heart and soul–an expansion of love, pleasure, and delight. The entire week was simply wonderful.

The plans started with my daughter insisting that I drive a rental car to Memphis instead of my vehicle, because of its age and high mileage. She would manage the arrangements and the cost. We talked about this and she remained adamant. I shared the details with a close friend, and she felt that God was taking care of me through this unexpected provision. Peace in my mind and heart came with this revelation, and I rested in her plans.

The car was a newer model with less than 3000 miles on the odometer. I picked up the car on Friday after work and drove it to a gas station to fill the tank in preparation for my trip the next morning. As I neared the station, realization dawned that I did not know which side the fuel door was located. I pulled up to a pump and parked. I walked around the vehicle and amazingly I had chosen the correct side. Then I could not open the fuel door. I pulled out my phone and searched for information. The first suggestion was to push in on the door and it would release, but that did not work. Further searching revealed a latch on the floor inside the driver side door. This did release the fuel door and I was able to fill the tank. I breathed a sigh of satisfaction in this accomplishment.

When I arrived back home, I decided to acquaint myself with the basic operations of the vehicle that I might need while driving on this trip. I could see the lever for the wipers, but I could not understand how to operate the wipers on the front windshield. The wiper on the back window worked, and the wiper fluid was plentiful for both windshields. There was an intermittent button that operated the rear wiper. I turned the lights off and on in my attempts to work the front wipers. I repeated all the same functions in hopes the front wipers would work, without success. Frustrated, I texted my daughter. She suggested facetime in order to see the instrument panel and dash. Finally, I understood to pull down the entire lever for the front wipers. So simple, yet I could not see how it worked until she explained. The call ended and I sighed deeply, feeling like a dinosaur out of touch with modern vehicles.

During this trip I also learned that I could not play my new Rend Collective Christmas CD and I could not open the trunk without the remote. The key folded into the remote, which felt awkward, and I was concerned the key would break off so I handled it with kid gloves. The brakes were much more sensitive than I was used to, and I jerked when I stopped until I got the hang of it. I loved plugging in my phone and having the map displayed on a larger screen while the radio played! The back-up display showed three outlines, all different colors, so I just turned my head and looked out the rear window instead, which is how I learned to drive many decades ago. The car was so quiet I could not hear the engine idling. The gas mileage was excellent, less than $100 for 1266 miles round trip. Once I was comfortable with the car, I enjoyed driving it.

Christmas week passed in a blur of fun, laughter, great food, love, and extraordinary moments that I will treasure in my memories. Too soon it was time to leave. In previous years I have written about unusual incidents and delays that occurred every time I traveled to Memphis for the holidays, but not this year. The rental car was returned without issue, and the cab arrived in less than five minutes after calling to take me back home. I have rested today, marveling in awareness of the Lord’s goodness, soaking in the love of family and His care for His children.

Thank you, Father, for Your many blessings and the joy that You bring into our lives.