I have a friend who purchased a new vehicle for her daughter. It is not a fancy car particularly. It is a functional vehicle to get the daughter around on the college campus and home for those great college holidays like Thanksgiving.

One day recently she had a flat tire. She has the AAA phone number for those times when the tires go flat or the battery dies. She called the flat tire hot line and requested flat tire assistance. When the AAA truck arrived the fellow got out and started looking for the spare tire. He looked in all the normal places for the tire. The spare tire was not to be found. There was neither jack nor tools for changing the tire. Mom received the flat tire no spare anguished phone call from her daughter.

Mom was worried about her daughter’s flat tire and furious that the dealership had not inspected the car well enough to know that the spare tire was missing. Knowing the mom involved I’m sure it was a very colorful conversation with the car dealership. I have heard mom use her big girl words before and she is quite articulate in her use of colorful metaphors.

As she caught her breath to load in more invectives, the serviceman on the other end of the phone asked for verification that her daughter had a 2017 model vehicle. She responded in the affirmative.

The dealership representative informed the furious mom that the car her daughter was driving is equipped with “run flat tires” and one may drive the car with a flat tire. There is no spare tire because of the “run flat tires” that come as standard equipment on that model. One does not need a spare tire if they can drive up to 50 miles on a “flat” tire. My friend is not good at apologies after using her big girl colorful metaphors. I think she just hung up on the serviceman.

Of course, I am sure the serviceman is telling his version of the story, even as mom has confessed to her learning experience with “run-flat tires.”

I am so thankful I am not the star of this article. That would certainly be something that I would do. The cars I drive have spare tires. I’m not sure where they are hidden, but I know they exist. Well, maybe I should check to make sure. I am thankful for this little story, it brought a big laugh on the day I heard it. It was a story I wanted to tell you as prelude for the rest of the article. In preacher lingo that is called the “introduction.”

Thanksgiving and the spirit of gratitude can overflow in such a way you begin to look at life’s events through those lenses. Do you see the events of your life with grateful eyes?
Thanksgiving Day is almost here; can you believe this year has flown by so quickly? I am thankful and grateful to so many who have prayed for us during this year.

I am thankful for you, the readers of these musings. Your kind words to me are so very encouraging and I pray at times these articles are encouraging to you. The stories that you share are also inspirational and often are the genesis of some of these articles.

I am thankful for my church family, my neighbors and the many blessings with which God has blessed His people. I’m thankful we live and serve in Natchitoches, Louisiana right now. I am thankful for all of the characters who play a big part in my life. That would be you!

Thank you!