Driving on a Nail and a Prayer

I bought my new car on Tuesday night.  On Wednesday, I drove it around and the low tire pressure alert light came on!  I took the car in to the dealers service center on Thursday to have the tires checked; they put some air in all the tires and said it should be fine.  "The gauge is very sensitive", I was told; "even a pound of pressure difference will cause it to come on; just have the tire pressure checked once a month, it should be fine."

I drove around on Friday and the light remained off and I didn't worry about it.

But, on Saturday morning, at 6:00 a.m., when I set off to drive daughter up to Berkeley, the pressure alert light came on, again, and caused me to wonder - should I take it back to the service center and have them recheck it?  But that would delay our journey (the service center wouldn't be open before 7 a.m.)  and we had to be in Berkeley by a certain time to collect the key to daughter's apartment and settle her in, etc.  And didn't the service person say it was OK, not to worry?

So, after a short discussion, we decided it was OK to go ahead and drive to Berkeley.  I said my prayers as usual (I always say a set of prayers or devotions when I start driving, each day) and, I knew that others were also praying for us to have a safe journey.  The tire pressure light remained lit for the first 200 miles of the journey and then it went off by itself and remained off for the rest of the journey, and I felt encouraged.  But it came back on, later in the evening, when I drove.

And it remained lit when I drove myself home, the next day.  This was my first long drive (6+ hrs) by myself and I was a little nervous.  Instead of just saying my prayers once and then, listening to music or the radio as is my usual custom, I continued to repeat my devotions and sang hymns.  All the way home!  I felt a bit silly, after all, I had taken the car to be blessed when I bought it, etc., but I felt it was important to continue with the prayers.  I felt I would be risking something going wrong if I stopped.

I continued to drive the car to the office and back, 20 miles each way, for the rest of the week, without any qualms.

But, Saturday morning, before I drove to Berkeley, again, I looked at the tires one last time.  Was it my imagination or did the front right tire look just a little bit low?  

I took the car back to the service center.  I was almost apologetic.  "Could you please check the tire pressure, again? The pressure gauge is still lit."  This time, the verdict was a definite, "You have a nail in that tire; you need to take it to a tire repair place and have them put a patch."  Oh.

Seems like I drove for over 800 miles at freeway speeds on a nail punctured tire!  Surely, it was the prayers that enabled me to drive safely?

I was nervous enough to want a new tire put in!  But they didn't have that type of tire in stock and would have to order a new one and I'd have to leave the car there for the rest of the day.  But I was supposed to go to Berkeley and my daughter was waiting for me.  So, I took the car to a tire repair place and they patched the tire for me for $12.  And I drove to Berkeley and the tire pressure gauge remained unlit the whole way.  But, once again, I prayed and sang hymns for the duration of the journey.

One particular verse from "Amazing Grace" seemed most appropriate:

"Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home."

 

Yes, most definitely, I drove myself home on a nail and a prayer.