This blog is written because of Asha's blog on Monday June 12, 2006.

The story you are about to read IS TRUE !!! You may either read it, in it's entireity or you may simply stop here and call it 'foolish'.

A little background information first. I was working in a truck / automobile tire repair shop. I fixed flat tires on anything from a wheelbarrow to a backhoe to a tractor trailer to a off-road vehicle. Now, on with my experience. IT DID HAPPEN, I HAVE NO REASON TO SAY IT DIDN'T !!

In August 1988, I was on my way to Waxhaw, North Carolina, for a short-term missionary trip. Before I left, I made out a budget of my expenses of which I thought I would need. My budget was $250.00. (Gas WAS cheaper back then). I had $200.00 when I left. REMEMBER - I WAS $50.00 BELOW WHAT I NEEDED FOR THE WEEK !! The Bible said that God will supply ALL my needs. Well, if God wanted me to go, He would supply my needs, as I needed them.

Before I left, I said a prayer for safety in travel and, because I was on vacation, to 'do His Work', I WASN'T going to fix any flat tires, NO how, NO way.

Okay, I filled my car with gas, and I left for my 'vacation'. I drive towards my destination, and halfway in Virginia, I noticed that, in the distance, a pickup truck had a blow-out. I saw it, and I said to myself "I'm not stopping". Got closer "NO, I'm not stopping". Drove past, looked at driver "NO, I'm not stopping". I drove past, I DIDN'T stop, and I DIDN'T feel guilty.

HOWEVER, as I approached the next exit, my car 'pulls' to the right. I'm thinking to myself - NO, I'm not going back, I'm doing your work. As the exit gets closer, my car 'pulls' sharper to the right. NO, NO, NO, I'm NOT going back. However, I couldn't 'steer' my car as I approached the exit ramp. OKAY, I'll go back - and just like that, I could steer.

I went back, about 30 miles to the last exit, and as I passed the guy in the pickup, he WASN'T doing anything. Okay, got off exit and came down, pulling in behind him. He still isn't doing anything. And, he's older than I was. I get out of my car and ask what the problem was. He said that I wouldn't believe him. What I just been through, YES I would. Then he asked me if I passed him about 30 minutes ago. With all the cars going past him, on a major interstate, HOW could he remember if I passed him 30 minutes ago ???

Well, after an exchange of talking, this APPARENTLY was his first flat tire and he DIDN'T know what to do. Well, I got my tire tools and 12-ton jack (Which I WASN'T bringing along but did anyways) out of my car, and put his spare tire on. He offered to pay me, but I said that I would 'be rewarded' in Heaven. He insisted, I keep refusing. THEN, he called his wife and she insisted, 'shoving' the money in my shirt pocket. Okay, I'll take it, just don't tear my shirt. I took it, NEVER looked at it. We shook hands, and we went on our different ways, him to Texas, me to North Carolina.

Next day was Sunday. I went to church, and I 'budgeted' $5.00 for offering. Well, when the offering came, I put in my $5.00 PLUS what I 'made' yesterday from changing the guy's tire. It was . . . . . . a $50.00 bill. I had no problems 'giving it' because I knew what God was 'teaching me'. After church, people from the congregation invited me home for dinner. Later that night, another family picked me up for supper. That week, I was invited out three times.

Fast-forward to the following Saturday. I knew I needed $20.00 for gas, to get home. I had all my 'budgeted items' in separate envelopes, that was marked with each expense. Example: Turnpike - $1.60. Gas - $20.00. Lodging - $30.00. And everything I spent, I marked down, even 55