Houston, We Have a Problem

My day started off with a problem yesterday.  Don't you just love it when that happens?  Yeah, me neither.  

Our family car has been on its last legs for awhile and its latest malfunction finally forced me to call a mechanic yesterday morning.  The key has been getting stuck in the ignition for quite some time (this is the original problem), but we've always been able to eventually get it out, but lately getting it out hasn't been quite so easy.  In fact, Monday night I couldn't get it to come out at all, so "Old Yeller" sat outside with the key in the ignition all night.  The next morning when I went out to start-er-up, the battery was dead as a door nail.  That was the first problem of the day.  My son needed to get to school and the bus had already come by our house.  That was problem number two. I called a dear friend and neighbor and she came over at once to take Tim to school for me (problem two solved).  Then she came back with jumper cables and a can-do attitude.  Only issue was - we couldn't get the hood latch to release on my car.  You got it, problem numero three.  She called her husband and he walked us through the process and before we knew it problem three was history and the hood was open!  We got the car started in no time flat - and when I say WE, I mean SHE - (problem one alleviated) and she left to begin her day.  
     Problem four reared its ugly head when I realized that I had less than an eighth of a tank of gas and I couldn't leave the car idling for very long to get the battery fully charged.  I attached a battery charger to it and hoped for the best.  The best was not in the cards and the car refused to start when I needed to take it to a mechanic (Problem #5 - which is basically a do-over of problem #1).  I called another good friend who came over with jumper cables and a "can you really do this?" attitude.  I assured her I was capable (I had after all just watched friend #1 jump-start the car and had quickly watched a youtube video on how to go about it right before she showed up.  I was practically a pro!).  Thankfully I got the car started without anything blowing up (problem five solved) and my friend followed me to the mechanic's shop, because she's cool like that.  
     To continue making a long story longer - here is what happened after that:

• The mechanic showed me in less than five minutes how to get the key out without fail every time it gets stuck (original problem solved), and didn't charge me a nickel.
• Another friend pulled in to the mechanic's shop as we were wrapping up explaining that every time he turned on his windshield wipers, his horn would honk, and vice versa.  Laughter ensued.
• My friend followed me to the gas station so I could fill up and she could be on hand in case the car wouldn't start up again (problem 4 alleviated).
• I drove home and thanked God that I am OBVIOUSLY, His favorite.  No seriously, if you haven't heard - that is the word on the street. 

So, what is the moral of this story?  Take your pick:
1. It is good to have friends.  It is VERY good to have friends.
2. Problems aren't always solved in the same order in which they arise.  Tackle one thing at a time, but don't get hung up on the way it all comes together.  
3. Sometimes your problems might make other people laugh - go with it, we could all use a good laugh.  Getting bent out of shape only robs you of your own shot at joy in the middle of junk. (Shout-out to the windshield-wiper-horn-blowing friend, I do hope everything worked out!)
4. Don't assume the worst when a problem arises - you aren't God and you have no idea where your "stuck key" will lead you today, perhaps at the end of the day you'll still have a key that sticks, but you could also have a way to deal with it, a comforting knowledge of how far your friends are willing to go to help you, and a small glimpse at how much God truly loves you.

---