God’s Plan + Our Circumstances = His Perfect Timing

 Here in Minnesota, the roads can get so ugly that they have “road closed when flashing” signs. We didn’t quite understand how the roads could get that bad, but we are starting to understand now!

 Though the occasion for going back home was not what we all had been praying for, we knew it would still be a good time with family. Here Dan is taking fun pictures with our nieces and nephews – and they are loving it!

Then we headed up to Borculo to spend some time with my family. Emma LOVES Uncle Dan! She is just sitting all nice and quiet, just soaking in the love of Dan!

 AND…amongst hanging out with our nieces, we also got to see how much Scarlett is growing!

 On Monday morning, we headed up to Cadillac (Lucas) where the visitation was going to be. Well, as we sat at a stop light near I-196 in Standale, our vehicle started to shake (sputtering). We got on the highway anyways, and all was good. We couldn’t really use the cruise, but it sounded okay. As we got to Rockford, we realized that it wasn’t sounding quite right. Dan called his brother to see if he knew of a mechanic up in the Cadillac area. Thankfully they did and his father in law called them to let them know we were going to come in.

Well, we got to the exit ramp and as we went up the ramp, our engine started to make a really odd noise – then as we went up the overpass, it started knocking REALLY loud and we barely made it up the overpass. We drove about a 1/2 mile to the mechanic and it was SUCH a LONG 1/2 mile because we didn’t think we were going to make it. We drove in and we had 2 guys just looking at us (it was so loud).

After the visitation, we called the mechanic and asked about the Explorer. He said “oh, the one with the blown engine?” We were speechless. We didn’t know whether to laugh or cry (we eventually did both), but that was it! Our Explorer was toast!

We did not know WHAT to do because yes we made it to Cadillac, but that meant we were STUCK in Cadillac with no way of getting home. It was just added stress that we were not planning on while needing to go to a funeral. So for the next 24 hours we were racking our brains trying to figure out what to do. Most car rentals do not do one-way rentals (we learned). We were going to go all the way up to Traverse City to find one. We stopped in at Enterprise in Cadillac to just see what they could do and told them our situation. She said they do not do one-ways, but ironically, the guy behind was looking to get rid of his one-way rental. So, the lady said she would call her manager and he thankfully said we could all work something out. We were SO relieved! It was a tad expensive, but we were willing to do whatever it took to get home. We stopped at the mechanic and thought that maybe we could get the engine replaced – then we learned it was going to be a $5100 fix! That idea went out the window. They graciously are letting us keep it there until we figure out what to do.

After the funeral, we were planning on picking up the rental and then just driving to St. Joseph for the night. Then we learn that there was going to be a massive snow storm in Minnesota. They had let the kids out early from school in preparation for what was to come. It was just one thing after another and we about had it. But then we realized that if there was going to be no school on Wednesday, then that meant no youth group (which was what we were trying to get home for). So our leaders GRACIOUSLY said to stay back, be with family, and when we get back, we get back. We really wanted to spend this time WITH family, especially being at a funeral. That took SO much pressure off of us because get this: my parents were going to come and visit us ANYWAYS! They were going to leave Wednesday at noon, so all we had to do was get a ride to Grand Rapids, and they could pick us up.

So…after too many hours of figuring out what to do in this whole situation, we ended up getting a ride with Dan’s brother Tom and his wife Kari to Grand Rapids. My parents met us at a Tim Horton’s and we headed straight to Minnesota. The storm that was supposed to come? It stalled out in the Dakotas, and didn’t hit until late last night, which meant we made it home in time! It started to snow about the last 20 minutes of the drive home. AND…my parents were going to take 2 days to come out, but we made it in one day. Thankfully, and because if they decided to come out today (Thursday), they wouldn’t have made it right away because the storm came last night and everything is shut down today. Is that not just GOD’S PERFECT TIMING? The way he orchestrated that and the way He planned all of this out (for us being able to ride back with my parents, for the threat of a big snow storm, to even having vehicle problems so that we could have 4 of us going out to Minnesota together)…it is just so humbling. Don’t we serve SUCH a BIG GOD? When we were in the vehicle driving to Cadillac (before the engine blew…) I told Dan that I felt God was trying to teach us to just trust Him. Little did I know what that would come to mean!

Our Explorer was our “good” vehicle, so we were quite surprised and bummed that the engine blew (we had just gotten a tune-up on it). In fact, the mechanic said it is rare for the engine to go out on Explorers…so we knew it was really nothing we could’ve done. It was just part of God’s plan.

Here are the last “views” of our Explorer…sad day! We had to clear it out…

Because we had all of our luggage, we had a PACKED van on the way back to Grand Rapids! We were hoping to take more of our belongings back to Minnesota, but God had a different plan.

 This is what we woke up to this morning! Yes, it is APRIL 11!!!!! When we moved here, people asked Dan when he was going to get a “real” snowblower :). Well, today Dan came in and said “Kristin, we need a bigger snowblower before next winter.” I guess they weren’t kidding.

So this past weekend/week definitely did not go as planned, but God knew what He was doing. So many mixed emotions with going to the funeral – so many lessons we were reminded of, of how to live for Christ. How to recommit ourselves everyday to the furthering of the Kingdom – while valuing the relationships God has given us. Yet God also reminded us of how out of control we are, and how IN control He is. The way He had planned for everything to work out – our vehicle being toast, yet having my parents plan a weekend out to Minnesota ANYWAYS! But also to send a snowstorm, yet to get home in time before it came. God’s watchful eye, once again proved perfect. Yes, we are one vehicle short, but it is a material possession. Our trying times started last year with the tornado destroying our Explorer and now this one got destroyed mechanically – hopefully that is the end! Many have asked if we are going to get another – we were planning on saving for a more fuel efficient vehicle to replace the Intrepid. Well, now we hope to replace the Explorer with a fuel efficient car. Right when we THINK we know what we will be saving for, God has a different idea :).

Our emotions have been all over the place. MANY tears have been shed in the past few days for so many reasons. It was hard going to our first funeral after the babies, especially it being our uncle. But Uncle Dave’s wife, Aunt Karen, said something that will always stick with us, as we stood by her husband’s side at the visitation: “it’s during those difficult times that you really learn to lean on each other and become stronger together.” We both lost it. She has no idea how much those words have meant to us the past few days – they have brought so many tears, yet at night, we continue to lay next to each other, praising God that we HAVE each other! So many emotions and so many tears. We think of what Aunt Karen said and think about what God has brought us through – we feel so blessed.

And now we are safe at home. We could’ve been stuck in Wisconsin with a blown engine, but God allowed us to make it to our final destination. We would’ve been devastated if we wouldn’t have made it to Cadillac to be with family. Again, God provided.

God is definitely still teaching us lessons – there is never a dull moment!