Gifts of the Spirit

I don't know that this fits directly, but I really am beginning to feel more and more that I have been given a mechanical gift to figure things out.  We were with Gavin after graduation and eating lunch.  We were are BD's Mongolian grill.  It was great, I thought I wanted more but one trip was plenty.  So we parked in the parking garage behind it at the Greene.  We saw Eber's there (it was her birthday). When we finished and went out to the garage, the vehicle would not shift out of park. It was locked.  It started, running, but was locked in park.  I could not get it to budge.  Then it came to me it was likely the brake sensor switch.  I jumped out, leaned under the dash, and found the upper part of the brake arm.  There is the sensor switch and I pulled it off.  I checked and sure enough, it was stuck and was not registering properly.  So it was still thinking that the brake had not been applied.  Hence it would not shift out of park.  I worked it a bit and poof, it shifted out fine and away we went.  I left it off for the short ride home and then when home I replaced it.  So for $20 I fixed it, and it would have cost a tow, repair shop diagnosis, and them to replace it.  Likely around $2-300.  I call that a gift.  Then I have been trying to get the cruise control working.  After replacing this switch I thought I would have it.  I took it out on the road (to get above 30 MPH) and......nope.  Still not working.  I was stumped.  Frustrated.  Then I had a thought come to my mind.  The brake light was on and I couldn't figure out why. But it was right as I removed that switch at the Greene.  So I hooked up the diagnostic reader and none of the codes would make sense, they were others I was working on, but I cleared them all so I could maybe clear the brake light.  Nope.  I was more frustrated.  Finally I had the thought come to check the emergency brake.  I pulled the release and it hardly even moved, but it was enough the brake light went off.  Wow!  I had to try it.  So out on the road I went, poof, cruise works.  The sensor was just enough to "tell" the cruise that the brake was still being pushed, and you know that is how it shuts off the cruise.  So now it works because it didn't think the brake was still on.  So the same $20 switch also fixed another $200 repair bill for the same $20.  We continue to be blessed by his tender mercies to have what we get stretch so far.  In so many ways we have had that happen.  We can't count them.  And we know it happens because we faithfully pay our tithing and can count on his help to "prosper in the land" in ways we might not always expect.

I love having our family around and knowing we can all be together forever if we choose to be.  I hope you will make the choices with us so we can be.  Forever!

Love you forever, and pray for you daily.

Dad

3 John 1:4