A sign ....

What a weekend!

My wife called me on Friday morning - my son have an abscess in his ear, fortunately she could open it and let all the gunk came out.

I picked up my other son's laptop at the repair-shop,  when we switched it on, it lasted only as long as the battery charge, - I took it to be repaired because of a power problem! Saturday was a public holiday so I could not return it.

Then Friday evening the gas ran out and I had to switch over to the emergency gas bottle in order for us to have a hot bath.

Saturday morning, Hanlie had to represent her Taekondoo club at another club. She took my car (which is about 11 years old),  as the 48kg gas bottle will not fit in my car but it does fit in hers. I listened to her drive away and just switched on the kettle when the phone rang. She is standing at the traffic light, the car engine died and does not want to start again.

I took her the other car and Hendrik and myself pushed my car the 300m back to the house. I always thought it was downhill to our house from the traffic light, but it is an ever so slight incline.

I let the car settle for about an hour because I though the engine was flooded with fuel. (it sure smelt like it). I tried it a while later, and nothing! The car does not start!

I was beginning to realize that this time it may be something else wrong and I started going through the diagnostics in my mind, fearing a costly repair job.

I checked the service manual and tried to trace the fault. I started tracing wires, as it seem to be ignition related, and the manual talks about a TCI-H component, which, when faulty, produces exactly the same symptoms. 

But I not being able to locate it, I phoned a friend, who explained to me where the component should be located. In the end I nearly stripped the full console of the car, still no TCI component. Phone a friend again and asked him to come over to have a look. He had a look, no TCI. We concluded that this model has the TCI included in the computer unit, (I did read about that on the various forums earlier the day). Thoroughly frustrated I decided to call it a day. Friend calls another friend (who is a specialist in the make of vehicle and can fix the on-board computer if required), and arrange that I take the vehicle there on Sunday afternoon and he will have a look at it during the week. Needless to say, he is on the other side of the city, and we will have to tow the car there. I could just envision the fun towing the car, through the city, with no break-booster working, and then the cost of the repair! I am not ready for that!

By Saturday evening I was ready to give up, I mean, my son have an abscess in his ear (which is healing by the way), we had to replenish the propane gas, my son's laptop is not working, the car is not working, oh and I forgot to mention that two of the drawers in the kitchen collapsed. Definitely not my day, even weekend!

Lying in my bed, watching some  Youtube videos, I felt the urge to talk to God, and I did, on-and-off through the night. Hanlie got up at 05:00 to take our adopted son's mom to hospital as she is to have surgery for cancer, and I fell asleep again.

When I eventually woke up, I went to make some coffee. Whilst waiting for the kettle to boil, I got this urge, I mean really strong urge to get on my knees and just spill all my frustrations. I spoke to God, I told Him that I am frustrated, that I cannot afford to have that car fixed at high cost, and that I really, really need something this morning, something that will show me He is still there for me. During my rant I became aware of one component we have not checked, looked at but not replaced. My friend said we should check it and my neighbor asked if we checked it. So, when Hanlie got back, I went to buy the component, and had to return it because it was the wrong one. And all the time I was praying and expecting something. 

I put the component in the car, fearfully, expectantly, what if it does not work, will I be disappointed in God, was I wasting my time, is He really caring, hearing me? I turned the engine, nothing! I turned it again and it started! I let it ran for a while and turned it off. Turned it on again and it started again! 

God hear my prayer! or rather my ranting! I trusted God to do something, I hoped for Him to do something! And He did! He answered me! He chose to show me that He still cares!