THE ANSWERED PRAYERS CHRONICLES

THE FLAT TIRE IN A DRESS

I work on the stereotypical "west side".  We've got everything, gang shootings, drive-bys, drugs, teenage moms, grandmas with 2 teeth raising babies... and all of them younger than me.  And I love it!

Back when I first started teaching, I was heading home down the street that divides West Valley and Magna, 7200 South.  It was a beautiful drive on a beautiful sunny day in girly dress (probably for parent teacher conferences or some nonsense like that).  I was passing the two vinyl fenced in neighborhoods that lined the right and the chain link fenced homes that lined my left.  One random home, surrounded by a small dense forest, divided the two vinyl lined neighborhoods on my right and stretched back for who-knows-how-far.  The home seemed out of place mixed in with the new developments.

As I passed that home/area my back right tire hit something unusual that banged around the casing of my tire.  The air proceeded to leak over the next block, causing a flat tire.  Pulled over on the side of the road, I sat down to think.  As a young woman medallion holder, I know how to change a tire but in my nice clothes, I hoped it wouldn't be necessary.  Cell phones were fairly new and I didn't know who to call anyway, I mean I'm in Magna it's not like people are really near enough to help.   I bowed my head, right there sitting on the curb, and prayed for help.  

I raised my head, looked around, waited a minute and a truck pulled up behind my Subaru.  Talk about efficient prayer answering!  The kind gentlemen said I looked like I needed assistance.  I indeed needed assistance and I thanked him for coming.  He shared with me that he was headed a different direction on another road when he felt prompted to come my way and he was glad that he had followed that prompting.

He had my new tire on in no time and was on his way.  In my prayer of thanks to my Heavenly Father, I also prayed in gratitude for the faithful man who heard and followed the Spirit to help a stranger in need.  Even in these little instances, God makes us His priority.

SIDE NOTE:  The leak was caused by a bullet hole.  The ricochet I had heard in the wheel well was the bullet.  I called to let the police know and they were very cavalier about it, "was anyone injured?"  "No, just my tire."  "Oh, okay sorry about your tire."  "I just thought someone should know that a bullet was fired in a neighborhood, that is why I called."  "Well, no one was injured so...ummm...thanks for your call."  "Uh, you're welcome."   

steph