Goodbye Garfield

Yesterday we said goodbye to our good friend Garfield. Garfield has been very faithful to us over the last year. My children after last summer had another nickname for Garfield, the deer slayer. Now I am sure many of you are wondering who is Garfield? Garfield was our little PT Cruiser. It was the last really big piece of America that we had not either crated or prepared to stick in a suitcase to follow us to Costa Rica.

Several years ago when I first saw a purple PT Cruiser, I told Ken that it was the car for me! Last summer we had to get rid of my big Tahoe so we could prepare to downsize and we found a great deal in this little used PT Cruiser. God had provided one of my desires and needs at the same time. Less than a week later I hit a deer in it going through Wedowee to work a locum nursing job out of town. Although I was shaken, and the deer did not make it, the little car got me to town before the radiator said enough. It was fixed up and remained a faithful vehicle for us until the end.

Now some of you may be wondering why I am waxing poetic about a car. You see, I believe that God knows our needs and provides them, but He also knows our desires. Years ago I never thought I would spend over a year without a vehicle and be excited about it. A few years ago I would never have been happy about selling a car I had wanted since I first saw one. But you see that is the beauty of the way God works inside of us. He gives us the desires of our heart when those are His desires as well, and when we can release these things to Him he also gives us joy in the loss knowing that He has something even better in store for us ahead.

Anyone that really knows me also knows I am looking forward to "walking" all around Costa Rica. A little known fact about me is that I am a little crazy about exercising (see obsessive compulsive disorder). I also love to prayerwalk, so for me this is the best of both worlds. Even better I get to do this with my family in one of the most beautiful places on earth. So, I am truly happy to say goodbye to Garfield. He has been a faithful car for us from an even more faithful God!