Quote of the Day

Life is what happens while you are making other plans.
—John Lennon 

Verse of the Day

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. 
—Proverbs 16:9

Story of the Day. . .

Earlier in the day my friend Clara had called to ask if I would accompany her to an evening parents’ meeting. Both of us had a child in a learning center in Stockton, Calif., about 25 miles from where we lived. “I’m going alone,” she said. “But I’d feel better if I had someone with me.” I agreed to go.

It was nearly 11:00 P.M. when the meeting ended. Just then three youths ran from the parking lot, laughing. “Perhaps we got here just in time to keep our car intact,” my friend said. When she turned the ignition key the motor coughed, but then sputtered to life. “There’s a shortcut my husband takes rather than the freeway,” she said.

Forty minutes later, we were lost. The headlights began to flicker. Gradually the vehicle lost power and came to a halt. “Shall we walk a bit and see if we can find a phone?” Clara asked.

“I’d like to pray first,” I replied. “Lord, guide us to find help.”

We came to a crossroad. Up ahead, a porch light went on, and we could see two men and two women. After Clara explained our plight, one of the men said, “I’m a mechanic. Maybe I can help.” In a few minutes the men were back. “Some joker exchanged batteries with you,” the mechanic said. “You’ve got a golf-cart battery. And this is going to sound funny, but today I brought a new battery home from my garage. I don’t know why; I just did. I’ll put it in for you.”

Soon the car was in front of the house, engine purring, headlights gleaming. As we exchanged addresses and phone numbers the mechanic gasped. “You’re from Ripon? You’ve been going in the wrong direction. But our friends here are from Ripon. Just follow them.”

“I’d say that Somebody must have guided you here!” his wife said. Clara and I looked at each other and laughed. “We’re sure of that. We asked him to!”
—Rosalie B. Icenhower as told in Guideposts®

Last update: 10/07/00