In a strait!

3:03 Today's project was to make a final decision on having our Jeep repaired. The choices were the local dealership where we bought it in 2005, and a reputable independent local body shop. The two estimates were very close, within $29.00 of each other.

Our insurance company seemed to be pressuring me to choose the local shop that's on their "preferred list," and even advised me that they were going to send them the check! I told the claims agent that I'd not decided where to have the car repaired, so I'd gotten two estimates. "Why did you do that?" she asked in an affronted tone, to my surprise. "Because I wanted to compare." Good thing she gathered herself to remember that by law, I the policyholder can have my car repaired wherever I choose. But then she advised that the insurance company would have to come down and inspect the vehicle along with my shop of choice. Is there some downside to that? Doesn't seem to me to be one.

I have been considering and praying about this car repair for over a month. A Christmas tree rolled in front of us on the way to Home Fellowship on December 5th, doing minor fender and light cover damage to the passenger side front. Steve has patched it up with duct tape. So it's ugly but totally drivable. Of course, the two body shops found undercarriage damage and factored in the cost of replacing the bumper and grille, and about 20 more things you'd never notice or think of. The estimates both came in around $1,700. One silly pine tree!

Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time!!

You might wonder why I haven't just gotten the car fixed, but to me it's simple: we have one car and one driver only, me. And with daily living, family, church and ministry responsibilities, being without a car is going to be very difficult. We've never been able to afford to add the rental car benefit to our policy, and never needed that protection before. Because we always had several vehicles here along with their drivers, any one of them could have been called upon for assistance. I could take Steve to work, if need be, or one of the kids to college or high school. Or I could be dropped off at my teaching job. But things have changed since we first got our policy.

Unfortunate accidents have much more impact when you are already in a difficult position with many limitations! The Bible speaks of people being "in a strait" (1 Samuel 13:6, when the men of Israel saw that they were in a dangerous battle position, KJV); we still use the phrase "in dire straits" for serious trouble. But the meaning I see of "strait" or "straitened" can be: severely limited, hemmed in, or precluded from action. David said to Gad in I Chronicles 21:13, "I am in a great strait," when the prophet offered him a choice of 3 severe punishments on the people for David's presumptuous sin of numbering the people. (Maybe that's why my late mom would yell out, "Gad!" when appalled or shocked. Must be where it came from).

Paul stated in Philippians 1:23, "I am in a strait between the two," whether to go to be with the Lord or stay and minister to the believers. Proverbs 4:12 says of the one who has heeded wisdom, "When you go, your steps shall not be straitened." And Job 36:16 speaks of deliverance from suffering "into a broad place where there is no straitness."

So it could be said that we are "in a strait" today. Action needs to be taken, one way or the other. I've been weighing the pros and cons of each body shop, but seeing the dealer's van delivering parts to the independent body shop while I was there last week helped with my decision.

The "middle man" would be eliminated. The dealer told me that they can get the job done in almost half the time, lessening the days I might need to rent a vehicle at $25/day, the going rate. Less annoyance to family members, too! Much as I liked the gals who helped me out at the body shop, I have gotten excellent service every quarter for 5 years from the dealer. I trust them, because they have always found ways to help make services and parts affordable. It simply comes down to deciding which choice will benefit our family most--or harm us least! And I do have a peace about this, finally.

Micah 2:7, asks a rhetorical question of the house of Jacob:

Is the Spirit of the LORD straitened?

And the answer is, of course not! God is not limited by anyone or anything, nor is His love or provision for His children who trust in Him. There will be details to coordinate, but God already has them handled, and we're on our way out of this particular "strait!"