Threes

You know the saying, "Bad things come in threes."   I suppose this is superstition but why does it seem to be so true?  It even  happens in the Bible...take Peter denying Jesus three times.   The kicker is you don't know you are in a set of threes until the second instance has occurred!  So, unbeknownst to me, I began a set of 3 car accidents in late March.  I was home in Roswell (GA) driving my son's car to a meeting at church.  The traffic was at a dead stop on a very busy commuter road.  I sat there minding my own business and WHAM!  I got rear-ended.  Reaction?  Deep gratitude no one was hurt and raucous laughter (later with my boys) when the young woman who hit me said to the policeman who arrived at the scene, "Yes, I know. I have already called my regular tow guy."  (On the list of things not to say to a cop, this is second only to "Here, hold my beer.")

Then, about 6 weeks later, I was back in Roswell.  Billy and I took his car, finally, to the shop to be repaired.  We left the body shop parking lot in my car and pulled up behind a flat bed tow truck stopped at a red light.  Again, we were sitting there minding our own business when suddenly "BEEP...BEEP...BEEP" as the tow truck backed over the hood of my car!  Reaction?  Billy:  "Mom, if you are going to be an accident magnet, I'm thankful it happens at glacial speed!"

So, now I suspect I am in a set of threes.  I am on pins and needles.  I am sternly lecturing myself that I am a Christian and there is no such thing as superstition.  On the other hand, I am nervous as a cat.  I get back to Honduras and 4 days later... and...you guessed it.  The third accident.  I got sideswiped by something sticking out of  a truck.  My right side mirror was gone and I have a long dent on the right side of the car.  Again, thanks be to God, no injuries and damage only to my car.   I have to confess I am greatly relieved to have this set of threes over with.  :)

But I have also learned that good things come in threes - grace notes.  Good things you don't expect.  Here are three that have happened to me recently.

Early this year I fell (klutz note) and really hurt my wrist.  I even had it x-rayed.  An orthopedic doctor here on a medical brigade examined it and said, "Yeah, that's going to hurt for months."  So when I got Scarlett I was hauling her in and out of the car seat, picking her up, putting her down, etc.  My wrist was killing me.  I remember thinking that this was not going to help my wrist but what are you going to do?  Live wth it.  Then a couple days after Scarlett arrived, I suddenly realized my wrist has no pain at all.   I can only imagine God looked down and said, "She doesn't need that pain." and zap - gone.  Grace note.

This week we had a group in house from another ministry.  20 great people from an Optometry School in Memphis.  2 are doctors, the rest students.   It was such a pleasure to meet them, to learn about what they do and to hear about the clinics they were holding in various places around Tegucigalpa.  Yesterday was scheduled to be their fun day - the morning at El Picacho, the Jesus Statue, and the afternoon shopping at Valley of the Angels.  Instead, Tuesday evening, they asked if they could spend the afternoon at the Children's Home examining eyes and playing with the kids!  They examined all the kids and staff's eyes, gave sunglasses to everyone and generally had a blast.  It was such a blessing to LAMB and to them as well.  They left this morning so excited about the day - the favorite day for several of them.  I hope to see some of them back!  Another grace note.


I have a dear, dear Honduran friend named Fredisman.  He is an old world style gentleman, an inspiring Christian, and a man of many talents.  He is whom I called for help with my car.  He spent all day taking my car all over kingdom come to find a replacement mirror.  He finally called and said he could have a new on put on for 3,400 lempira at a car dealership.  ($170) Sigh.  OK, I said.  Then he called back.  The dealership had already sold the last mirror and it would be 8 days before they could get another.  I was really worried about driving without a mirror.  Then the phone rang.  It was Gabriel.  A woman in the micro-credit program has an emergency and desperately needs 2,000 lempira.($100) My heart sank.  With the cost of the  mirror and still needing to get the dent fixed... I was really torn and giving Gabriel the hummahummahumma.  Just then, Fredisman called again.  I told Gabriel I would have to call him right back.  Fredisman sang out, "Good news! I found a used mirror.  It was only 600 lempira!!!!"  When we hung up I chuckled and said to God, "So there's my answer!"  I immediately called Gabriel with the Yes answer.  (Per Gabriel's advice, 1000 will be a loan and 1000 will be a gift.)  The third grace note.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised good things come in threes... after all we have the best set of all --
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!