Credit where...

Being thankful, in big things or small things, is important. Looking past blessings to focus on trials makes one bitter, angry, and unwilling to relate to God. In that vein:

It was a small thing I asked. I even said that it was, but in light of recent events, I quite literally asked God to just cut me a break. I changed out my spark plugs, and wanted to give my car one last chance to pass smog, before I took it into the shop for a warranty service they couldn't perform because the car's error code had been erased by a previous diagnostic check. By taking the car to the shop today, I would commit myself to letting my registration lapse and having to pay it, plus shop fees closer to $1000 than to $500, at at time when money's tight and I'd have to be out of town.

I drove around, waiting for the car to cycle through it's onboard diagnostic checks, to re-trigger the Check Engine light. To Carson and back for work, to Claim Jumper, Barnes & Noble and back last night, and to Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and back today. No Check Engine light, but that probably just means that the engine hasn't cycled.

I decided to take it and get it smogged, because just driving around all day seemed futile. I took it in, got it smogged... and it passed!

This is very happy for me. The engine had not cycled through the diagnostics yet, but that did not (contrary to my assumption) mean an automatic fail. My car is now registered for another year, leaving me free to pursue the other maintenance as I have the finances to do so.

This is quite a weight of my shoulders, and for that I am glad. Thanks, God.

P.S. If all is well when you read this, Abby and/orTim, Congratulations!