thankful for...

I went to the Hoover's this past weekend.
Remember how I said I wouldn't go if it was blizzarding outside? Because I didn't want bad roads to get me?
Well it wasn't blizzarding, so I went. And I ran off the road and got myself stuck and Bro. Hoover had to come dig me out of the snow. So much for bad roads not getting me.

Here's the thing about winter driving, I'm just fine unless there are:

1.  Other cars.
2.  Ice.
3.  Lack of ice (because if there isn't any visible ice... then there's most definitely black ice and if there's black ice... my life is probably about to be shortened).
4.  Snow.
5.  Cliffs. Rivers at the bottom of cliffs.
6.  Lakes, ponds, oceans, streams, babbling brooks, mud puddles, or anything else that I might possibly drown in at the bottom of cliffs.
7.  Curves in the road.
8.  Downhills.
9.  Uphills.
10.  Speed limits over 35mph.

That's it. Other than all that, I'm perfectly fine and calm.

Here's the other thing about winter driving, I'm a huge fan of:

1.  Snowplows.
2.  People with snowshovels.
3.  People who don't drive on my tail and make me feel like a total loser for going 20 miles under the speed limit.
4.  Those guys that come along and spray cancer causing chemicals on the road that makes the ice melt.
5.  Those other guys that dump sand on the roads so my tires have something to grip.
6.  Those other, other guys that put salt on the road. I care not if my car rusts to death. So long as I get to live.
7.  Cute guys. Wait... what?

Anyway. I was driving along, finally relaxed since I had just turned onto the Hoover's town road, feeling pretty good that I had survived the worst roads I had ever driven on in my life... and then I ran off the road.
That's what I get for relaxing.
But Bro. Hoover came along with his snowshovel and wearing his tweed Englishman cap, and dug me out in about 5 seconds flat. And the other guys with him stood there helplessly flopping ropes around and wondering where the heck they were going to hook those ropes up on my little car anyway? And while they stood there confusedly, Bro. Hoover went to work and put my car back on the road and was like, There you go, and I was like, Thanks, and those other guys were like, But wait! We didn't even use the rope!
Bro. Hoover was the man of the hour, superman with a snow shovel, amen.

And here's the cool thing about it all.
The Hoovers literally live in Nowhereville. As in, they have a stop sign, but no stop light. As in, Montana mountains. As in, while you're eating dinner, you look out the window and you're like, What the heck! There's that bear getting into the chicken coop again!
The only way to get cell service at their house, is to stand on one leg, in the kitchen, with your phone mashed against the sliding glass door, while you say four Hail Marys. Or if you're downstairs, you can stand on the big bed, all the way in the corner, and hold your phone up towards heaven as far as you can, and hope for the best.
And if you're not in the house, you can forget making a call.
But when I ran off the road, in a spot that never has cell service, and I thought, Good thing my snowsuit is in the back seat because I'm about to be walking the rest of the way, and then I thought, I hate being  cold. Just kill me now, God, and then I thought, Too bad there's no cell service here, and when I thought that last thought, I looked at my cell phone and guess what?
I had service.
And I called the Hoovers.
And then I didn't have service anymore.
And then I remembered how halfway to the Hoover's, when it had started really snowing, I had prayed that God would let me have service if I needed it.
And God rescued me.

Anyhoo, here's what I'm thankful for:

1.  The Hoovers. Because they're my friends, my God-given people.

Because they're the biggest nerds ever and I love that.
Because if I didn't have them I'd shrivel up and die. Also I'd still be stuck in a snow drift.
Because their house is a home.
Because they watch dumb stuff like Columbo (bor-ring).
Because they introduced me to Agatha Christie's Hercule Poiret.
Because Bro. Hoover always patiently tells me how to work the woodburning stove. Every time I visit. Forty million times. And when the house is filled with smoke, he's still patient.
Because Mrs. Hoover washes the sheets before I come over. Even though she knows I sleep on top of the blankets. It's just a nice thing she does.
Because they got me a Starbucks and a cheeseburger last Saturday.
Because they love me. (Even if Mrs. Hoover does blame stuff on me when I'm not around.)

2.  Snowshovels. They're the greatest invention ever.

3.  God rescuing me.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.   1 Thessalonians 5:18