Stranded On I-85 South

Last week Wednesday my fifteen-year-old son and I went up to New York to retrieve my 07 Honda accord.

For the past few years, it had been residing in Brooklyn New York with my brother.

This car is near and dear to my heart because it’s a manual transmission (stick shift) and they don’t make them like this anymore.

In fact, the industry is rapidly moving towards driverless cars.

So I wanted to retrieve the car to teach my son how to drive a stick and to pass it on to him thereby starting a new family tradition.

On our way back to Georgia, my brother suggested we take the I-95 to I-85 route instead of my normal picturesque view on I-77 going through the mountain on the border of Virginia and North Carolina, so we did.

On entering I-95 on the NJ turnpike after shifting gears, I smell an odor akin to that of a burning tire, but I said to myself this must be the smell of New Jersey as I was passing several buildings with smoke coming out of them.

After shifting gears, the same thing happened in Washington DC and I said to myself, that’s strange Washington DC and New Jersey smell alike, not knowing that it was the clutch burning.

We made it all the way to exit 8 on I-85 South in North Carolina before the clutch completely burned out.

Now stranded on the exit ramp, the car was in a dangerous position. My son and I had to push the car off the ramp into the nearby grass area.

I was thinking what was going through his head, but to God be the glory he was cool and collected throughout the entire ordeal.

Additionally, I use this as a teaching moment to let him know, as Christ said, in this life we will have trials and tribulations (more on this in a moment) but be of good cheer, He has overcome them and so will we.

I then called my wife and my brother and let them know that we were ok and brought them up to speed of our current situation.

I then call my insurance company for roadside assistance, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic they redirected me to their website to submit the request.

An hour later I check on the request and it was still processing not good. So I googled the nearest Honda dealer and one was close by, so I call their service department ask how much to fix it and how long.

The answer was two thousand dollars and 2 days, that option was quickly cross off the board.

Then a sheriff stops by to check on us and recommend the towing company they use and suggested as a last resort we can leave the car here overnight.

Another option we looked at was to contact U-Haul to see if they had a truck and towing trolley available, so that we could tow the car back to Georgia.

Call back my insurance company – request still processing.

Call the recommended towing company and they were booked for the remainder of the evening.

Call U-Haul and make a reservation for a truck and towing trolley but all their local dealers were closed for the day, we would have to revisit this in the morning.

There was an Holiday Inn Express on the other side of the interstate, so we decided to spend the night there and re-group in the morning.

So we remove our overnight belongings from the car, made our way up the exit ramp and across the crosswalk to the hotel were we checked in, sanitize the room prayed and went to sleep.

The next morning my son and I did our devotion and ask God for favor throughout the day.

Then I finally got a voicemail message from my insurance company, I wanted to delete it, but reluctantly listen to it – they were of no help at all.

So I call back U-Haul and they had a truck and towing trolley available for me. Then I call another local towing company which came and took us to the U-Haul dealer, help us secure the car onto the trolley and we were able to make it home safely. To God be the glory.

I want to give a big shout-out to Bobby from Mull’s towing in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. If you find yourself in that neck of the woods and in need of assistance, reach out to them, you will not be disappointed.

So how does my above ordeal relate to you as a believer – great question.

As I mention previously, that in John chapter 15 Jesus told us that in this life you will have trials and tribulation but for us to be of good cheer, he has overcome and so will we when we follow his examples and teachings.

I was overly impressed with my son’s reaction; he could have a pity party or start complaining asking the why questions.

Why did I came on this trip, why is this happening to us, why didn’t my brother told me about the clutch, why our insurance…..why,why,why.

But instead he was staying positive and showing Christ like character, such as being respectful to the police officer, being polite to the front desk clerk and everyone he came in contact with throughout this ordeal.  

Our Lord is the same Yesterday, Today and Forever and so should we.

The current COVID-19 pandemic should not rob us of this truth, regardless of what we are going through right now, we still have the ability to show Christ like character such as Love, Joy, Gentleness, Empathy, Self-Control Forbearing Love, Forgiveness because The Holy Spirit lives in us.

And this my friend is what I called living The Higher Life.
May God bless you as you continue to live for him.