Flaming Jumper Cables

After spending quite a bit of money and my roommate spending most of the weekend replacing all four rotors and brake pads for my car, this morning the battery was dead. Then, when my roommate and I tried to jumpstart the car, the jumper cables melted and burst into flames. It was definitely a frustrating start to the morning, but I’ve come to see it as a mercy and a blessing. It was a blessing to discover that I had bad jumper cables in the safety of my own driveway rather than on the shoulder of the freeway. It was also a blessing that my battery died while my roommate was home to be able to try and jump the battery and then when that didn’t work, to lend me his wrenches and his car to go pick up a replacement battery. I don’t know that there is ever a “good” time or place for your battery to die or for your jumper cables to catch on fire, but the time and place this morning were much better than some of the alternatives. I’m grateful that the Lord in His mercy let me know in the gentlest way possible that I needed a new battery and jumper cables, and that I was able to replace the battery for free under warranty and get to work not too late. And now I can go the rest of the summer without worrying if my battery is going to break down.