God in our weaknesses

God's word to Paul when he repeated prayed for healing was "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Cor 12:9. That is some consolation when you are very conscious of your own weaknesses. God delights in using ordinary weak people rather than superstars, so that they are not tempted to think, when good things happen, "I did that". This is all by way of introducing how my weaknesses having been playing out.
First of all I travelled North to Gateshead in a car which had been giving problems starting. This was due to my weakness of procrastination. having had a note on the desk for all of last week saying 'Book car in'. So when after two days with Peter and Judith, I got into the car to reverse out of their drive and head up the coast, there was just a dull thud instead of a brisk roaring into life. Peter and I nearly both brought about our early demise by pushing the car onto the road, where fortunately a slight slope came to the rescue and I did a bump start.
So here I am driving up the coast road towards Alnmouth, my next stage. At that point, problem two of my weaknesses kicked in. I realised that I had left some stuff  behind with the Swords. I also knew that no-one was now at home and I had no way of contacting either of them.
I suddenly realised that instead of enjoying a sabbatical rest I was busy worrying and planning and full of anxiety about the next two weeks. Especially how I could leave my car for a week whilst on Iona with any hope at all of restarting it when I retrieved it. The stuff left behind was also a minor niggle. So with this great revelation that I was worrying instead of resting I gave both problems to God. Amazing - how did this man ever get to be a vicar?
I suddenly realised that what I needed was John Beynon. John is a Christian who runs a motor garage in Fleckney. I didn't expect the Lord to transplant him to Northumbria, but he knows what I mean. Within minutes I am passing through the little town of Amble and there on the main road is a motor garage. I stop and the owner directs me round the corner to his friend with the Auto Spares shop. A little gizmo is applied to my car, the problem diagnosed as a dud battery, and in half an hour I am on the road greatly relieved of worry and a mere £45.
Arriving at Alnmouth around 11.30am it turned out I wasn't expected until 4pm, so had plenty of time to return to Gateshead - a half hour drive - and pick up my forgotten bits. This time the blessing in weakness was that having avoided the A1 in the morning, I took it to save time in the afternoon and discovered a little place that could be the answer to my need for a special wedding anniversary present later this year. So, God is good and uses even our weaknesses to bless us.