Is it a God Thing?

Can God's hand be discerned in something as mundane as the repair on a vehicle? 

Nearly a month ago, I took my prized Ford Mustang GT to the shop for regularly scheduled maintenance.  These days, if you slap a warranty on one of those boogers, you are required to get the maintenance done, or you'll invalidate your warranty.  I wouldn't have taken it in otherwise, but the 48,000 mile stuff was due.

I took it in the Friday morning before my family and I were scheduled to leave for vacation.  The fuel filter was on the to do list as was a 15 point inspection.  I also informed the guy a the counter, Brad, that the speedometer had been acting up on me.  I hoped they'd check it out.  Unfortunately, I was told that unless it was doing it currently, there was nothing they could do.  (I think that's how some of these auto companies try to get out of stuff covered by warranty, but that's beside the point.)

That afternoon, I received a call from the dealership.  Nearly everything had checked out O.K. except the tires.  I knew they were going to be a problem before too long when I bought the vehicle.  I could tell they were pretty worn, but I was trying to stretch it a while.  No such luck.  They were beginning to dry rot.  Four new wheels were suddenly on the agenda.  However, the tires I needed were not in stock.  They had to order them, and they wouldn't be in until sometime early the next week.

I said, "I'm going on vacation, so it will be at least a week before I can pick it up.  Is it O.K. to leave it there while I'm on vacation?"

I was assured there was no problem.

After a week of vacationing at my parents', we stopped at home for one night to pick up our dogs and do some fast housework before heading to my in-laws.  Since my car was ready (and so were a pair of new eyeglasses), I decided to postpone our leaving until a little later Monday morning so that I could pick up these things. 

I had my wife drop me off at the dealership, and thinking everything would be O.K., I had her head back home to finish up travel prep.  I went it, settled my account, received my key, and headed out to the car.  I unlocked my baby, and climbed in.  I looked over at the passenger door and said, "Uh oh!"

There is a vinyl panel on both the driver side and passenger side door.  Assuming it was because the car sat in the hotter that hell heat for a week, that panel had peeled off on the passenger door and was peeling off some on the driver side door.  I marched back inside the office, asked Brad to come with me, and showed him the problem.  "It wasn't that way when I dropped it off," I said.

The folks at Ryan Ford in Sealy graciously made amends and said they would fix it, much to my happiness.  But here's where things get even more interesting.  While in San Antonio, I received a call informing me the lady who does such things would fix the car on Friday. 

Friday rolls around, and I receive another call.  The lady can't make it.  She'll hopefully be there Saturday.

No call Saturday.

At the office on Monday, I call the dealership and check the status.  I ask if the lady made it in.  The response was in the negative, so Brad then informs me they will send the car to Katy to have the upholstery taken care of down there.  He tells me it should be done on Thursday.  No problem, I assure him. 

More waiting.

Thursday rolls around.  I call to check status once again.

Brad says, "Yes, the upholstery is done, but on the way back from Katy, my tech told me the speedometer was really acting up on him and there is something wrong with it.  Do you want us to check it out?"

"Praise God!" I thought.  "I am so glad it acted up on you," I replied.  "Get 'er done!"

I had to wait another week for parts and stuff to get in, but now the car is ship-shape with a new set of tires, a new fuel filter, and a new console that doesn't go goofy on me at certain times.  And thanks to the warranty, I'm only out $50 on a console that normally cost close to $700. 

So, the question, seeing all the "coincidences" that led to the speedometer finally acting up and being replaced, is it a God thing or something else?