Winter means cold, and there is nothing like cold in the Rocky Mountains.
Which in Durango means winters below zero at night, lots of snow, which means
lots of skiers at Purgatory, and lots of Texans, who use Durango as a leisure
activity. Being only a short day’s drive, many drive to Durango, having winter
cabins on the lake, staying at the condos at Purgatory, or booking rooms in
town. But with the cold brings problems not found on nice days, add in the
altitude, 6500’ and rising, and your sea level car may have problems you
wouldn’t encounter at sea level. Water boils at about 180 at 6500’, water still
freezes at 32F, but diesel fuel also seems to gel the closer you get to zero.
Making any diesel vehicle lose power, and finally not run, leaving the driver
and his passengers stranded, and with 100’s of miles between, a huge towing
bill-if they are found. Every year someone would wander off looking for help
and be found when the thaw hit in the spring. If you break down, stay with your
vehicle!
When we moved to Durango, I fell in love with it, it has a charm all its
own. And I made a statement that I would shovel horse manure if that is what it
took, only to have it prophetically come true when I worked at petroleum jobber,
which serviced buses, dumping the crappers. And selling diesel, we were a stop
for many locals, and those travelling from Texas. Who would find out why their
dealer told them to change their fuel filters regularly, as they would trap
water which would freeze, and then watch as the #2 diesel would gel, and not
flow, causing rough running, no power, and finally leave you stranded. Which it
did one young couple from Texas one night...
I was working the night shift, from 2-12, while Theresa worked at the
Durango Inn, getting off at 10pm. She would then hang out with me, I worked
that shift alone, my only company an occasional gas customer and an old AM
radio, hooked to a car battery for power, with foil as an antenna, picking up
the only station in town, and we would drive the 28 miles home to Vallecito
Lake, at 8300’ altitude. When she came by I was helping a young couple whose
Chevy truck wouldn’t idle. It was obvious the problem, and we even had tried
using the steam cleaner to heat the lines, but too much cold won out. Now
Durango went to bed at 9 o’clock, and it woke early, only a few bars for the
tourists stayed open later-anyone with any sense was home in bed and warm, not
saying much for us. But this couple, Randy and Theresa, were not due until
tomorrow, and as Theresa could attest to, there was no room at the inn-or
anywhere else in this pre-PC, pre-internet, pre-cell phone world. The couple
was stranded, as the truck would sleep in the garage over night, and when NAPA
opened at 8 the next morning we would get them new fuel filters and send them on
their way. But as for tonight...what to do? So we took them home with us,
where it was only colder, usually 20-30 degrees colder than town, and needed to
start a fire for heat. Arriving home at about 1 am, I needed to be back to work
at 6 am, so we all had about 8 hours sleep-spread among four people. But we all
survived, got them back on the road, and wished them well, with only quite a
story to tell of their skiing trip to Purgatory. Seems they had been to
Purgatory before they even hit the slopes, and God had taken them through it.
Many times we help others and don’t know we are responding to the gospel as
Jesus told us. In Matthew 25 when He addresses the church, He assures them that
anyone doing a kind deed, such as feeding, giving drink, visiting in jail or the
hospital is giving aid to Him-we were serving Jesus without knowing it. But He
also talks of taking in strangers, and He took us in when we were strangers, now
we are friends and family. But that night Randy and Theresa had no friends in
Durango until they met us, and we did the right thing-taking them in and they
were strangers no more. How often just having someone along has relieved you of
loneliness? Just having someone to talk to has eased your burden? And having
someone minster to your needs made you remember how much God does care, and is
watching? God had us just where we were needed that night, and has for many
times since, they are called divine interventions. Not luck as some would say,
but God knew their situation even before it happened, and sent them to us. By
the way, the station was off the new main highway, and not easily found, you
were either lost or were directed, this time by God.
If they had changed their fuel filters like advised, they would not have
encountered the problems they did. Just like Jesus filters the sin from us, we
need to go to Him and be changed regularly via prayer and teaching. Without
them we can get stale, and become a target for sin that we otherwise would not.
So stay in the word, keep the word in you, and look for chances to serve God and
show His love. It may be a simple courtesy to you, but a major event to anyone
else. Jesus gave us two commands, love God and love your neighbor. Show others
you love God by your love for others, meeting the need when you can. For God so
loved Randy and Theresa, He had them meet Mike and Theresa. A tale of two
Theresas! And one loving God...in a smelly old service station, below zero on a
winter’s night. One station on the radio. Shelter from the storm. Remember
that when storms surround you...better safe in the arms of Jesus and skiing at
Purgatory than trying to escape it. Of all places, He had a beach girl and a
biker who doesn’t like snow....but on that night we were where we were supposed
to be. Extend the hand of love to someone in need today. Who knows, you may be
stuck in a storm....get your own Theresa, mine’s taken.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com