You know those crazy ideas you hear, and you think, there's no way that actually works?
Sometimes they do.
See that? That's a shoelace doing the work of a serpentine belt.
Our serpentine belt broke two Fridays ago and the battery died while Zach was on the interstate. We were blessed to have free towing through my in-laws AAA, which took the van to a gas station, and a friend from school who generously gave up many hours of his night to go with Zach and try to figure out what was wrong. A quick look under the hood and he saw the broken belt, along with a fried battery.
There isn't anywhere to get a serpentine belt at midnight, so he suggested using a shoelace. Said he saw it in a movie (I asked Zach what movie, MacGyver?). You can only imagine the amount confidence that inspired in Zach, but a pack of shoelaces costs less than $2. They picked up the shoelaces and a new battery at Wal-Mart, and headed back to the van.
With a new battery and shoelace, the van started up, and drove 20 miles back to our house. Zach said he could feel the alternator slipping a little because the shoelace loosened up while driving, but it made it.
Once they got it home, they took the battery back to Wal-Mart, and made a successful return. Zach is still laughing about that. He bought a better quality battery from AutoZone the next day, and they got it put in, along with the new belt on Sunday.
It never ceases to amaze me how people will come together to help you out. My in-laws helped us, my Dad was on the phone with Zach trying to help him troubleshoot, Ryan gave up his night, Brendt picked up my sister-in-law and took her to the hotel because I didn't have a car. It restores a little bit of one's faith in humanity. And is a reminder that you need a community. We don't have an ideal community (which to me would be a faith-based community), but I am grateful for what we do have. (On the flip side, I also have to remind myself that Catholic communities are not necessarily the most edifying, either. They hold their own host of problems. Right now I cling to my long-distance Catholic community, and remember that there is a reason for everything, even being alone as an example to many people who don't know what being Catholic means. We are forced to go outside of our bubble and share our Faith through the way we live. I pray we don't do a disservice to the Church.)
Love,
Jess
Once they got it home, they took the battery back to Wal-Mart, and made a successful return. Zach is still laughing about that. He bought a better quality battery from AutoZone the next day, and they got it put in, along with the new belt on Sunday.
It never ceases to amaze me how people will come together to help you out. My in-laws helped us, my Dad was on the phone with Zach trying to help him troubleshoot, Ryan gave up his night, Brendt picked up my sister-in-law and took her to the hotel because I didn't have a car. It restores a little bit of one's faith in humanity. And is a reminder that you need a community. We don't have an ideal community (which to me would be a faith-based community), but I am grateful for what we do have. (On the flip side, I also have to remind myself that Catholic communities are not necessarily the most edifying, either. They hold their own host of problems. Right now I cling to my long-distance Catholic community, and remember that there is a reason for everything, even being alone as an example to many people who don't know what being Catholic means. We are forced to go outside of our bubble and share our Faith through the way we live. I pray we don't do a disservice to the Church.)
Love,
Jess
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