Miracle at Loma Linda?

No,  this is not about a healing.

After walking along the beach in La Jolla, California during Spring break, Rebecca and I walked toward the rental car from the front. After four days we saw for the first time a dent just below the front bumper. It wasn't a small dent. We'd probably not looked until then.

I waived the charge for insurance coverage, relying instead on my personal car insurance through AAA of Michigan. I have a $500 deductible. I was troubled.

This dent had not been noted on the checkout inspection. But neither of us could recall any event where we might have created the dent. The person at the rental agency who was supposed to do the inspection with me had rushed off after driving the car to the curb in front of the office. He had brushed right past me. I had hunted down the salesman who told me that he would do it since it hadn't been done per procedure. It was a hurried check and I at least followed too closely to the front of the car to see below the bumper.

So either the dent pre-existed my rental or I had unknowingly damaged the car. There was no rust but simply gray beneath the silver. I experienced a somewhat troubled next four days. Rebecca and I enjoyed our vacation in southern California and our visits with my Dad in Loma Linda. He is 92 and experienced a 2nd small stroke in December 2004. But he was cheerful and talkative. He could walk a little and feed himself after 3 months of therapy. And his wife of 4 years is a jewel!

After awhile, I realized that of course, the gray indicated that this was a plastic shell and not steel. So I thought I might be able to buy a mop and punch the dent out. On the next to last day of a nine day vacation I stopped at Target, walked to the front of the car to look again before buying the mop…

And there was no longer a dent! I'd looked each day and still had this dent the day before. But I'd also prayed the night before that maybe God could simply pop out this dent. I realize that this plastic bumper material could have popped back to normal on its own. But for at least 2 days it hadn't gotten better. After my prayer, though, there was no longer a dent!

No explanation needed, no possible protest needed, no extra payment needed. I returned the car the following day without incident. I doubt I'd have prayed over this if the dent had been in steel. But it wasn't and I did pray. It was at least partly the engineering involved in the self-repair. But after two days the self-repair hadn't occurred. And after the prayer it had. I'll believe that God popped it out with his own finger. Or he asked an angel to pop it out with his finger. Or the angel him/herself heard my prayer, looked up at God with an expectant smile and asked, "Now?"