My walk with God is more of a stumble, but then I am a klutz. Like Enoch, Noah, Abraham and other great Biblical figures, we are all on a personal walk with God – or going in the opposite direction.

I have been fixing up my parent's '68 Dodge Coronet, as it has low mileage, a slant six engine (one of the best engines ever built) and when completed it will be a snazzy ride. A historic car and an investment kept basically garaged..

Currently, the Coronet drives (and brakes) well, but looks like a junker. It carries a whole lot of paintings and supplies in the huge trunk and back seat, but it has rear wheel drive and brakes, which are wretched to use in snow season here. The plan was to drive it until it was fully mechanically sound again, so I would be willing to invest in the body and upholstery work.

Then I would purchase another vehicle, which could also be used to schlep paintings, easels and display supplies to talks and exhibits. My must have list included automatic and 4x4 drive (having driven through snow and hurricanes due to emergencies), good cargo capacity but a vehicle I could fine parking for in NYC on the street near my son's family's apartment, reliability and somewhat decent fuel economy, plus the ability to tow at least 2500lbs, if I needed to tow more art with a trailer. I wanted a used vehicle to keep down cost, but was intending to test drive several models and was considering even leasing a new car due to tax breaks I had heard about. Still, I had done a lot of research and had a short list of vehicles. Plus, if poaaible I would enjoy a CD player and beige interior.

I am a fan of eBay, the world's largest marketplace ever . I sell small introductory prints that are exclusive to eBay and also am a very good customer. Ebay is a great way to check out vehicles, both new and used without leaving home. Many dealers take extensive photos of vehicles at auction, to avoid and misunderstandings, so it is possible to fully see the interior and exterior layout of most makes and models. I discovered I could also get a good idea of what actual makes and models sell for through completed eBay listings, and at auto.com, a web classifieds.

There's a mild “thrill” to temporarily being eBay's high bidder on a fabulous vehicle that I knew I'd never afford, buy or win based on my low entry bid. For a few moments I could be “winning” a Ferrari. Bidding, even when I don't expect or intend to win also keeps item updated and present on the My Ebay page, so I keep aware of the final cost.

On a Sunday a couple of weeks ago, among other vehicles, I bid on vehicle on my short list, a 2000 Honda Passport LX 4x4.

JVL's Auction Photo of the Honda Passport

On a Sunday a couple of weeks ago, among other vehicles, I bid on vehicle on my short list, a 2000 Honda Passport LX 4x4.

Huh?

OK. This Passport LX fit my criteria, except it lacked one element on my wish list, which was I hoped for a CD player, an option for the LX that could still easily be added. It did have the beige interior I prefer over the darker grays also offered in most modern vehicles. I'm an artist and I like the idea of sitting on dirt or sand better than on a rock.

Yet, my car?

The dealer seemed easily accessible for me, because I thought Kingston , NY was in Westchester county, a NYC suburb a couple of hours away by public transportation. Plus, it was time to get going on the body work on Coronet.

With the Passport there was a free Square Trade Warranty, plus the vehicle was being sold without a reserve price, meaning the highest bidder would win whatever the price. I felt a familiar nudge inspiring me to bid certain amount, tops, but since I had the winning bid thus far, I let my low bid ride.

On Monday I called the dealer and seller, JVL Auto, and spoke to owner James La Volpe. He told me it was a good vehicle; they had been over it and were driving it around town. He reiterated the auction information that it would need a tune-up, but it would get me back to Southampton, and then some easily. It had no major dings, flaws, etc.

James offered to sell it at a specific price that was over what I felt I was “told” to go, so I declined. If it was “my” car, I figured I would win the auction at our price. Over the years I have been stumbling after God, I was certain as to when I have a holy prompting.

The auction was set to end late Tuesday evening. I remained the high bidder for quite some time. I don't have the exact record, but I do know another person bid, so I had to up my bid, but I was still below the price I was inspired to pay. I remained the clear winner. Even so, my winning bid was below what I had actually entered as the most I would pay, so I felt pretty secure as we went into the final few moments of the auction.

One minute to go and I was the clear winner. I refreshed the screen. At the very last moment someone swooped in and outbid me by the minimum! I hesitated as I knew this was over our price, but even so, I did not have the time to enter a higher bid. I lost the auction.

I was devastated. Not over losing the Passport, but over the idea that I hadn't heard God at all --or at least not correctly. I felt like the rug had gone out from under me. Plus, I couldn't shake the idea, that Passport was my car. What was going on?

I went to bed feeling quite disturbed. I tossed and turned full of self doubts. My angst was not about the Passport, there are many other vehicles available, it was about my relationship with God, and my walk, the foundation of my life. I prayerfully asked but received no answer as to why and how I made such a mistake. I was miserable the next day, but prayed my way through the tasks at hand. 

On eBay there is something called a “Second Chance Offer.” That happens when a winning Buyer fails to conclude a deal for an auction. Usually, the Seller offers the next highest bidder a chance to buy the item at the price of their last bid. Wednesday evening, just before I signed off for the day and headed to bed, I checked my email and I had a Second Chance offer from James!

What a relief! I had heard. I just lacked patience and being instep with God's Plan (Well, there's nothing new about that for me on my stumble!) Plus, James was offering me the Passport at exactly the price I was told I'd pay.

It took about a week, before the monies cleared through Paypal, the insurance and licensing and all were completed with much help from James. During this time James visited my web site and we spoke about my work, our dogs and became friendly. He seemed a very nice guy. On his own he sent the Passport for a tune up, without allowing me to reimburse him.

On a Thursday, eight days after accepting the Second Chance Offer, I headed to Kingston, NY, which is really in Upstate NY, about five or six hours away by car. It takes much longer using public transportation. Plus, I figured the direct route, going from Long Island would be faster, but due to the lack of trains from where I live connecting to Babylon, where I could pick up a Trailways bus, and then the lack of buses, I spent about eight hours in transit before I made it to Kingston via the only methods of pubic transportation that would get me there.

At the Kingston Trailway's stop I was met by Dave, who drove me to JVL. We spoke about the Passport. Dave liked the car, had been driving it and was thinking of buying it himseldf when it sold. I told him about UnGraven Image, the new Judeo-Christian art movement and he told me about his walk. He eagerly accepted one of the new postcards to show to his wife. At JVL finally met James and then, Scott, a salesman who had also helped me over the phone several times. I walked around the Passport, and it looked better than the eBay JPEGs. Then they took it to finish the detailing, while we completed some paperwork.

I was very happy and everything was going better than I could have expected. I was thinking that these guys could make the famous Saturn dealerships blush, they were so easy to deal with, and I had gotten a deal that was below dealer's Blue Book!

James literally turned himself into a owner's manual for the Passport, going over all the features and how to use them, which I tried to remember but forgot a lot, partially as a storm was brewing, and I wanted to leave and beat it back to Southampton before dark.

Somewhere near 4:30 pm , I drove off, trying to follow Scott's directions to the 9 West route. I was trying to learn the features as the layout is very different from my recent vehicles. Unfortunately, I missed the turn and wasted about 10 minutes finding my way back slowly in the unfamiliar town.

I was zipping right along on a winding two lane highway, thinking about how I was going to blog about this adventure and hearing God for the upcoming week. I discovered it had a CD player. Could it be more perfect?

About 10 miles from the dealership, the Passport overheated.

Fortunately, I was at a light near a mini mall, so I pulled in, taking a parking space in front of a moped and off road motorcycle dealership.

I was struggling to get the hood up (as I was unfamiliar with the vehicle), when the store owner came out and assisted me. He knew about engines and vehicles and he knew I had certainly overheated. He looked around but couldn't find any immediate and obvious cause.

I called James on my cell phone and he asked where I was, and the owner gave me directions. James said to wait (like I had a choice?) and he'd call me back on the cell phone number I gave him. I waited and I waited. Finally, I called again and I was told that I need to speak to some one who was going to come to tow me to give directions. I gave James directions again, as I was very concerned that the cell phone's battery was going to run out. Of course, I hadn't brought the charger or emergency booster, as I thought I was just going to be driving home. It begins to drizzle, then there's a burst of rain.

By now it is almost 5:30 pm. I bought bottled water from the deli a few doors down. The stores in the mini mall are closing, except for the pizza place that is doing a slow but steady business in take-out and delivery. Have no real idea where I am, where to go and I am praying hard for guidance. I am also once again questioning if I heard correctly about buying this vehicle.

I was beginning to think no one was going to call me. Once again I was full of angst. Had I heard from God? What was happening? Where was the Plan? Had I more than stumbled but fallen on my face?

Next week Part II of this blog . My first three part blog. Find out why I decided to write about this experience and why I am leaving James and JVL great feedback on Ebay!

May 31, 2006