Come on down!

Geddy and I got to play The Price is Right -- sorta -- over the weekend.

In our house, we have two drivers and three cars. We replaced our aging minivan two years ago with a Volvo V-50 wagon (used, great price). Last fall, the 1966 VW Beetle show car Geddy and Larry spent nine months restoring joined our family, which also includes a 10-year-old Nissan Maxima.

The Volvo is a great car but as the children grow, they are starting to get a bit cramped in the back seat. Geddy and I had just hatched a plan to start looking for a good deal on a minivan or SUV when my parents announced they were going to buy a new van, so we talked them into selling us their 2003 Kia Sedona when they bought their new Nissan Quest.

Which made four cars for two drivers, which was at least one too many.

The Maxima has been a great car, but it needed some work. In addition to a deep cleaning/detailing, the brakes need to be replaced and it needs a tuneup. Half of our selling price would have been eaten up in repairs. What to do?

Geddy said, "Maybe we should give it away" about the same time I said, "I think we should give it away."

It wasn't at all difficult to choose a family because one already had been laid on my heart. I meet a friend from church for dinner once a month or so. She's a lot of fun, a little prickly like me, and I can be completely real with her. She started her family very young and thought she was done with three children, but the Lord had other plans and sent her five siblings to adopt.

Her eldest recently got his license, and months ago she mentioned how they would like to get a small car for the older children to drive because they only have a large van and her husband's work truck. After my conversation with G, I approached her at church, hoping she wouldn't be offended.

She wasn't.

When my dad brought over the Kia Saturday, we arranged to drop it off Sunday after church. When Geddy handed the eldest son the car keys and the three teenagers realized what was happening, they were very excited. I was glad we got to see their reaction.

We may never be in a position to give away a car again, but I will admit I would love to have a dozen more superfluous cars. I understand why Bob Barker stayed on The Price is Right for so long -- giving stuff away is sort of addictive.