I have NEVER asked my family for help on my house, yard or for money. When my dad did his wedding reception at my home, he did come help in the yard to get it ready and there have been a few times he has offered help in the house and I have let him come and help me in my downstairs bathroom installing tiles and a sink.
As you know, I am fairly independent and handy when it comes to fixing things. The one thing I always call my father about is the cars. My dad is AMAZING at so many things. He has a Doctorate degree and is so knowledgeable in SO many things, but he truly has a gift when it comes to cars.
He even invented and created his own car when we were younger. It has a bed in the back, seats in the middle, a roll bar and a removable hard shell top. It was SO cool and my cousins always wanted to ride with us when jeeping as we would climb up on the back bed and bounce around. 
Other times, we would remove the top and stand holding onto the roll bar and one of my VERY favorite memories, was driving alongside a heard of wild horses as they ran. We raced along side them with the wind in our hair. I LOVED horses and always wanted one so to have that freedom moment racing alongside those majestic horses in the wild was such a joy, I will always remember that. Here is a link to a post that has a picture of his creation. It was a green Blazer hybrid. 
With all that explained above, I have to say that we have called my dad many times for help getting cars or fixing cars! My dad would find me what I was looking for at car auctions and help fix them up if there were issues and just recently he found a car he thought one of my girls would like. She drove to visit him and decided she liked the Honda 4 wheel drive car he found so she purchased her first car. 
He then called me asking what car I was driving and told me that he and his wife, (my step-mom but I love her like my mom) wanted to help me get more of a luxury car and he found a Lexus that he wanted me to look at. I told him I was fine driving the car I am driving. It is an old Honda but still runs ok and I was fine with it. 
I went up to pick up Princess Threes old car as she purchased the new one. While there, he had me look at the Lexus and I told him that with all the girls still not settled anywhere and moving to different college apartments and hauling kids with luggage to go on missions etc, I needed a car that had folding seats and more area for dressers, bins etc for a few more years until my kids were a bit more settled in their lives. He asked me what the "must have" options were. Basically, I can't live without air conditioning and heat! Power windows and locks would be nice but not a "must" have. 
Still, I told him I had some financial things going on and I could make payments but not pay just outright until I had saved up some as I had to put new gutters on the house, send off my missionary to Japan, fix the roof etc, etc. 
He called me the next week saying they had already purchased a car and registered it, took it into a shop for a recall fix and made sure it was all ready for me to pick up. Of course, my independent personality told him he didn't need to do that and I could buy my own car and make payments but what he said next to me made me cry. 
He said, "(my step mom's name) and I have watched you sacrifice everything for your girls. You have given up anything for yourself in order to give them EVERY opportunity in life and you have raised some wonderful women! They are amazing people doing amazing things and are so responsible. We wanted to get you a luxury car that is reliable so that you can have something wonderful in your life! We got the car you wanted that would help you best, but know it isn't "luxury." We hope you like it! It is here waiting for you when you can find a ride to come pick it up!"
I was able to find a friend going up that week and picked it up late in the evening and they waited up so I could give them hugs and he even paid a few hundred to make me an extra chipped key just in case I lost one. Of course he filled the gas tank as well. He had thought of everything. It is the way I like to give my girls their cars, clean, tank full, ready to go!
I truly think it is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me! They saw the needs I had and made efforts to fix the issues in my life. I could hardly drive home that night! My dad wouldn't even let me take a picture of him with the car or at all. They truly do quiet acts of service for others all the time and never expect anything in return.
I feel so GRATEFUL for such an AMAZING example of what a father and mother should be! How blessed my girls are to have that kind of example of how kind and generous a father and mother can and should be! They haven't had that in their home but I am grateful that they can have that in their world and extended family!
You can't know the gratitude in my heart every time I get into and out of that car and to be able to lock it so easily, and to be able to sit comfortable while driving and relax not having to drive a stick shift for hours. The joy I feel each time I can put a audio book into the cd player to keep me awake as I make the long drives to family events. The ability to plug in my phone with either car or house charger in the car and to be able to plug my phone into the stereo and listen to movies and music from my phone. Being able to adjust my mirrors from the drivers seat.
All these things may not seem like much to many but to me, they swell joy in my heart! Even more so, that each time I use it, I feel loved and appreciated! What a blessing to have loving kids and parents and now grandchildren!
I am TRULY Blessed! Best thing today, as I went to video the car, I found a nickel in the back of the armrest! You can't tell me that my Father in heaven wasn't letting me know He loves me too! (Here is the original post about me finding coins)
I hope you have a Blessed Day!
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