O.K….let me be honest with you.  It will help you enjoy this story much better.  I do not like the ocean.    Well, I like to look at it.  I like to sit next to it.  I like to smell it.  I like to hear it.  I like the way it moves.  BUT….I do not like it to touch me……not even one little bit.  I don’t like to be in it because there are other things in there too and I do not know where they are or what they will do or if they like me and want to touch me or if they don’t like me and  don’t choose to ignore my presence.

If there is a time that I NEED to be in the ocean….I can do it.  I used to get in with my children when we would visit the beach for vacations.  One rule:  Mom’s head does NOT go under the water.!!!!!!  They did pretty good, and I went in with them enough to get good marks in the ‘mother of boys’ department.  But since they got to the age where it was akin to public humiliation to be seen with your mother…..no more time in the ocean for me.  Which suits me fine!

Now you know of my love for Maui…I’ve talked about it enough.  But, all the times I’ve been there I have never gotten in the ocean.  Which was causing me no grief  because I never wanted to.  It was enough to be near it and watch it.  Besides I had always heard that you could not trust the currents and tides and such. ..especially there.   Once, while visiting there, I went out to lay in the sun for a while.  I placed my towel and other stuff far enough away from the waves breaking on the shore.  I watched the water for a while and then lay down to soak up some rays.  That was when it was still considered OK to lay out in the sun.   After about 10 minutes, I was surrounded by a foot of ocean water all around me.  All my things were floating away.  Water was everywhere.  It wasn’t a wave…it was the tide.  And, it was coming in fast.  I gathered what I could and high-tailed it (literally) to higher ground.  I learned a quick lesson then….DO NOT TRUST THE OCEAN IN HAWAII!  And, by the time I was ready to drive away…it was about 3 feet deep!  Scary!  And no sign to say BEWARE!  YOU CAN DROWN ON THE SAND!!!!!

ANYWAY…Patty is a swimmer…and a very good swimmer.  And, she loves to be in the water.  So the first chance she got…she was IN the ocean.  I tried not to think about it.  Now Joy likes the water as well, and is a good swimmer.  So the next day, she went with Patty.  And, they got all sorts of pictures of each other in the Maui waters.  They flaunted them in my face.  Really, I was not jealous in the least.  Besides, I had not brought a swim suit. I had no intention of needing one.   No matter….they put in for me to get in the water so we could all have a picture of us in the ocean.    While at a local shopping mall, I was making a purchase, and   when I finished paying, Patty was waiting for me.  She went in several stores and finally found a suit…ON SALE.  I tried it on and it fit.  As well as it could, I suppose.  And, plans were made for me to get into the ocean…just for a picture.  And, being the good sport that I am, I agreed.

Oh, I got a cover up and I got a hat and sunglasses, and I got ready to go.  And, I went.  And therein lies the story. 

I learned long ago, that you should never allow yourself to be talked in to something you are not comfortable with.  Things will not go as planned……bad things will  happen……and happiness will not be the result.  Oh…and you will regret your decision.  But, I digress.

*****BTW*****I’m sure you will understand if this little post doesn’t include many pictures.  Another thing I learned a long time ago…some things are better left unseen !

Just so you will know this is a true story…..here’s evidence!  Yes, I do know it’s quite far away…do you blame me???

Patty and Joy are already on the beach, and they can hardly contain their enjoyment of seeing me in a very uncomfortable place.   They were jumping up and down and turning flips and whooping hollering like little children!   But, I said I was goint to get in and I was!  I placed all my things down and took off my cover up.  Why did I leave my hat on, you say?  Because I had no intention of any harm coming to it…nor of it getting wet.  Because, only the bottom half of me was going to be submerged.  Yeah right!

This picture is taken while I am only in water up to my ankles.  Notice I am still smiling! 

Patty and Joy are on the beach saying, “Go further out!”…  Patty was taking pics and Joy came down to the water.  Anyway, I went out a little ways more.  “Just a little more!” they said.  And, soon I was up to my tummy.  Oh, the water did feel good, too!  And, I was standing there, feeling all Hawaiian Beach Babe , loving on nature, and thinking how proud I was of me.    And, what a great friend and sister I was to indulge my friends this way!  What a delightful little fairy tale I stepped into for a moment.  But, the next place I stepped was not so pleasant!

The undertow was fierce and I could tell I was being pushed and pulled strongly by it.  “Time to put a ‘happily-ever-after’ to this fairy tale…and get on out of here,” I thought.  I knew I was pushing my luck.  So, I took a step toward the shore, and immediately got pushed backward.  I tried to regain my balance, but the ocean floor was not in the same place!  It dropped away…and I could not find a bottom to touch!  So, I started swimming toward shore.  At least it’s what I like to call swimming! :).  I have always known I could swim if I had to and nobody believed me…but they saw that day!

Where, Oh, where was this sign?

Notice that even through this turmoil, I managed to keep my hat on my head.  Patty is still making pictures!!!  I swam up to where I could stand up…but something went horribly wrong.  I just couldn’t stand up.  Joy tried to help me…however she was laughing mighty hard, so she probably wasn’t giving her best effort! 

 I managed to make it to my feet , but somehow I got knocked down by another wave.  And, even though I hate to admit it…this was in 2 feet of water!  Anyway, I ended up on the ocean floor. …completely lying in the surf.     And, the next thing I know…I was being rolled…ROLLED, PEOPLE…3…I tell you…THREE…TIMES!!!!! Everything I had was full of sand.  My mouth, and lungs, and head were full of water…not to mention my eyes and nose!     I was completely disoriented.  AND…I could not get up and out of that water.   And, my hat was gone, too.

I was begging Joy to help me…but, obviously she found this little unfortunate incidence to be a mite funnier than before!    And the only thing I saw of Patty was a camera where her face should be.  OH, yes.  I could tell she was laughing too, even as near to drowning as I was. 

Thankfully, there was a hero on the beach with his wife.  He had the good sense to tell that I was really in trouble and rushed to help me.  He helped me stand up and he walked me onto shore.  I thanked him and thanked him and thanked him again.   His wife and Patty were having themselves a good, old time at my expense.  His wife said to Patty, “I’m sorry to laughing at your friend, but that was the funniest thing I have ever seen!””  OH REALLY?  Then she said, “This should be sent in to Funniest Home Videos!  It would win!”   I started to take that little tanned , skinny girl in a bright white bikini and tell her a thing or two. 

 But, actually…I didn’t have any fight left in me.  I was winded.  I needed to sit down.  I needed to cry.  I needed someone to hug me and say, “Are you sure you are all right?  Is there anything I can get you?  I was so scared for you.  Are you sure you’re OK?”  But, all is heard was laughter…..on either side of me and behind me.  It was not a good day to be in the ocean in Maui…or on the beach, either! 

I learned many lessons that day.

Good friends can turn mean in a hurry!*****So can sisters!*****Never back into the ocean!*****Sometimes people with cameras in their hands don’t have many brains in their head!*****Sometimes people who get their scalp blistered on their first day in Hawaii get their brains blistered as well!*****Never go swimming anywhere that doesn’t have at least one hero close by.*****Don’t count on your family or good friends to be your hero!*****

And, now I post here the two bathing beauties who laughed when they should have been helping!

So, in case any of you are planning a trip to the beautiful islands of Maui, stay out of the ocean.  Especially if you have friends or family with you!!!

Now, all kidding aside.  I really was in trouble in the water.  The undertow was so strong, and the force of the wave churning, coupled with my weak legs could have been a bad situation.  Of course, I would never have been in the ocean alone.  But, it was so deceiving. I would never have thought I could not walk out of an ocean.   Please be careful when you swim.  I truly don’t know what would have happened if I had not had the help of the man on the beach.  Joy was trying to help, but she was not strong enough.  And, Patty would have been there in a second once she realized I was in trouble.  Hawaiian waters are notorious for changing tide patterns and undertows, and riptides and such.  I will enjoy it again….but only from a distance.  No matter what my companions say!

ONE MORE THING…..

Isn’t this the strangest drowning sign you have ever seen?  It was in use for only a short time before being discarded for obvious reasons. 

 Do you see it?  LOL …. is a head with 2 raised arms on either side!

I wonder if Joy and Patty had anything to do with that?

What a surprise!  The surprise of our lives, you could say.  Who would ever think that in this beautiful paradise, amidst the most beautiful of natural creations, the force of the life-giving ocean would offer up its most devastating ways.

 A tsunami  is caused by an underwater earthquake or volcanic eruption.  We know the earthquake occurred in Japan…and I am sure you have seen the devastation there.  Such a tragedy.  We were seeing the pictures also…just as we were waiting for it to hit Hawaii!  What exactly is a tsunami?A tsunami wave is really a very “long” wave, with its energy moving vertically from seafloor to surface at a high rate (this wave was traveling at 600 mph). When approaching the coast, the depth decreases dramatically and thus the amplitude increases creating huge devastating waves.  Usually there is little impact offshore, and most boats travel over it feeling only a small bump.  The water along the coast is sucked out , then the wave come rolling in…stopping for nothing.  Size varies.

The first hint of things to come came at about 9:45 as we were watching CSI .    The newscasters broke in and said that we were under a tsunami watch…….”News at Ten.”  Of course, we watched it, and at that time all they had to say was that there had been a major earthquake in Japan and that the Pacific Tsunami Warning System was assessing the situation.   And, they would let us know.  So we waited and soon they were back on and telling us that the earthquake in Japan was much worse than thought and that it had already caused a major tsunami in Japan.  And in another half hour…..we were under a tsunami warning!!!

Now, I knew what a tsunami was.  One of the very first times I came to Hawaii….back in the dark ages…….there was still evidence of the last one.  There were ‘water line’ marks that were higher than I could reach.  I was only16 at the time.  In 1946, a Pacific wide tsunami obliterated the waterfront area of Hilo, on the Big Island.   This prompted the establishment of the Pacific ‘Tsunami Warning Center.  Since then many areas and lives have been saved due to this early warning system.  It is always ‘on watch’ for any thing happening in the Pacific that would affect the areas it serves.  Unfortunately, the tsunami in Japan was created immediately and there was no time for the warnings to take affect.  If you remember the devastating tsunami in Thailand several years ago, there was no warning system in this area to warn the residents of coming disaster.  So sad.

Well, it is hard to explain the way I was feeling.  Surprisingly, I felt a  sense of calm.  Maybe it was niavite, but I felt no panic or fear.    Because, I was familiar with the Warning System, I knew that the warning was true and would happen…in some form or another.  Also, I knew that Hawaii had evacuation routes already in place and that we would simply evacuate, if necessary.

I also experienced an excitement of sorts.  Was I actually going to have a chance to witness this phenomenon of nature?  It really would be quite a sight to see…and quite a story to tell!  (And what great blog material!)

The newscasters were telling us to wait until the ‘EVACUATE’ order was given.  They had told us all to check in the phone book where it explained just which areas were in the evacuation zone and should be prepared to leave.  We looked.  And, yes.  Yes we were.  We were smack dab in the middle of the tsunami warning evacuation area.  Which meant we had to be ready to leave.  If we left, we would drive up into the mountains following the escape route.  We were to go as far as we could.  Then we would stop, and spend the night in the car…until the ALL CLEAR was given!  We were to take food and water.

We decided that that Joy and Patty should begin to pack.   I  asked Patty to go and get our car, which was in valet parking, and move it to the third floor parking so that it would be closer to us. In the meantime, I took off to the lobby to talk to the management.  As I expected there was a huge amount of activity around the lobby.   When it was my turn to talk to ‘the man in charge”…I asked him about the level of danger.  “EXTREMELY  HIGH”.  I asked if we should leave.  “THAT WOULD BE THE SAFEST THING TO DO”  We are on the 6th floor of the motel…would we be safe there?  “YOU SHOULD BE O.K.”  ‘Should’ is not a word that instills much confidence in this girl.  Should is not definite.  And, in matters of life and death, I prefer to be VERY, ABSOLUTELY, DEFINITELY SURE !………[which is why I know FOR SURE . where I will be going when I die! ]  .  He moved on to talk to someone else.    And, so, as I stepped out into the beautiful courtyard of our motel, I looked up into the sky.  The stars were  amazing.  Millions of them…twinkling their little lights as hard as they could.  The beautiful palm trees were gently swaying.  The smell of plumeria was heavy in the air.  And, the waves crashing on the shore was an oddly comforting sound.   All around me was the most beautiful of the natural world.  It was unthinkable to imagine it mutilated or gone completely. 

I did not hear God speak to me…even though I was asking Him to tell me what to do.  But, in my heart of hearts, I knew that He said to me….”These things belong to me.”  Well, not meaning to be sacrilegious here…but I KNEW that these things belonged to Him…and that was not an answer to my question….and I really didn’t have a lot of time here.  So, just in case I wan’t passing along to Him the fact that I needed to hear some instructions NOW…I said out loud, “Jesus, please let me know what to do.”  And, I heard nothing…and I felt nothing…and my heart of hearts stayed empty of His words.  So, I found a bench and sat down and waited.  I knew Joy and Patty were packing and waiting for me.  But, I needed to be still.   I watched as people were scurrying here and there.  The sirens were blowing everywhere…every 30 minutes.  Loud…very loud!  How could anyone miss it?   People rushing to the parking lot with their suitcases.  People on the phones making reservations at hotels not in the danger zone.  People calling the airport and trying to book flights out going anywhere before the tsunami struck…about 4 hours.  Husbands and wives arguing about what they should do.  Children crying because they were seeing their parents not in control.  People arguing with the hotel manager, “You mean you expect me to sit in my car all night?”  or  “All you have to offer is the floor up on 6th to sit on and wait?  What will we eat?  What are we supposed to do all night?”   I sat and watched, and felt foolish for not doing something.  I thought of Joy and Patty.  And, even though they could make their own decisions, I knew they were waiting for me.  But, I heard nothing.   I thought of how watching all these people in such turmoil was like an ant hill that gets stepped on.  Out pour the ants, not knowing where to go…just going.  There was no leader.  It was a picture of chaos.  If the Queen Of All Ants would just step out and blow her whistle and get them all lined up…they could follow her out of danger…back into the deep trenches of their home. 

And, then I knew.  I HAD a leader.  I HAD heard Him before tell me to STOP!    Or tell me to GO!  And, I knew that if I needed it, He would,again, tell me what to do.  I felt an immediate peace about the situation.  AND to top it all off, a friend of mine had posted this verse on FB…and I had read it aloud to Joy and Patty. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified…for the Lord our God will be with us wherever we go.”  Joshua 1:9.  If  He meant anything He said in His Word, then He meant this as well.  Either all He said was true or all He said was lies.  This was one of His promises and I had every reason to believe He would keep this one as well as all the others He had kept in my life!

I went back to the room, and we sat down and talked.  I told them I had a very strong peace.  And, that I felt like we should stay put.  But, if either of them felt different, we would go.  But, both Joy and Patty assured me that they were at perfect peace, and not afraid.  I wanted to know one more thing before we made our final decision.  I asked them to go to the lobby and ask about the strength of the building we were in.  They were told that it was a concrete structure made to withstand hurricanes and the like.  That settled it for me.  And Joy.  And Patty.  They went and got our suitcases out of the car.  We sat together and prayed and asked for safety for us and all the rest of the islands.  We prayed for the devastation in Japan.  We thanked God for giving us the courage of our convictions.  We called home and spoke to our families and told them what we decided and they were in agreement with us.  Since it was the middle of the night, I just sent e mails to some.  And, then, we still had 2 hours to wait.  We watched TV…which alternated between what happened in Japan, and what could happen here.  I looked over at one point and Joy and Patty were both asleep!  ASLEEP!  Can you believe it?  Facing danger and mayhem, yet they were sleeping!  🙂  Creates a picture of true trust, doesn’t it?  (Well, I woke them up before time for it to hit…no way I was sitting through this alone!)

About 50 people came up onto the breezeway of the 6th floor.  They had rooms on the lower floors but could not leave for one reason or another.  The hotel provided them with food and water.  At one point we took the blankets off our beds out to see if anyone was cold, but no one was.  There were old and young, men and women.  Mostly they sat without talking.  Just waiting.  So thankful that we had gotten a room on the 6th floor when we checked in!  God knew!

The tsunami was scheduled to hit Kauai first.  It did and caused  little damage.   It was announced that it was only about 4 feet high on Kauai, so it should be no higher on Maui.  That relieved our minds.  We didn’t know until the next day that it actually was about 6 feet high here in Maui.  We never saw anything where we were.  But, there was quite a bit of damge about 10 miles from us . It seemed to do the most damage on The Big Island and on Oahu.  Damage, yes, there was some.  And, some of it was quite severe.  But, nothing like it could have been.  Hawaii had for the most part, been spared. 

Long line of cars snaking their way up the mountain to safety in Maui.

 Coming ashore…….

Can you find the house in the ocean…below?

Here it is!

See Ya soon, my friends!  I am headed out of Dodge early Sunday…I packed my bags.  Think I brought enough….?

 I’m leaving on a airplane…..

Look!  There we are…..Joy, Patty, and me!  I’m the one waving!  But, my hair looks doesn’t like that!!!!

Well, can you imagine where we are heading?   Here’s a clue…..

A hammock under a palm tree against a blue sky…. Well, that could be anywhere…I live just 80 miles from the coast in Florida, and I LOVE Florida!   But, I’m not going to Florida.  Here’s another clue……

OK …. you think you know?  There are palm trees and hammocks and sand……aaaannnndddd…

…WHALE  TAILS!  Now do you know? …….  RIGHT!!!!!  We’re going back to Hawaii!  Joy and I and our friend, Patty, who has never been.  And, Joy didn’t get enough last year!  We have been talking about what we’ll do and what we’ll see and especially what to take.  Because we want to look really good when we hit the beach…This is what we have in mind…

But, let’s be realistic here…this is probably closer to the truth….

So, all is well.  We’ll be cute either way! 

This time we are going to the island of Oahu first, and staying several days on Waikiki Beach.  Then on to the island of Maui for a week in my favorite place on this planet!  I always stay in the same resort on Maui…here is a shot of the courtyard.  Isn’t it beautiful?  And, even though it doesn’t show here, there are flowers everywhere.  It smells divine!

I plan to blog while I am there.  Plan to….we’ll see.  It’s just so hard sticking to a plan while in Paradise!    So, if you don’t see me commenting much…you’ll know why.  Cause I’ll be doing this….

…and this…

…but, I’ll be staying close to the ocean because…

I’m not sure if that is true……..but I’m not taking any chances!

Mostly we are going to enjoy the fun of family and friends.  Good food, good drink, good scenery, good activities, good everything!

And, so, as we leave, we pray for safety……for ourselves and for our loved ones  here at home…and  we will remember this:

 And, we intend to find it!       ALOHA

“GOD HAS GIVEN US THESE TIMES OF JOY.”                     Nehemiah 12:4

Our family and Suzanne’s family have all been watching the little miracle that is Levi as he grows and gets closer and closer to coming to be a part of our lives.  God has blessed us so!  Now, finally, it’s time for the celebrations to begin…as in Baby Showers.    Joy, Tara, Lori and Patty gave the first shower. 

 And, they decided that the Creek House was the place to hold it…which was just fine!    I did not have to lift a finger.    BUT…’having’ to and ‘wanting‘ to are two different things.  So, I set about doing a little sprucing up.  I worked on the mantel to make it more baby friendly.  I made a banner with Levi’s name in her nursery colors.

 And, I made a wreath for the front door.  But, I classify none of that as ‘work’… it was fun!  And the other stuff..the real work…wasn’t mine to do.  So, at the shower, I could sit down and enjoy watching Suze open her gifts and talk with the guests.  It was nice!  And, then….THEY did all the clean up, as well!   My kind of party!!!

She got some wonderful gifts, lots of the things she had registered for, and other sweet surprises!  These are just the gifts that arrived ahead of time!  Our friends are so kind and generous!

 And, it’s always such fun to welcome them into my home.  Some of those attending  were friends of Mom’s as well.  When they are here for things such as this, it makes me feel as if a part of her is here.  She did love to throw a party!  I know they loved her and they love me and my family.  Their support is like another hug from my sweet Mom!  Thank you my friends!

 Joy and Tara were at the house on Friday evening  getting a few things done ahead of time, and Suzanne came over to see everything.    Here is that sweet boy, John Thomas.  We were working on trying to slice 4 yards of brown and 4 yards of blue netting down the middle so we could make 2 bows for the front porch.   I finally handed this project off to Suzanne.  And, once she spread it out on the floor…John Thomas decided to plop down in the middle of it!  He was so funny!

Sweet girl did allow me to make a picture of she and Levi before she left.  Oh, and a little bit of JT, also.

OK…Don’t you think this is a cute outfit?  A little orange polo style romper, and cute little shoes, with orange stitching!  Too cute!  But, why is Suze cutting her eyes at me like that?

Don’t you love orange?  Well, there is a big rivalry between 2 of our universities, Alabama and Auburn…red and orange…she is Alabama red.  But, that’s not the reason.  I don’t even understand football.  Actually, I was thinking of all the orange highlights in my kitchen.  And, wouldn’t a picture of that sweet, sweet boy wearing that bright orange romper look great in my kitchen!?!!!  🙂  Just thinking  ahead, people.

And, look at this……

…the next gift she opened was this colorful ORANGE lion…from her mother, Mary.   Serendipitous, wouldn’t you say?   So I’m thinking Leo should definitely be in the picture with Levi in his cute ORANGE romper!!!  I’ll be sure to share it when it comes to pass.

Here is a picture of the table and the mantel decor.  OOPS!  I think the cloth has a little wave in it!

And, look!  Here’s the New Mommy and the New Grand Mommies!

And, so the gifts were all opened and displayed and ‘oohed and aahed’ over.  The friends were greeted and hugged and time spent ‘catching up’ with their news.  The cute duck cake (which had a serious molting problem…which Tara fixed) was cut…yummy!  the other party goodies were enjoyed too…along with the blue punch with 3 little ducks swimming happily!  Such a pretty table they set!

Time passed and Suzanne began to pack up the wonderful gifts.  The girls all did the clean up, and I took down the banner and wreath and sent them home with Suzanne.  Hugs all around…and then…it was over.   Suzanne took the gifts and spread them all out so that Adam could see them when he came home.  You know, I remember doing the same thing after my baby shower for Adam. 

It’s wonderful, bringing a new life into the world.  Despite the odds, God decided that Adam and Suzanne would be parents…and they will be fine ones.  I’ve thought often about the children that are born into the world that are not wanted, not looked forward to, and not held and cuddled and sang to.  It breaks my heart.  We are so blessed that God has chosen to send another baby to grace our family.  He is wanted by so many family and friends…he is looked forward to by the same…and, oh, how held and cuddled and sung to he will be.  God is good…and all praise goes to Him!

“THE LORD HAS DONE THIS.  IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES.”       Psalm 118:23

Because my Pop sold motorcycles, he knew many of the young guys who Joy and I went to school with.  He took up time with each one when they came in the store to look and wish.  Many of the guys still tell me in  how much he had meant to them.  A lot of them still look him up when they come back in town.  A few days before Christmas 1998, Brian stopped in and was talking with Pop.  He was still in high school, and was friends with Tara, my niece.  He had 4 wheelers and  dirt bikes and rode in the woods a lot.  As they talked, they came to realize that where Pop walked was where Brian rode for fun.

Mom and Pop had gotten started on their home  (#7), and Pop went over every day to check on things.  Even on new Year’s day.  We had all decided that we were not going to gather…too much going on.  In the late afternoon, Mom and Pop decided to go over and check on the house.  All was well, and they picked up something to eat and headed back to the apt.  Pop decided he would go on his walk…even though it was getting late.  Mom said, “Why don’t you just skip tonight.”  But,  a walk was part of his daily routine.   He did turn around and go back for his cell phone, though.  Now, this day 1-1-98…was freezing.  It was so cold that no one was out and about.  Except Pop.  Into the woods he went.  He walked on the familiar trail, staying away from that big mud hole that had gotten larger from all the dirt bikes and 4 wheelers playing there.  On he walked, but turned around before  he got too far, because it was so cold…and almost dark.  Heading out of the woods, he had to go past the big mud hole.  He skirted it again.  He thought. But, all of a sudden, his feet were slipping on  ice that had formed around the hole.  He was falling…and he was falling toward the mud hole.  As his feet went into the water…his left leg and hip hit the cold, icy ground.  Things went fuzzy for a little…he doesn’t know how long.  But, when he came to himself, his legs were in the water…up to his knees!  “I’ve got to get out of this water,” he thought.  And, he started to push himself backwards, he nearly passed out again.  THE PAIN WAS UNREAL!  He immediately knew he was not going to be getting out of there by himself.  It was freezing, literally.  He was hurt and in icy water up to his knees.  He knew no one knew where he was, but Mom and she only knew the vicinity of the woods he was in.  He called 911 on his phone and tried to tell them where he was.   He then called Joy, before he called Mom, because he knew Mom was going to be upset.  Then he called Mom…and as he was talking to her…his phone went dead.  The battery was dead.  In and out of consciousness, he waited and prayed.  The paramedics came to the area, but did not know where to go into the woods to look for him, and their vehicle wouldn’t make it very far without getting stuck.   They went in on foot as far as they could see, but had to come back.   They yelled to him, but he didn’t answer.   Tara and her boyfriend at the time went to get Mom, and Joy headed to the woods.  All anyone knew was that the trails he walked on were across from a funeral home. Sort of.   Panic was close by as everyone realized that Pop was down in the woods,  in the water, in severe pain, and no one knew where he was or how to get to him.  The parking lot of the funeral home is where they all met, but then they decided to walk a little way down to the spot where he entered the trails.  No one knew what to do next.  And so they waited.  And felt helpless.  And prayed.

But, you know, all those times you think you’re alone…you’re not.  And, when you think that no one knows where you are… someone does.  And, when you think the situation is hopeless….it’s not.  When you belong to Jesus, you are  like His child.   And, He watches all you do and all you say, and everywhere you go.  Just as an earthly  father watches over his children, and protects them…so much more does our Heavenly Father.  “God is with you in everything you do.”   Genesis 21:22.     Do you notice there are no restrictions on that.   It doesn’t say when you are in church, or when you are at the grocery store.   He just is with you…always…wherever you are.  Even if you are in the woods, and hurt and wet and freezing and scared.   Or standing by a busy highway knowing your loved one is lost and hurt. “Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified.  Do not be discouraged.  For the Lord your God goes with you.”  Joshua 1:9 

But, how could God help now?  He may know where Pop was…but no one else did.  As Tara and Joy and Mom and the paramedics  stood by the road, prayers were in their minds.  Prayers for help.  Prayers for someone to do something!  And, as they stood there with the traffic whizzing by, God answered them.  The driver of a truck that had just passed by recognized Tara. He knew her well enough to know that if she was standing by the road in that area,  something must be wrong.  So, he turned around and went back.  It was Brian.  He had just returned from deer hunting.  Tara told him what was going on and that no one knew where Pop was.  But, Brian said, “I know exactly where he is.”  And, his truck , with those big ole tires and loud motor, could easily go there.  So the Paramedics got their things and hopped into Brian’s truck and he took them straight to Pop.  Any doubts that God was ordering the steps of His children that day?   They checked him as best they could by the headlights of Brian’s truck, and they saw that he was hurt extremely bad, and the situation was quickly becoming critical.  By the way…he was only 72 years old!    They pulled him out of the water, and put him on a board and  strapped him tightly.   Pop was going in and out of consciousness from the pain.  The area was so much muddy slush with areas of ice everywhere, they knew there was no way to carry him out.  So into the back of the truck he went.  Brian turned the truck around and headed out.  The paramedics were not able to give him anything for pain, since they could not even assess the injury. They tried to hold him still as the truck bounce d along the trails and through the holes. He was near incoherent from it all.  “I must be hallucinating,” he thought.  “I’m seeing deer all around me.”  No. He was not hallucinating.  He was in the back of the truck all right…but he was next to a massive deer that Brian had shot that day!  Can you even imagine?   If he was getting out…it was gonna be on top of a dead deer!!!    You know, God doesn’t say we’ll always be comfortable with the way He decides to answer our prayers.  But, bear in mind,  if Tara and the rest had decided to wait at the funeral home…they couldn’t have been seen by passing traffic.  The way the area is where they were, they would only have been seen if they were standing where they were.

The rest of the story is anticlimactic.  He got to the hospital, and soon was in surgery.  His leg and hip were torn to pieces. It was so bad they could not even fix it properly.   They had to put a big plate in it, and a rod down the length of his leg.     It partially healed but after a few months, he realized something was not right, and the doctors agreed with his assessment.  So that called for more surgery.  However, this time enough of the leg had healed that they were  able to fix it the way it needed to be.  It was over 6 months before he was over it.  Sorta.  Kinda. 

And, the building of their house continued through all of this drama.   Mom had to take over the job of overseeing the builders.   And, the house got built.  The were able to move in and get back to some semblance of normal.  Whatever that is.  They loved ABODE #7 and lived happily ever after there for several years, celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, and many other special occasions.

Mom moved one more time, ABODE #8 , for her.   And, now she  lives in a mansion and is walking on streets of gold.  The walls around her are made with precious stones.  And, she is waiting for us to join her.

Friends,when we belong to the Lord, He will always do what is best for us.  We may get our selves into some big messes…but He is always ready to help us.   Our family and friends see clearly how He chose to help Pop on that New Year’s Day.   “The Lord has done this; it is marvelous in our eyes.”  Psalm 118:23    And, so I am happy to share this story of what God can do.  And what a marvelous story to tell our grandchildren.  “We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done…so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and in turn would tell their children.”   Psalm 78:4-6

 Oh, FYI…..Pop says he is not moving again until he moves back in with Mom!