On March 19, 2010, I was on a race against time and I lost, or did I? My husband, I and our two youngest sons took off toward Beloit, Kansas where my mother was in the hospital’s ICU. After quickly packing, excusing the kids from school, wrapping up important details, we took off on I-70 with the fastest route to Beloit, Kansas programmed in the GPS. With just over 400 miles to travel, the lady’s voice coming from the Tom Tom assured us that we would arrive at our destination by late afternoon. What the lady didn’t know, however, was we were about to battle two difficult circumstances out of our control – a Kansas Blizzard and Mom approaching her finish line.
Just out of Russell, Kansas and just about 60 miles from our destination, I got a call from my older sister asking where I was as Mom was going downhill. Going downhill in a race indicates increasing speed - when combined with one's prognosis, it causes alarm and panic. So, of course, we naturally, but very carefully, moved to the faster lane and increased our speed by just a few mph.
No more than 5 minutes after hanging up the phone with my sister, my husband called out, “Hold on!” The Excursion went from one side of the road to the other several times before spinning and flying into the median between the east and west bound lanes. Barely missing a sign, bouncing a few times before stopping, I realized we were OK and I thanked God! Miraculously the Excursion didn’t roll as it seemed to have wanted to. My husband got out of the car to assess the damage. The impact flattened the front driver-side tire. After an attempt to take care of it, he decided it was best to get the car to the other side of the interstate where the wheel would be on the flat pavement. Within a minute or two after getting to the other side of the road, a car plowed into the ditch in the exact same spot we had just struggled to move from. Had my husband not moved the Excursion, the impact would have injured us and pushed our vehicle over my husband who had been kneeling beside the front tire. Again, I thanked God.
With the engine running to keep us warm as my husband battled the cold, the darkness and the blowing snow on the outside, the voice from the Tom Tom periodically reminded us that we were still on the shortest route to our destination! With each new broadcast, the estimated arrival time to my mom’s bedside became later and I prayed harder. I used my cell phone to text my family to pray. They prayed. Others prayed. I prayed out loud with clenched fists, I whispered the words through tears… And my prayers turned from the race I was losing to the current situation where my husband was facing perilous danger as he was courageously and unselfishly putting himself in danger to get the tire changed along the side of the road with unsteady traffic passing just inches from where he worked. The elements were getting the best of him but after two hours and a call to the highway patrol, we were moving forward once again. I was praising God we were safe. I was so very thankful my worst fears didn’t transpire before us and my husband was safe behind the wheel. It was as though God had created a shield around him while he worked and a calmness that allowed him to be steady and thoughtful.
With us moving again, a decision needed to be made. We were at the point in our journey that would lead us down a rural two-lane, hilly highway that led to Mom. Although my husband would have followed my wishes, I told him we needed to stop at the nearest turnoff and get a motel, it was much too dangerous for us to go any further.
That night next to my husband who still felt so very cold (but safe and alive!) , I settled into prayer praising God for our safety and just acknowledging that I would “rest” in the Lord and that if Mom needed to go, she would go. Throughout the night, my cell phone remained quiet which in turn, allowed my spirit to remain quiet.
The next morning we continued on with our journey feeling more confident with the daylight upon us and the dark blizzard behind us. Finally- reaching our finish line, I jumped out of the car before my husband had a chance to park, ran down the familiar halls to the ICU only to be stopped just outside her door – she had gone to be with The Lord just ten minutes prior.
I was heartbroken. I cried out to my mother telling her I was sorry and that I tried my best to get there. I think she knew. I can’t help but think that if I had perhaps gotten there on time, she would have wanted to stay and just chat a bit longer. The paper hanging from the heart monitor showed me when her last breath had been taken and when she grabbed the hands of Her Jesus, escorted by her Angel. Just maybe, Lord, you got me here just in Your time.
But, just ten minutes Lord I cried! And, just one week before I was scheduled to visit with the Easter basket I had prepared with her favorite colors and candy! I had plans Lord; how could they not be Your plans?
Although I am perplexed at times how it all unfolded, I do not question my Navigator’s roadmap and rest stops and detours along the way. He kept us safe so we could continue on our journey safely and kept my mother safe so she could continue with hers’. Gee I miss her. I would say her race was the marathon; the very long, well planned one. And she made it! I will gather my strength and I will continue on my way.
Please read this slowly and absorb the words. I pray the words touch you as they always encourage me.
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