Footprints...

Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”

The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”

It is not very often that I would use something like this to describe an on-the-job experience, but I have to share with you this past weekend's events. As anyone north of Pittsburgh knows, we had one heck of a snow storm Friday night and Saturday. Well, someone forgot to give Mother Nature the memo that Kati and Jordan were getting married in Butler!

Nervous as can be, and actually not feeling well at all, I headed out the door 2 hours early, just in case. As me and my husband discussed, the main roads would be fine, right? WRONG! I had less than 20 miles to go, and they were the worst 20 miles I have ever driven. Going uphill sucked cause I lost traction and burnt up my tires, going downhill sucked cause I kept sliding sideways and even going on flat spots proved to be a disaster. I got no more than 20 yards out of my private road and found myself in a ditch... but I had to keep going. So I did, I kept going. The further north I got, the worse the roads were. I really never saw a "road", just paths in the snow that I assumed I was to follow.

Fast forward to Butler (over 1.5 hours later)... about 1.5 miles from the church. 1.5 miles straight up a hill that is. I made it up most of the way, burning tire the whole way up. I'd take breaks every now and again, maybe back down a little to try to get a "run" on it. Made it up till I could see that it flattened out ahead. YAY! Just a little further... It was then that I lost all traction, was spinning everywhere. After I got a whiff of the rubber burning I gave up, 20 minutes into my hill climb. There was no way my little Chevy Malibu was making it any further... I mean, it really shouldn't have made it this far.

I made the call... yes the dreaded call to the bride. I explained to Kati that I was not far away and I was close enough that I would make it, but asked if she had someone with 4 wheel drive to come get me and I'd leave my car there. Now, most people aren't going to understand the embarrassment, and the disgust I felt in making this call, but for those who have been there and work in a field that people rely on you, especially on such an important day in their lives... and there is no "second take", I know you understand the feelings I had making this call.

Just as we were having this conversation, a SUV pulled up beside me. This beautiful woman asked "are you going to the wedding?". I WAS SAVED! It was Kati's Aunt Jodi and her husband (Rodger, I think). They had a car full of people, but she promised they'd come back. Completely skeptical, I turned around and headed back down the hill. I had to take the chance, cause I wasn't getting there on my own. I waited for a while... in tears the whole time... and there he was! He came back to get me and saved my day! He wound down his window and said, "are you ready to go!?" HECK YEAH I WAS!

The reason for this post is to first of all thank Aunt Jodi and her husband for helping out. But the even more important reason is to just mention to anyone out there that doing something so little as stopping to see if I needed help has touched me in a way I'll never forget. Most people wouldn't have even stopped... for that matter, they would have probably laughed as they passed me stranded in the snow. But not only did they stop, but to come back and get me... that was just.... heartwarming, amazing, as if God sent them to be the wings I needed to make it through the day. So as my set of "footprints in the snow" disappeared, they were then taken over by God and Kati's Aunt and Uncle, as they carried me up the hill.

Minus falling flat on my face at the reception (I still have the massive bruises to prove it), the day went great from there. I'm sure I'll post some sort of clip from this wedding, but for now... Thanks again to Kati's aunt and uncle, and Congratulations to Kati and Jordan!!!!