We’ve had an incredible amount of rain in the last week after going through a prolonged dry spell. It’s been a blessed relief but that doesn’t make driving in it very pleasant. When I towed Birdie down to Huntington on Tuesday, I drove through a steady rain till I was nearly at my destination. I took my time, did not use cruise control, and never went over 55mph…60 at the most.
We lost a fellow classmate a few weeks ago to a tragic car accident. I went all through school with Cheryl, though I didn’t know her terribly well. We ran in different circles. Still, when I learned the circumstances of her accident, it haunted me for a while. There were so many similarities. Cheryl was a fairly new widow, getting back out into the world, and was traveling alone when a semi lost control. She must have been passing him or was driving in a lane adjacent to him, because the weight and power of the tractor trailer pushed Cheryl through a guard rail, across the median, and into oncoming traffic. She didn’t stand a chance and we were all devastated by her sudden loss. (Correction, Cheryl was driving in the oncoming traffic and was hit head on by the semi. Still, a car was pushed through the guardrail by a semi with the same tragic results.)
As I drove north through the storm coming home yesterday, I was driving cautiously. The rain wasn’t too bad in the beginning. I started to pass a semi and felt this chill. I thought of Cheryl and her accident. I moved back in behind the big truck. Where he and the rest of the traffic kept up their pace, I slowed way down. It wasn’t too much further and the skies opened up. The kind of downpour where the windshield wipers cannot keep up. More and more cars pulled over on the shoulder and turned on their emergency flashers. I turned mine on, too…but I kept driving. I’m too afraid to stop on the side of the road when visibility is poor. I’d rather drive in the center lane with my flashers on and stay far enough back that I can stop, but not so far back that I can’t see.
Suddenly, brake lights started lighting up ahead of me and I slowed down to a crawl. There, in the sound bound lanes, was a semi…jackknifed. At first, I thought he must have been heading south, but I later learned on the news…he was traveling north, went through the guardrail, and was turned completely around. Just like what happened to Cheryl. Two people were sent to the hospital and as far as I know there were no fatalities. But, I know as well as I know my own name…my guardian angel told me to slow down and not to pass the semi in the rain. She was working overtime yesterday.
Every time I get behind the wheel, I wrap my hand around a wooden cross that I have hanging from my rear view mirror. I have no idea where that cross came from. It just showed up one day out at the farm. It was on my grandma’s dresser one morning so I picked it up and hung it in my truck. I wrap my hand around that cross at the beginning of every trip and ask God to keep us all safe as we travel that day. When I saw that wrecked semi, I wrapped my hand around the cross again and thanked God for protecting me.
I soon outran the storm and by the time I got home, it was back to a gentle drizzle. I called the RV dealership and they said Birdie will be ready by late this afternoon. I’ve decided to go back down to get her today, tow her to a local campground, and stay overnight near the dealership in case anything shows up that I need to get fixed while I’m down there. If all goes well, I’ll tow her back home tomorrow and we can start packing up for the big trip.
I went to Menard’s when I was in Barboursville yesterday and picked up some storage containers that I think might work well. I’ll try them out at the campground tonight. That way, if they don’t fit right, I can return them while I’m still in the area. With all this running around, it’s hard to believe I’ve actually had more restful sleep in the last three days than I’ve had in quite a while. I guess, going full speed ahead wore me out enough to make me sleep soundly.
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“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.”
Psalm 91:11-12 ESV