July 27, 2014

Good Morning Friends! Happy Sunday! Here's a little message to think about:
Last week, Mike and I decided to go to a Friday afternoon dollar show. We decided on a movie (Heaven is for Real. Excellent!) and we were slow to get out of the house. We finally rushed out, worried that we would be late, only to realize when we got in the car that I had forgotten to bring the refillable mugs. I ran back inside, dug them out, and we were on our way.

As we were coming around the freeway on-ramp, Mike said, "Slow down. Something just happened up there." As we came onto the freeway, all the traffic was slamming on their brakes, and there was debris still flying all over the road. A minivan pulling a flatbed trailer was upside down on the side of the road. We immediately tried to pull over, but there was no where to go because of the great number of cars that had already stopped. There were people running at full speed from every direction toward the wreckage. There is a frontage road that also runs next to the freeway, and people had stopped and were actually scaling the fence to get to the van. I felt peace that there were plenty of people to help and heard sirens in the distance. I was crying at the display before me. We went on our way, praying the entire time that the people involved would be ok. (We found out later that they were taken to the hospital but didn't have any life threatening injuries.)

Two things I've learned from this experience. First, I believe that we were purposely delayed in leaving the house. I believe that had we left just a minute or two sooner, we could've been involved in this terrible accident. I am so thankful that we were being watched over. Second, I had an overwhelming feeling when I saw those people running to help. THAT, my friends, is what it means to truly love your neighbor. These people had places to be, things to do, meetings to attend, But they didn't think about how late they would be, the danger they were in, or what kind of horrible scene they may come upon. They saw a need, they stopped, and RAN to the rescue of a complete stranger. This gave me a new hope and faith in humanity. That is what life is all about. We don't always come upon a horrible accident or a blatant need, but what about those in our lives that need a shoulder to cry on, a hug, or someone to talk to? Are we dropping everything and RUNNING to their rescue? Or are we making excuses that we're too busy, too tired, or simply don't want to deal with it? There is need all around us. May we pay attention and take the time to stop and help.