Storms

Last week, our area experienced a torrential rainstorm which flooded many of our roads and bridges. As I drove home through the worst of it, I unexpectedly found myself driving through the deepest water I ever recall driving through.
I was in it before I knew it was there.

After being home about 20 minutes, I received a call from my mom who, to my dismay, had also been out in this storm.
Mom does not see well at night and the short distance she was driving was flooded which forced her to drive miles out of her way.
In the dark.
In the rain.
And she had forgotten her cell phone.

Mom has driven these roads for 50 years.
She knows every bump and dip.
She knows every home and mailbox along each road.
The distance was short....maybe a mile.
When she left home hours before, the weather was fine.

But Thursday night, the circumstances became very different.
Outside influences changed the normal into the unrecognizable.
Old knowledge was not useful.
What should have been an effortless drive was replaced by danger, worry and fear.

My brothers and I all sat in our homes unaware of what our mom was going through.

What are the lessons here for me?

1. People get blindsided by life.

It happened to me and I bet it will you too.

It nobodies fault,...Life just happens.

One minute you are safe, the next you are near-drowning.

2. Storms are normal.

However, I, like some of you, think storms are unfair.

3. We often don't realise that the people we love are in danger.

They don't tell us?

They can't tell us?

We don't ask?

4. God always knows exactly where we are.

Thank goodness He is reachable even when we are too frightened

or overwhelmed to seek Him.

He is the original "wireless".

5. Worrying about my parents is right up there with worrying about my kids.

I must nag fuss remind mom that we are not reachable when she is without her cellphone.