Miracle in the Night

Again, the Trucker and I are on the road.  A short run this time, thoughtfully arranged by the Trucker, with his wife in mind.

The last weeks have not been easy.  God had a detour arranged for our family.  More than that, a permanent lifestyle change.  Not what we wanted; in fact, specifically prayed against it often.

But God allowed it.  In this we must rest, knowing that for everything He allows in our lives, He will provide for our needs.  Generally not by preventing the unpleasant, but by walking through the unpleasant with us.

Three nonstop days of appointments, arrangements, added frustrations, and departure time was at hand.  Half an hour early, to be exact.  Fresh off an emergency dental appointment for an infected tooth, the Trucker assured me that he could indeed still eat, though Mother Hubbard's Cupboards were nearly bare, intentionally. 

Slapping together a few grilled cheese with ham sandwiches, and lifting a small bag of chips from the freezer, that extra half hour was filled with a quick but filling meal.  The Trucker winced only once when an errant bite, bit back.  Meanwhile, he was checking the drugs newly obtained from the local pharmacy.  Plenty of water with this one, and don't lie down after ingesting.  OK.  "Can cause drowsiness."  Not OK.  Will work on the timing of this one.

Truck packed, house locked, and the Nephew apprised of the key's location in the interest of gathering mail and seeing to a certain feline's comfort, we were off.

How strange it felt to be riding in the Passenger seat again, though old routines quickly surfaced.  So did a host of flies, having seen open bunk doors earlier in the day as a literal invitation.  At least they are not lantern flies, of which suddenly there are many around the property as well.  Time to break out the sprays again...

Life is full of decisions, the choosing of priorities.  Much as the Passenger felt the pull to remain home and be available to parents and sons, the Trucker must receive priority this week.  A short but good haul to Chicago, then time with friends with whom his Passenger needs to become better acquainted. 

Shortly after dusk had settled into night, rolling westward on Route 80, near Kylerstown, PA, it happened.  A ballgame was filling airwaves inside the truck, along with several incessantly annoying flies.  The Passenger, enabled by her clip-on Mighty Bright Light, was deep into the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, feeling again the emotions of gallant rebel soldiers as Bonnie Prince Charlie attempted to regain the British Crown for his father, James Edward Francis Stuart.

Abruptly, time appeared in slow motion.  A strangled exclamation from the Trucker, as he came down hard on the brakes.  The truck lurched, and cut sharply into the right lane and onto the shoulder, as the truck ahead had done moments before.  A dark car hurtled, out of the blackness, eastward in the left westbound lane, where seconds before the Trucker had been motoring along at the posted 70 mph.

Praise God there was no traffic in the right lane when the Trucker needed that space for his rig.  Praise God the road and shoulder were level and the truck did not roll. He and his Passenger paused, listening for the screech of brakes and the shattering of metal and glass behind on the highway.  Nothing but a pulse pounding in their ears, and cheers emanating from the radio as the Phillies trounced the Cubs, adding a fourth inning grand slam to an already lopsided score.  Slowly, traffic resumed.

What of the wrong way driver at night?  Did he or she innocently make a wrong turn?  Hardly.  Was their mind impaired by drugs, alcohol, or illness?  Our minds turned to the "what if" this had been a re-run of last summer, and the financial setback of another accident which insurance didn't begin to cover, let along the physical and emotional toll.  Not to mention the horrible risk to life and limb.

Thank you Lord, for sparing us this time.  

How is it that we give God credit when we are saved, when things go our way?  Yet when things go wrong, we question His goodness?  

"Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?”  Job 2:10

And may we never sin with our lips as Job was credited, either by spoken word, or unspoken when it should have been.