Words to live by:

"With man this is impossible, but with God ALL things are possible." Matthew 19:26

Friday, February 11, 2011

Take another route home...He has plans.

Whew...I'm in my chair finally. It has been a somewhat eventful day.
I decided at 6:30am to make a quick trip over to the big A.T.L. (Atlanta) to pick up some goodies for my upcoming Jewelry Show.
Anna Lee went with me...we don't really see each other much anymore. She's in college, working, homework, etc...and I'm the same...but in opposite directions. So after taking Reed to school, we headed out. It was to be a quick trip.  
We actually thought we had done well...we were on our way back home by 1:30. We were going to miss RUSH HOUR traffic in Atlanta, we were going to get home just in time for Reed to get home from school, and in time to go to a basketball game or do some homework.
All was well...
But somewhere down the line, I missed my exit (I-20).
I didn't even realize it...
I think it was when I had a big itch on my back and I was telling Anna Lee to go "up", "no down", "right", "over"...and so on...
On the left we passed a large ballfield...Anna Lee said: "What field is that?" I said, "I don't know...maybe some high school or something." (I've been to Atlanta for 20 years and have never passed that field on the way home....but it didn't register) About 20 minutes later Anna Lee said" Look, I've never noticed that J.C. Penneys outlet" I said, "Me either, hmmmm..."
Earth to Dara... EARTH TO DARA!!!! and then we both looked at each other and said, "actually, none of this looks familiar...where are we???".
 Lordy! We were long gone by this time...actually we ended up about 45 minutes out of sorts in Jonesboro, Ga. We stopped conveniently at a Dunkin Doughnuts...(I promise it was the only place that looked 'inviting', to get directions---hahahaha)---so our 2 hour ride home ended up taking about 4 hours (and that included the bumper to bumper traffic from just outside Atlanta into Douglasville...uggggg).
Not what I had planned really... but nevertheless, we laughed alot, mainly at each other...sang the National Anthem and the theme from ANNIE loudly in the car, took 'pics' while stopped in traffic, checked on Reed a million times, talked about some old times... and some new times, talked about the future.. it was, just good.


Maybe that's what God intended for today...
after we FINALLY got home, while Reed and Justin were at the ballgame, I needed to do homework (yes, I'm in college) and so we both went to the college computer lab and worked for 3 hours.
Not a lot going on at the campus tonight.
We laughed at our exciting Friday night! HA! Really, we were the ONLY ones anywhere in sight. But we did get a lot accomplished. In fact, on the way home at 9:30pm Anna Lee said, "Well, it's been a good day..." I smiled at her and said, "Yep it really has."


It probably would've been easy to get upset about the change of plans, but I've learned so much throughout my years.
My mother just so happened to call me THIS MORNING on the way to Atlanta just to chit chat and she reminded me of something that happened to me several years back today: funny how it TOTALLY RELATES TO THIS VERY DAY!!!!


    It was April, 1994... I was on my way home from grocery shopping one evening, when the weather took a drastic turn (as it often does in ALabama during April). I was heading in the direction of this fierce storm...I actually saw the sky "cut" in half...black on top, clear on bottom...and then a funnel cloud developed right in front of me. I pulled to safety and waited for it to subside...when it was clear, I headed home again.
I came to the familiar train-tracks I crossed every day. I always stopped, no matter what, at those tracks...and I did this time as well. The car behind me was very impatient, revved up his engine and sped around me and traveled fast in front of me, over the tracks and out of sight.
I continued my small journey.
It was quickly getting dark, and the storm was almost over...but still very windy and an eerie feeling int he air.
I was quite scared and was anxious to get home...
as I came around the curve close to my house, there was something blocking the road.
It was a HUGE tree that had been uprooted from the storm.
I slowed down...and as I approached closer I saw something underneath the heaps of tree limbs from the huge tree...it was a car, trapped underneath.
Oh dear, it was the same car that sped around me at the tracks...there were people running over to the car
  My heart was beating out of my chest... I turned my car around, and drove away (after I knew the driver was getting proper help---I actually called the the police department at the nearest pay phone). I wanted to get myself and my daughter, Anna Lee (about 3 years old at the time) home safely.
I suddenly had the most vivid image and a thought that took my breathe.
I pulled over in a vacant lot and just sat there in the dark for a few minutes.
I realized what had just happened.
If I had not stopped (like I always did) at those tracks...that wouldve been me and my 3 year old daughter underneath that tree.
Wow. There were plans for me and my daughter, ones I didn't know about...but there were plans.
God is always in complete control. Thank you Jesus...


So today, as we drove 2 hours out of the way:
I didn't get upset...
I didn't get mad...
I simply turned around and went toward home a different route (again, 16 years later)...
maybe that's what God intended...for whatever reason, he has plans..
Who am I to ask?
I'm just...
THANKFUL.


For now,
These are My Thoughts...
Dara

3 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed reading this tonight. This brings to mind my favorite verse in the Bible, Jeremmiah 29 : 11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."
    Even when I THINK I know what Im doing, GOd knows even more..
    Thanks for your thoughts tonight.!

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  2. Thank you Tina...I love that verse as well...God always knows more.
    and thank you for your thought.
    Dara

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  3. really, really enjoyed this post Dara! What a special time for you 2 girls to always remember and what a great reminder for all of us. thank you!

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