In The Blink of An Eye
My oldest daughter was on her way to work this morning when her vehicle spun around, completely out of her control. One minute she was traveling along not even thinking about her commute to work, and the next minute she was in a ditch!
In the blink of an eye …
That is how fast our entire world could have been turned upside down.
My husband and I were getting ready for work when I heard the phone ring. “I’m okay … but I need help. I was getting on the interstate, and I don’t even know what happened. But I ended up in a ditch. ”
Imagine those words first thing in the morning and the fear that would well up inside of you!
I can’t possibly remain calm when I hear those words … out of the mouth of MY CHILD!! Now, I don’t get all emotional and start screaming and crying, but I do have a sense of urgency in my voice as I loudly exclaim to my husband, “She needs help … she’s in a ditch … go … this is where she is … help her …”
And so he did, and in the end, he was able to use our Suburban to pull her Tahoe out of the ditch.
The long and short of it is that it rained all night long, she applied the brakes as she was going around a curve, and then discovered exactly what I meant by the word “hydroplaning.” I know my children grow weary every time they hear me go into a “story” of what happened to me at various times in my life. I hope they know by now that I don’t do it so they have to suffer through my boring stories as they fight back their yawns. I do it because life taught me a lesson, and I didn’t want them to have to learn that same lesson the hard way like I did. Insert story about how Shirley was going to work one rainy morning as a 20-something year old also, applied the brakes, and slid right into the back of a car. I told this story so she, and her younger sister that just started driving, will see the importance of not slamming on brakes or pressing the brakes hard in rainy conditions. She found out exactly what I was referring to when I said that I had no control over the vehicle at that point when it started hydroplaning, I could only hold on for the ride at that point.
Today’s event has a happy ending, THANK GOD! She escaped with no physical injuries, and much to our surprise, the Tahoe she was driving did not sustain any damage as well. Lucky? No … my child was BLESSED by God above and the angels that were riding with her!
She did gain something from my stories after all, as I have also told them not to snatch the wheel of the vehicle. Thankfully, she held it steady, as if she had snatched the wheel and over corrected, I would not want to even begin to imagine what else could have happened.
In the blink of an eye …
Our entire world could have been shattered. But I thank God that tonight I will still be able to have my daughters gathered around the dinner table as we tell each other about our day.
The point I’m trying to make is not only to drive safely, especially in wet conditions. More importantly, love the people in our lives that God has given to us. Hold them close to our hearts! Make sure we tell them OFTEN and show them even MORE how much they mean to us and how important they truly are to us! They give our lives meaning and purpose, and they need to know that! If you haven’t told those close to you, now is the perfect time to do so.
The year 2020 has been challenging for a LOT of people, our family included, but thankfully, God has protected our family – not just from the Coronavirus – but from what could have been a very bad accident. My heart is forever grateful to God above!
Take Back Your Life
With all of the struggles the year 2020 has brought into our lives, we need to find something positive to cling to at these “unprecedented times.” A lot of people have been struggling not only with the COVID-19 pandemic but loss of jobs and income as well as health issues they had prior to this virus wreaking havoc on the entire nation. My friend is one that immediately comes to mind in this. She has struggled with her health after developing Postural Tachycardia Syndrome, also known as PoTS. With this came the inability to stand or sit without feeling lightheaded, nauseous, and dizzy. Having these symptoms, she was unable to work and lost income during the weeks she sought medical help. As if this wasn’t enough, she also had other issues that came up against her which left her feeling depressed and anxious. After an ambulance ride to the emergency room resulting from three back to back panic attacks, she felt helpless and as if everything was out of her control. You almost feel as if your own body has turned on you when things like this start to happen.
As you can imagine, I longed to help my friend. I could see her sinking further and further into despair. Wanting desperately to surround her with love and provide some sort of comfort to her, I prayed for her and over her daily. Tears would fill my eyes when I would think of her, and I struggled to find some way to help her through this difficult time in her life.
Then along came this book, Take Back Your Life. I love devotionals anyway, but this one grabbed my attention with the title. I immediately thought of my friend! As I picked it up and started thumbing through it, I realized that it was an interactive book which would allow the reader to ponder the questions asked and take time to answer from the heart. A time of reflection is welcome, especially with what all is going on in the world today, and often time will help get us back on track. Digging deep within our souls and providing honest answers to tough questions will open our eyes to things we have become blinded to as we go about our daily routines.
I don’t ever like to give someone a book without going through it first. I would like to make sure the content of the book will provide encouragement and not have a message to the contrary that would bring them further down. This was just perfect because there were TWO books in my possession now, one for my friend and one for myself. While we wouldn’t be doing a book club together, it was comforting knowing we would be reading and applying the same material in our lives, even though we had different sets of circumstances we were trying to get through.
The day I gave her the book was one that had been extremely challenging for her. I was not sure whether now was the right time or if I should wait, but I took a leap of faith and slipped it into her bag. Later she commented on the book and asked right away if it was hers to keep because the first thing she does when she gets a book is to get a pen and a highlighter to mark as she goes through. Shortly thereafter she expressed how much she appreciated the gift and how she was getting so much out of it already! Then I knew I made the right decision for sure in giving it to her and the timing of the gift as well.
What I like about this book also is that you don’t feel rushed to get through it. You simply take the next 40 days, a day or chapter at a time, and strive to use what you’ve learned to TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE!!
My friend still struggles with PoTS and a few other things that have plagued her, but her outlook has improved. I’m not going to say with 100% certainty that this book “changed her life.” But what I will say is that I believe it was one tool used to assist in changing her outlook and encouraging her in a godly way. With lots of people praying for her, and with some new medicine, a new book, and a new outlook on life, she is showing great improvement. I’m looking for things to completely turn around for her in the near future. I am certain I will witness her return to the positive, bubbly, wide eyed blonde with the sparkling smile that makes everyone feel so welcome in her presence.
Click here for a great 4 day devotional for children 8 through 14 years old.
#TakeBackYourLife
Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC and HCCP for providing this prize for the giveaway and review. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
Thank you #FlyBy!
Covid-19
There has been so much in the news this past month about the COVID-19 Virus, a lot of which is down right scary! I had to step away from social media and news stations early in April due to becoming consumed by the negativity. With each “breaking news” alert or every news conference by the governor in our state or the presidential task force, anxiety began to well up inside of me. Having gone three weeks with very little sleep, I sought the help of my physician via a videoconference. Finally, I am so grateful to be sleeping a little bit better these days, with all things considered.
If news of this pandemic is affecting us this way, imagine the impact it is having on our children. I have a 23 year old and a 15 year old, and my heart worries and prays over them daily. Right now, my adult daughter is in the direct line of fire while working in the emergency department at our local hospital. When personal protective equipment was scarce, my anxiety grew by leaps and bounds. Now, over a month into this, she is sheltered behind a glass in what she describes as a “box” as her workstation. She still wears her mask, and my heart is thankful for improvements to her working conditions.
My 15 year old once loved the thought of homeschooling. Now, however, she has come to realize that socialization found in a school setting is not only desired but necessary and essential to her wellbeing. After six weeks, it feels like she has been in isolation. We are under “stay at home or work” orders from the governor, so my husband and I only leave the house to go to work, go to the grocery store, or the pharmacy. We are thankful that we have a big yard for my daughter to get out and play volley ball with us in the evenings, but the days are long for her with limited social interactions when we are not here.
My husband and I are both considered essential employees, so we have continued with our routine of going into work. I am so thankful that my employer has allowed us to alternate days that we are in the office. This prevents my coworker and I from being in the office at the same time, so that if one of us gets it, the other will be safe. That is the theory at least. The times I am working from home enable me to be present for my daughter, even if we can’t go any where like we are used to doing. We are together, and that matters so much more now with the isolation she has felt on days we are away at work.
Early on, I was not able to see my oldest daughter due to both of us working on the front lines. That was hard. Extremely hard. Finally, we decided we had to see each other, and we took steps to ensure social distancing. Close knit families are impacted when they are not able to see other family members who do not reside in the same household. When you’re used to hugging your children, and now you’re not able to … it really tears at your heart.
My parents are in their early 70s, and extra precautions are being taken to ensure their safety during this pandemic. A part of that is limiting contact with them, which absolutely rips my heart out. My mom is actually celebrating her birthday TODAY! We should all be gathered around her over a delicious meal, purposely singing off-key to get a smile out of her. Yet, last night when I took her a freshly baked homemade pound cake, I could not get close to her. She and my daddy stepped out on the front porch, and I stood in front of my vehicle at their chain link fence which seemed like miles and miles between us. We talked for a few minutes, and I was thankful to see her and my dad in person. But, we didn’t dare go inside and visit with them like we used to do. She wanted us to, and she insisted several times. However, I could not live with myself if something happened to either of my parents due to my exposure to them, if I was an unknown carrier.
Covid-19 has closed businesses and placed hundreds of thousands on unemployment across the United States. We are lucky in that our employers have continued right on, so our paychecks have not stopped. However, it’s not entirely “fair” that people on the front lines are working for the same pay; meanwhile, those on unemployment receive their unemployment benefits PLUS an extra $600.00 a week. There is no hazard pay being received from my employer, nor any other perks for being an essential employee working on the front lines. Our paychecks have not stopped, so for that I am thankful even if we aren’t receiving any more like those that are on unemployment.
As I write this, the governor of our state is on television once again … he says things are clearing up, so we are hopeful. As for my family and I, we will continue with social distancing, even as they talk of opening up beaches, state parks, stores, and even restaurants. Until we know it’s entirely safe, our family will continue to take precautions.
Throughout all of this, I can say that God has not left our side. He has been looking out for each of us, and I believe He will continue to do so. He knows how this pandemic will turn out and when it will all end. So we trust in Him. This isn’t the first time the world has been struck with a pandemic, although it is the first we’ve lived through. I hope we can all live to a ripe old age and tell our great-grandchildren all about it with firsthand accounts, instead of what they will read later on from a History book.
