Angels and Caravans

The other day I had the worst day ever. From the time we got up if it could go wrong, it sure seemed to. My pain level was quite high that day. In the evening I planned to go to a special Church activity. I nearly talked myself out of going. The day had just been to rough and I was having a hard time even walking (due to pain) and I just did not feel that I was up to it. On the other hand I knew some spiritual uplifting was almost a necessity and would do me really well. So I decided to suck it up and go. It was about a 30 minute drive so I gave myself an hour. I am still learning our new area. I was nearly half way there and driving along on the freeway when I suddenly found myself OFF the freeway. I had not exited and obviously must have missed some sign explaining how to stay on the freeway.

And of course there was not an easy way to get back on. I could only get back on going the way I had come from so I did that and thought I would find another exit to get off and reverse my direction. I choose an exit that also did not have an on ramp for the direction I needed to go. (So weird, this freeway! I called Wayne and asked him to find directions for me online and also stopped and asked a man who did not seem able to answer my question directly.

"Can you tell me how to get back to the 264 toward Suffolk please?"

"Where are you headed?"

"Suffolk."

"There all kinda ways to get there...." (He explained several of them.)

"My directions are from the 264 so I just need to get back on it going toward Suffolk."

"You could go a couple a ways really."

Ok. I speak English right? This was terribly reminiscent of half the conversations between Wayne and I. Please just answer the question I asked...OR tell me you don't know! Heavenly Father gave me no patience. None. This cannot be my fault! I have worked on it and worked on it and continue to work on it....

There are Character Qualities that I have mastered (at times) and Character Qualities I have worked on and been able to alter but some I cannot even touch no matter how much I am aware of it and how much I work on it. Patience is that way for me. It seems very much like my hair color. My hair color is brown. It is what is it. I can curl it, straighten it, keep it frizz free but brown it is! That's how I feel about patience. It truly seems to be a part of me, the lack of patience I mean.

On occasion I do have enough control to pretend. Although this is quite different than actually having patience. But if pretending to be patient is nicer than saying the impatient things that come into my head...well I guess that is something.

The nice man at the gas station directed me to the freeway, although as I pulled out I was still unsure if he was sending me to the freeway or another way to Suffolk. *laughing* Sure enough I reached the freeway.

Times a tickin here people! I knew now that I would be late. I detest being late.

When I was teaching I would drop someones grade if they were late too often or unnecessarily .

My day that was already in the toilet, continued down the pipes.

I thought of turning around and going home rather than walking in late, but again, I really felt I needed the uplifting activity for my emotional well being.

The event was lovely. I sat outside the chapel so that I would not disturb anyone with my tardy entrance. It was wonderful. We had the General Relief Society President from my Church came and spoke to us. There were a lot of woman there and the talk Julie Beck gave was exactly the spiritual upliftment I needed. I was so glad I went!

Because I was in a rush I had only written down directions to get there and hoped I could just follow them in reverse to get home. Do you see where this is going?

All of a sudden I think I have gone too far and passed my turn. But I had not looked at the speedometer so I really had no idea how far I had gone. (I always write how far to go on each road so I know what I am looking for and when. Yeah, hi OCD.) Again I called Wayne and asked for directions. He was having a hard time finding them for me cause I did not have an exact address to give him, just intersections. Finally I pulled over about 50 yards before a light. Some lame person pulled right up behind me rather than going around. So I turned my hazards on to alert them that I would be staying put for a bit.

That's when it happened....

It was very fast.

Across the street a large white truck had screeched to a halt on the side of the road. At the exact same time I heard screeching tires ahead of me and looked toward it. A maroon Grand Caravan had thrown it into reverse and sped backwards at an incredible speed then slammed on it's brakes two lanes over but parallel to me. (You will know for sure I lived in Albuquerque by how my mind thinks now.) My first thought-as I tried to process the white truck screeching and the grand caravan reversing so quickly-was that I could see a shoot out any second. I am sure my heart skipped a beat. (Hello Albuquerque!)

The caravan stopped right by me. I am pretty sure I missed another beat. Window rolls down and the passenger asks if I am ok. My heart started back up and I said, "No I am not. I am trying to get to Virginia Beach via the 264 and have lost my way!"

Driver: "I am going that way. Follow me and I will take you to the tunnel and onto the 264. We will exit before Virgina Beach, but my daughter (passenger) will roll downa window and wave ya on! You just keep on goin'!"

The white truck was apparently circumstantial but the timing was momentarily unnerving!

Just when I thought I couldn't take one more thing...I was sent an angel in a maroon grand caravan.

They did not have to back up, endangering themselves and their car to check on me but they did. They did not have to allow me to follow them and ensure I was safely on my way but they did.

I cried.

It was a kindness I needed. A kindness that I appreciated. It really was touching to me that they would take time to serve someone they did not know. And on that day it meant so very much to me.

Thank you Heavenly Father for my angel in the maroon caravan!