Oh my goodness! Have you ever had a day that you got in your car, pulled out of the driveway, and immediately regretted the decision? There is nothing like the feeling of, “Uh, oh, I should have stayed home!” If you live in WV, especially in the southern part that I live in, you find yourself in that predicament a lot in the winter!

Before I tell my story, I have to talk about my brother-in-law, James. We lost James a few years ago. Life has not been the same. James was hilarious! He would say stuff, and I would just bust out laughing. We picked on each other unmercifully. That was our way of showing that we loved each other. If you came in on our bantering, you would have to wonder if we were serious or not. Let me tell you something, James gave it back to me every time he could. He could never quite get one up on me. He tried and tried. There were times he would say, “Wendy, you win because you are just mean!” What he was saying was I won because he had no comeback.

James lived close, and he would come to the rescue often. Broken water pipes, dripping faucets, fixing a burnt-out motor on our pump house…etc. So, this particular day I am sharing was definitely a “James please help” day!

SO MY CHURCH (BRAT) STORY begins:

It was one of those cold winter days that was so cold, it looked blue outside. George had gone out to the driveway to start his car. He came in and told me to wait a while before I left for work because it was icy. There was black ice on the driveway, so he knew it would be bad on the main road. I gave a casual “Ok” as he slid down the driveway going to work!

I didn’t want to be late for work. Anyone that has any contact with me knows how I feel about tardiness. It is a pet peeve of mine. I feel like it is disrespectful to the person that is waiting on you to be late. You are saying that your time is more important than their time. Time is something we cannot get back. I think it is essential to be respectful of everyone in any way I can.

Since George didn’t specify how long to wait, I used my own bad judgment and waited about 30 minutes before leaving. I went out to the car in the garage. I didn’t have to step on the driveway where the ice actually was. I pulled out, and I felt a little “slip” as I pulled forward. I thought, “Well, that is a little slick there, hmmm,” and I continued down the driveway. As I went to the end of the driveway, I stopped before pulling on to Maple Lane. I eased out, as soon as I did, I knew I was in trouble!

I began to slide! I mean vehicle at full speed with no way of braking, sliding. I could see myself flying down the lane, onto the main road and doing a high jump, and ending up in the parking lot of Westside High School, which is directly across the road. I started to panic. There was no brake because the ice was so bad. Just when I thought I would crash my car and maybe die in the process, something on my vehicle stopped it. The car stopped and turned sideways across the road. There was no getting around my car because it was in the middle of the road, sideways.

I thought, “Ok, I’m ok, the car is ok, my neighbor’s house that the car stopped in front of was ok,” and sighed a sigh of relief. I wasn’t too far from the house. My thought was, “get out of the car, walk back to the house and call James to come and help!” What I didn’t talk myself through was the ice on the road.

I stepped one foot out of the car with my little cute half-boots on, and immediately, I lost my footing. I fell on the icy road. I tried to get up and couldn’t! Every time I would get up, I would fall right back down. There was so much ice that I could feel the thickness underneath my hands as I tried to push myself up. I started laughing so hard that I couldn’t even try anymore. After a few minutes, I pulled myself together. If I could just get to the side of the road that had snow on it, I thought I could get traction to get up. I started crawling on my hands and knees across the road. I would move an inch and fall back 5 inches and then sit and laugh at myself. I decided to (don’t judge me) sit on my “behind” and keep scooting until I got to the other side. If any of my neighbors could see me, I must have been quite the entertainment for them; of course, just the mere thought of that caused me to laugh hysterically again. Finally, I am not sure how; I scooted across the side of the road to the snow. By this time, I was wet and cold. My cute boots were not for this kind of weather!

I stood up in the snow and began the small trek home. I got to my driveway and fell and landed on my “behind,” which was now wet and numb and later would be very sore! I grabbed the chain-link fence and held on to it until I reached my garage. My keys were in my purse, which was in my car. To get the garage door open, I had to use the keypad, which meant I would have to stand up and punch in the numbers. You should have seen me trying to stay on my feet. Finally, the garage door opened, and I ran inside to call work first. Then I called James to help get the car out of the road.

I called the office and was talking to Pastor Brian. I was on my porch looking out on the road to see if my car had decided to start sliding to its demise. As I was talking to Brian, a vehicle from around the hill came barreling down. I could see the look on her face and knew that she had lost control of her car, just like I did. I began screaming (out of the phone, thankfully) she was heading straight for my car that was sideways across the road. She then turned into a snowbank and stopped her car. I was so relieved. I told Brian I would be in the office when I got my car out of the road and could actually drive it.

I then called James. I told him what had happened in a panicked voice. He laughed and laughed and was saying things like, “Mrs. Santa Claus lost her sleigh,” “Women drivers just leave their cars anywhere,” and “It can’t be that bad; you are just a bad driver!” All in good fun, of course.

He promised to come around the mountain on his 4-wheeler and get my car out of the road, and “he could drive, so he could get it home.” I was thinking, “Ok, Big Boy, this ought to be good!”

It wasn’t long until I heard the 4-wheeler in my driveway. I heard him say, “Well, that sure is slick,” as he got off the 4-wheeler. Now, you have to know James. He would have busted up the back before he would have told me it was slick. So he yelled to let me know he was there and was going to get my car.

I saw him go past my window and thought he looked strange. I took a better look. He was sliding like he was at a water park! James was a super tall guy, so what I saw was his arms waving in the air with him trying to balance himself. I have to say, he did stay on his feet, and I am not sure how. He slid all the way down the driveway and got in the snow so he could walk to get to where my car was. I was watching closely now. I just knew he was going to fall.

He got to the neighbor’s house, where my car was blocking the road. I saw him swan dive, across the road and ran into my car to stop himself. When he began trying to walk, it reminded me of a cartoon where they are running in place and going nowhere fast! He slid right into the door as he opened it. Then the car began to move with him. It was like a train wreck. I wanted to look away but couldn’t!

I don’t know how he managed it, but he got my car back to my garage and tucked it in for the day. I told him that I knew he didn’t believe me when I told him how slick it was.

He smiled and said, “Piece of cake, Wendy, you ol’ hardhead, piece of cake!”

WHAT’S ON MY MIND?  GLAD YOU ASKED

When I recount this story, I cannot help but think how often we get in trouble because we do not listen. We do not listen to God. We do not listen to those around us who have our best interests at heart. We do not listen to those trying to protect us from harm. But we go our own way because we think we know best, and that never ends well!

How many times have we gotten ourselves in a predicament and lost control? There was no stopping. There was no way to put the brakes on the situation, and we just knew we were going to crash and tear up everything. Tear up our life, tear up those around us that love us, and tear up our means of getting around in life. We abuse trust. We abuse other people. We abuse the vehicle God gave us to get around in, our bodies. We go sailing through life, and we are not sure where we are going to end up.

Then suddenly, everything stops. We think it is safe to get out, but it isn’t. We do not ask God for direction; we just step out and hope for the best. We land on the ground, trying to get up, and can’t. There is no one else around, so we know we must do something to stand up again. We must get to a familiar place, the place we call home. We know if we get there, things will be better.

We finally get home. That could be going to church, praying, getting back to God to feel safe again. We call someone, tell them what has happened in our life, knowing they cannot fix it, but they will listen—someone we trust. Then we look around and see something barreling down to try to destroy us.

We hit our knees and cry out to God!!! “God, send help! I cannot do this alone.” God does send help when we ask. They may have a hard time getting to a place to help you because of your situation. A true friend (like James was to me) will do anything to bring your life home again. Safe in the arms of Jesus. They will not leave until they know you are safe. They will pray with you. Pray for you. Talk you down from a place of panic and reassure you that things will be ok because God has got you.

Jesus is the only solution. Jesus is the only way out of the mess we get ourselves in. He sends help, and we have to accept it. It is ok to ask for help. It is ok to accept that people love you enough to go through the rough places with you. God places those people in our lives.

Cry out to Jesus! Let Him help you!

I have to end by saying this. Everyone needs a James in their life!

As we get in a posture of prayer, turn this song on and listen to the words and get your mind and heart in a place of submission to Him.

PRAY THIS WITH ME TODAY (in your own words)

Jesus, I know that I cannot go through life alone – without You. I am asking You to come into my situation. I am crying out to You for help. I am crying out to You the only Hope I have.

God help me to surround myself with people who will pray for me. Who will go to battle with me. Someone that will be honest with me and love me and lead me back to You. Help me to open my heart to trust and love. Please help me to not go back to the life I have been living. It has been destructive, and Lord, I need You to make things right in me again.

You are my Savior. You are my Hope. You are my Redeemer. You are the lover of my soul, and I need you.

Come like the rain and saturate me with Your Spirit and love. I want You in my life, and I want Your direction. Today is the day, I give up doing things my way and will live my life with You in charge.

I love You and I know You love me. Thank you for always being there, even when I have not recognized it. I am Yours! I am Yours to use for Your kingdom!

In Jesus Name
Amen!

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