Running with Angels

This past weekend we {my boys and I} set sail on an adventure -getting more adventure than we initially bargained for. Our destination was the frigid land of Yellowstone National Park. An hour shy of our destination a detour was scheduled. That being where this story begins.

Without warning the family SUV turned into a sled -on ice, sliding from one side of the road to the other, spinning and twirling...touching snow banks from both the east and the west. Our car was not the only one that made this transformation {from vehicle to sled}. After making 2 {possibly more -fear acts as a solvent, when mixed with memory} full revolutions it became very apparent that our ticket for the tilt-a-whirl was about to expire and we were boarding the bumper cars. Our opponent on the ride? A semi truck and trailer, sailing sideways, the trailers end running parallel with the trucks front.

As the semi's trailer passed my window {close enough that I could have reached out and touched it -with my bare hand} -our front end headed under the semi's trailer, I braced myself for impact.The impact sent us spinning {miraculously} away from the semi and into a snow bank. I still have no recollection of metal hitting metal, yet our SUV has the wounds to prove it.

Considering the magnitude of what we experienced I know that we were protected by a much higher power Friday afternoon. All five of us {my family=4, plus the semi driver=1}, not only walked away but drove away. Yes, drove away.

I can't help but feel gratitude when I look at the crunched hood, offset bumper or the dangling running board. Gratitude for prayers answered. Gratitude for safety and protection. I also wonder who was sent to keep us out of harms way -especially as I look at a set of peculiar dents on the passenger side of our SUV. Almost perfectly round {no broken pain or scarred metal}, they are what I would imagine if someone was to put their hands straight in front of them and push on the side of the SUV.....pushing it way from harms way.....

Yet another reminder that this world is so much bigger than we are, and by the grace of God go I.......

*as a sidenote, we did make it to our originally planned destination and managed to have a memorable {in a good way} time, despite the beginning. That however, I am not ready to share. I am still in shock of what really happened this weekend.