Something I Believe!

Back in December, at the very end of the year, I wrote a post called "Little Dirt Roads." This link will take you back to it, just in case you never read it. I was reminded of that little story this past weekend after an event occurred to me on my way home from Jersey.

(I'll elaborate on my trip to Jersey in my next post - haven't gotten a chance to sit down yet and write it all down -until now)

Anyway, my experience started a few minutes after I left the reception at the church there in Jersey. I had talked to Laura on the phone and had mentioned that they had just opened up a new El Charro in Covington, GA. El Charro is at the top of my list of favorite Mexican restaurants, in addition to the host of memories that go along with the good food from there. It was a frequent eating place for us when we lived there, so it has many holds on me! :-)

Just out of pure sentiment and desire to see the new restaurant, I began this battle in my head and my heart as to whether I should run in quickly and grab one of my favorite items there and then hit the road. I had in my head, if I did that, it would take approximately 20 minutes and would delay me that long in getting home.

Therefore, I fought a "mental battle" the whole 10 miles there. When I was almost there, I decided I'd journey on home. As I began to pass the driveway to El Charro, I found myself slamming on the brakes and whipping up into the parking lot. I talked out loud to myself at that moment for the "on the whim" decision I'd made......my little conversation to myself went something like this....."I don't know why in the world I just did that. Glad no one was behind me. I'm not even starving and I act like this is something I have to do!"

I got out, went in, marveled a little over the new scene and took my seat alone in a booth for a few minutes to take it all in and enjoy my little $3 nacho cheese and beef tostada. As I sat there attempting not to scarf down my food in attempt to get back on the road ASAP, I sat there texting Laura, rubbing in the fact of where I was sitting. She was NOT happy with me, to say the least. I was feeling on top of the world. It was an unusually peaceful feeling. I was thinking that it was because I was getting to eat without having to constantly pick up taco pieces falling off of Addison's fork between her plate and her mouth!

As I sat there enjoying the serenity, I looked at my clock to see how much time I had wasted on my trip home to stop there. It was exactly 24 minutes. I paid and left.

The trip was going well, and the clouds were starting to gather pretty heavily ahead of me. I called Sis. Arlene Head, who I knew had not too long ahead of me, traveled the same route that I was headed. I asked her if she had experienced rain on her journey and that it was looking like I might get myself into some pretty quickly. She warned me that there was definitely rain ahead and they had just come out of it.

I hung up the phone and was prepared for whatever was coming. I was still feeling "peaceful." It began to pour rain and I was focused on what was happening around me. Barely able to see ahead of me. After I traveled in some very hard rain for about 15 minutes, it stopped as quickly as it had started. About 5-10 minutes out of the rain, I was brought to a sudden stop at the top of a hill. Staring me in the face was multiple firetrucks, cop cars, and emergency personnel, and good Samaritans everywhere. Directly on the road in my lane ahead of me was a car flipped over and in the ditch to the right was a mini van - which they had covered with a blue tarp - and as I turned around was able to see the body in the van through the window that they had yet to pull out.

I turned around at the policeman's instruction and thankfully had GPS in my phone to get me on an alternate route. As I drove off the opposite way, it was almost as if I had this small whisper to my heart that let me know that I had been in the shelter of an Unseen Hand. 20 minutes ago, had I been where I now sat, I might not be writing this story.

And as corny as it may sound, my little 24 minute enjoyable meal at El Charro, I believe, became another memorable "Dirt Road" in my life. Just wanted to tell you about it.