During November, I am relating reasons for gratefulness from my life. Thanksgiving comes once a year here in the USA. Yet, we have incidents that could have unfathomable consequences if the outcomes were different. Let me share this story with you.
I was driving to church in Evanston, IL one evening & was on the Eisenhower Expressway. Snow flurries started with just enough momentum to make the road slippery. I continued on my journey, thinking that I needed to slow down more to account for the road conditions.
I tapped the brake gently, so I thought. Yet, I started spinning 360 degrees, since there was already
oil on the road. This oil gave the wheels the velocity to rotate easily. Traffic was moderate.
I prayed..."God, please help me maintain control of my vehicle". My mind focused on what preparations I had made earlier in the day. I had enough gas. Car maintenance was up-to-date; tires
had the recommended air pressure. I reminded myself to stay calm and turn the steering wheel in the direction the car was moving. My mom and sister were passengers. They prayed too.
The scariest moments were when we faced that oncoming traffic. It was slow motion...
We were heading their way and the iciness was rotating the tires another revolution of 360 on the
highway. I felt like I was in a dream. Since I was not accelerating, the car finished spinning and I headed toward downtown Chicago. We were on our original path! Whew! Deep breath! Deep breath! I felt like an angel grabbed the car and halted the spinning. I was so grateful that there
was no accident!!
Drivers have experienced similar situations when traveling with snow or rain. The initial thoughts are: 1) What can I do to get out of this safely? and 2) What should I prepare for in the future?
This experience reminds us to take preventive action steps in life. Good car maintenance is a good
rule of thumb any time, but especially in the winter. I recommend that we assess other areas in life for
application of this advice.
What can we do with our families? We can lower the temperature of conversations on touchy subjects. It does not mean that we do not discuss issues. It means that we ponder: 1) How to
listen intently to another person's heart? and 2) How we best present our rationale without
speculating about what someone means or feels.
What can we do at work? This depends on the positions that we hold. If the person in charge usually does not seek advice, prepare to support your point, when asked. If the boss seeks input regularly, good maintenance is prepping for encounters mentally continually. In both cases, it also means staying up-to-date on world and business news, so you draw pertinent conclusions.
Life has many junctures. Something unexpected occurs all the time. When we have a grateful heart
- life flows more balanced. I encourage us all to focus our thoughts on life's memorable times. Why?
We draw strength to confront today's challenges.
God gave us life again today. Some people's names did not appear on today's heavenly wake-up list. Reflection is productive because we get a chance to gain perspectives that we did not know existed
during the first round. We have more life experience as we reflect. When I think of this episode on
the expressway, I am more grateful now. I know that it was a very precious gift! "A joyful heart is good medicine", Proverbs 17:22 a (English Standard Version).
Call to Action:
Reflect on a grateful moment. What stands out for you? How can this remembrance add grace or increased calm to your life today?
Read other blogs on: https://www.marilynnjames.com or purchase "Fully Persuaded Faith".
See my Instagram and Facebook posts weekdays - starting Wednesday, November 17- 30 regarding biblical, financial choices as we prepare for the holidays.