Friday, February 11, 2011

WATCHING OVER ME...

Have you ever had something happen to you, or NOT happen to you and you felt like you somehow dodged a bullet? Was it luck? To me, it's only luck if it's something like winning the lotto or finding a ten spot on the sidewalk. If you avoided harm or injury then for me it's a guardian angel watching over you. Here's my story...

Yesterday my Mom was having a cardiac ablation in Tampa, so I went down to go with her. I left home at a little before 7am and drove the hour and 15 minutes to her house in Winter Haven. From there, myself, my sister and brother~in~law and Mom traveled about 45 minutes to Tampa. We arrived at 9:30ish and didn't leave til almost 8pm. Praise God her procedure went well and she is home resting and recuperating today.

So we arrived at her house last night at 8:30 and after giving instructions to my sis~in~law on her care, I left to make the drive home. Have you heard the expression "hitting the wall"? Well I had physically hit the wall. I was sleepy, stiff from sitting in hard chairs all day and hadn't eaten any dinner. I realized quickly that it was gonna be a long drive home, and I really needed to go home as I had things to do today and I didn't want to deal with morning rush hour in Orlando.

I was passing through Lake Alfred, a teeny little town, making my way out to I~4. I know you can't picture it but they have re~configured the streets there and the old way of getting through town is now gone and replaced by a somewhat confusing new grid. I made the first turn and came up to a light where I thought I needed to turn to head out to the highway. I turned and started driving on what I thought was a two lane road staying in the right hand lane. A couple of approaching trucks flashed me. I thought, "okay thanks for the cop ahead warning" and kept going.

I was driving into oncoming traffic on a one way road...

I panicked. I stopped right in the road. What do I do? My head wasn't clear at all.

And then I took the only option that seemed to be available and drove up onto the huge curb and onto the shoulder not knowing if I would drag bottom or would my Expedition even make the jump. I turned around and headed back to find the right route that I needed. I was shaking and exhausted and scared out of my mind.

I made it to the interstate and struggled home. It was the longest hour and a half of my life. Was it luck? No way.

I had a guardian angel. Of that I am positive. When I think of how it could have turned out I am shaken. It wasn't meant to. Have you had an experience like this and if so did you recognize it for what it was?

I learned a lesson from last night. I'm not superwoman. I must accept my limitations and not put myself in harms way. I might have to inconvenience myself a bit to be safe.

To be here.

33 comments:

Irma@CosasBellas said...

Oh sweet pea, I'm so glad to hear that you are here to blog about it.
Only the wise give credit to whom credit is due, God had your back for sure!

Be safe,
Irma

trash talk said...

Nope...you certainly weren't alone in your drive home and I'm so glad. Testify!
I hope your mom is doing OK and I'll add her to my prayers.
Again...I'm so happy God sends angels to take care of us when we forget to.
Debbie

Sanctuary Home said...

Oh my gosh, you were definitely blessed on that journey. I do believe in Angels. I'm glad that your mom is doing well. I'll add her to my prayers.
Just the other night my fiance and I were driving in San Francisco and we did the same thing. We were driving the wrong way on a one way street. It was scary! Everyone was honking at us. He got flustered and drove up the sidewalk. I'm glad that you are okay.
Susan : )
http://sanctuaryhomebysusancooke.blogspot.com/

Donna Reyne' said...

I too am so grateful that God sent a helpmate.
I am also grateful that you realize you are only human. Pretty amazing but still human.
Take care of you and your mom!
Big hugs,
Donna

Seawashed said...

so glad you were safe...yes, God was protecting you.

Ido said...

Thanks God you are okay! I really believe in Angels watching over you, we live in Northern Utah and the winters are pretty bad, one day on our way to the Polar Express in Heber City, a bad snow storm catches us and we slipped in the freeway big time, but before we left a friend told us that he will send angels to watch over us, so I believe that the angels he sent saved us from falling in a big deep cold river. Take care and hope your mom recuperates soon.
Blessings.
Ido

Garden Antqs Vintage said...

Shelly, glad all is well and yes I DO believe in Guardian Angels! Also, glad all is well with your mom.

Laura @ 52 FLEA said...

Dear Shelley...
Thank God that you are safe. It is such an easy mistake to make at night in unfamiliar territory.
I will keep your Mom in my prayers.
Take care my friend, Laura

Tamra said...

Just the other day I was driving home and was really tired and was thinking about my Gramma and how she would hop in her car and drive all over 3 states to visit her kids and grandkids and invariably when she's show up she would say, "Sorry I'm late I got tired so I pulled over a took a little nap". I've always laughed at the thought of this little woman in her little corvair taking a nap on the side of the road but I have to say she never had an accident.

It's such a shame that we always feel we don't have enough time to take care of ourselves or things just HAVE to be done by a certain time and sometimes put ourselves or others in harms way. I am so glad you were not hurt.

Now take a nap Sweet Pea and get some rest.

lulu redstar said...

Sweet Pea!!!! Yes you do have a lovely Guardian Angel. Oh so lucky for you. whew!
Good posting to remind us all we are not superhuman every minute.
So glad you are ok.
oxoxox lulu

Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME said...

I am so glad you made it home safe. The Lord was definately watching over you. Your family needs you. Sometimes as women we find it hard to admit we can't do it all..but we can't. Try to get some rest and Happy Valentine's day!

Susie~From My Home To Yours said...

Hey Shelley, wow I know that must have really shaken you up...scarry! Please don't do that again, but God is good and He was definitely watching over you. I'm sure you feel a little closer to Him after that close call.
Love ya,
Susie

Jennifer said...

God holds us in HIS hands doesn't HE? Hills and valleys! Jennifer

Sandi~A Cottage Muse said...

So happy your Mom is well and even happier that you are safe!

Guardian Angels...I believe!!

Fishtail Cottage said...

Oh geez, so glad you are okay - i do agree in devine intervention if that is what you mean? xoxo

June said...

Oh Shelley I am sitting here feeling so thankful that your guardian angel was aware of you last night and your need for protection. We are so blessed to have them around us keeping watch. I KNOW that angels are around us keeping us safe...unless it is our 'time'.
I can't even let myself think of what could have happened to you. I pray your mother is doing well and that she has a speedy recovery from her procedure.
sending love,

Anne Lorys said...

Wow Shelley, that IS scary!!!

I'm so relieved you're okay.
And your mom, too!

Big hugs,
Anne

Vicki said...

Thank goodness you are okay and no one was hurt. Rest my friend. Glad your mom is doing well. I hate I4 between Orlando and Tampa. The road have been a mess for years. Take care.

Blessed Serendipity said...

Oh my goodness! So glad you are ok and yes I believe in guardian angels too.

Danielle

Made In The South said...

Thank goodness you are ok! That happened to me this new years eve in New Orleans. I do not drive there often, but we had out of town company that wanted to see the sights. Well sure enough I headed down a one way street. Thank goodness there was a parking lot for me to zip into.
Glad things turned out well for your mom.
Have a great weekend,
Melissa

countrycharisma said...

Oh Shelley, I am so glad you had the Lord on your side. Yes, He does have his angels on assignment for us, and I am so happy for you that yours was there for you last night. Thank you for the wonderful testimony. Blessings, carrell

Miss Gracie's House said...

Wow! I'm so thankful for your protection...God is good.
Rene

Faded Charm said...

I'm so glad to hear you are okay. Sometimes I think we need these kind of things as wake-up calls so that we are more aware of our surroundings. I've had a couple mishaps such as yours and totally believe that someone was watching over me and it was not my time.

A sad story about a family that lives close by. The Dad was driving and had his two young sons in the backseat. He ran a stoplight and the boys were killed, while he survived. So sad and such a heavy burden to carry with you.

Take care and enjoy your weekend.

Kathleen

Carole said...

Thank goodness you stopped. I can imagine the panic you felt when you realized what you did. We all push ourselves too far at times.

You were certainly not alone in that car that night!

hugs,
Carole

Patina said...

Wow Shelley! I am so glad you are all right, so scarry!
God's hand of protection was on you!
Debbie

V I N T A G E O L O G I E said...

I'm thankful you and Mom are okay ... and most thankful you both had angels watching over you ... yes, I believe!

xo
Jill

kana said...

So glad you are safe and yes that was your guardian angel!! My parents live near you and my dad passed through Lake Alfred to get to work. Hope your mom is feeling better today.

Debra@CommonGround said...

Shelley, you definitely were being taken care of. So glad you're safe!
Yes, I've had things happen that I absolutely knew there were angels taking care of us.
big hugs,
Debra

The French Bear said...

Oh my goodness...thank God you are okay, how scary! You must have been so anxious about your Mom you never noticed the direction of traffic.....so glad you are safe and sound!
Hope your Mom is okay, how terrifying for you and her!
Thinking of you and saying a prayer for your family!
Hugs,
Margaret B

Unknown said...

I know right where you are talking about! It is confusing on a good day. I'm glad you are safe and you are right about knowing limits. I always think I can do it.
Take care

loveandlilac.blogspot.com said...

Something similar happened to me years ago in Charlotte, Virginia - but then I'm English and we drive on the wrong side of the road anyway! Thank heavens your swift actions avoided anything worse than a nasty scare.

Wanda @ Just Vintage said...

Oh, my goodness! So glad your angel was with you! I totally agree. And yes, I've had many. Including being delayed by forgetting something or the phone ringing and later coming up on a wreck that had happened about the time I would have been in that spot if I'd left on time. I rarely get upset about not leaving on time any more. I could tell stories all day on Divine protection.

Anonymous said...

So glad you're ok! I had to share our funny/scary story with you. When our oldest daughter was about 6 (she's almost 19 now) our family was on vacation and we had gotten off I-95 for dinner and had gotten turned around. I was busy trying to figure out the map while my husband was driving and it was a bit of a tense moment. My 6 year old daughter, who had just discovered the love of reading said from the back seat "What does 'Wrong Way' mean?" I hushed her and said not to talk right now, then it hit me what she said. We were on the ramp going onto 95 the wrong way! My husband drove directly over the grassy median just in time for a truck to come around the turn! We still talk about the time she saved our whole family and I had hushed her. Clearly God was taking care of us that day!

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