To the Beach

I decided to meet a friend in Daytona this afternoon. We parked in the sand, I didn't want to drag everything down by myself. My friend, Angela, was scared her minivan might get stuck. The sand looked pretty packed though. Needless to say, when we left it was a different story. I went forward and felt it stick, so I went backwards until I could find a place that was safe to turnaround. I did pretty good. I was a little worried that Angela wouldn't make it. But being the good friend I am , I left anyways. I was afraid to stop once I got going.

I kept waiting to hear from her on the way home. It rang! She informed me that she got stuck and six guys had to help her out. The tide was coming in and she was starting to panic. She had to put her car halfway in the ocean to get out.

I know this feeling. Right before Angela got married, when went to her classroom late one night to pack up her room. We decided to go through the grass in a gated area, closer to her classroom. This part I am a little shady remembering. I think we went on in her classroom. When I came out. Water was everywhere. I tried to move my car. I moved about 3 inches and behind me a geyser shot out of the ground! We panicked. My Cherokee's bumper was almost underwater. It was sinking at an angle.

Angela called her good friend Sue, who lived near the school. She called AAA. They said they would be there in a hour. I told them there would be nothing left to tow in an hour, so they came pretty fast and saved the day.

I just remember how horrible I felt and how panicked I felt. I thought I was going to have to pay to fix the pipe. Everything worked out and nothing major happened.

It is amazing how our emotions get the best of us in stressful situations that we cannot control. I watched United 93 a couple of nights ago. I tried to imagine what it would be like to know that your were more than likely going to die in less than an hour. I am sure that sick feeling that I felt watching more car sink is only 0.01% of what they felt.

I wish I could have that attitude that today was my last day. Imagine all the things I would want to accomplish and make sure are done before I died. I would be a bolder witness. I would want to make sure that all my family members and friends are saved. I want those things now, I just put them off. Tomorrow is another day. Which you and I both know, is not always the case.

All the stupid things we let bother us or consume us, would seem so less trivial. The thoughts that keep us up at night and enter our head again in the morning would seem like such a waste of time.

I pray I would use my time left on earth more wisely. Consume my head with the thoughts that God would want me to. Lay my burdens on His chest and really mean it! Of coarse....easier said than done!