Furloughs are for walking...

 

Furloughs are for walking!  I need to walk for my physical and mental health.  I try to walk wherever I am so I made it around a section while we were in Illinois and snapped this shot of the fields ready for planting.  Physically it helps me because I have always struggled with my weight but it also helps me mentally as I think and pray through things.  I try not to listen to anything like music or podcasts so I can commit more time to prayer when I think of a situation or name God brings to my mind.

This furlough also involved the wedding of our last child (3rd in line of 4) to walk the aisle.  Ben and Faith asked me to officiate and I was pleased to do so.  It was a small family wedding with a simple reception that fit Ben and Faith to a tee.  We are so happy for them!

We used this family gathering to also be our 2 year family reunion.  We found some cabins that fit the bill for each family and also a common meeting area for meals.  We went to a children's museum; hiking; fishing a couple of times; and also a couple kickball games (kids versus the adults).  We were so thankful to bring along Stephanie's parents so they could see what God has blessed us with.  Going on 93 and 94 this year they were real troopers.  What a refresher to us and hopefully to the rest of the family to be with each other for an extended period of time.

The next bit I have no pictures to show.  About 2 1/2 hours from home on southbound I-75 going the speed limit I watched a Subaru SUV go from the left lane across 3 lanes straight into the guardrail and then hit a light pole and flip over on its top in the ditch.  I swerved to the shoulder, hit the hazards and Stephanie and I were the first on the scene.  I couldn't help but think of 16 years ago when Stephanie and the younger boys were in a head on collision (totally not Stephanie's fault) and someone was the first on their scene.  

No responses from the car but flames started shooting up from the engine.  The doors were pinned from the sides of the dig but the driver's side was unlocked and could be forced open a little more than an inch.  A response came from the inside, the driver was alive!  A run back to the car to get a water jug that I used to bail water from the ditch to put out the fire.  Another lady arrived on the scene and had called 911, actually she had been watching the driver for awhile weaving on the road and had called in previously too.  Stephanie communicated with the driver to find out her name, where she was from and if there were any others in the car.  She was alone and her back and legs hurt as she was now laying on the inside roof of the car.  

Stephanie prayed with the driver while I doused the flames from the engine.  The back window was blown out so I was able to pull out the back security cover and get a view of the driver.  This was a help when the first policeman arrived and climbed into the car to get more information.  By this time others had arrived and were asking questions and thinking about pulling her out so I had to convince them to let her be until the authorities with equipment came to cut her out.  

The police arrived within 10 minutes and then the paramedics and Stephanie did what she is so good at.  She turned into nurse Stephanie and gave all the vital details to the police officer and paramedic.  It was our time to step away and let others take over.  

I can tell you that tears flowed from my eyes as Stephanie prayed out loud for Diane through the ajar door.  3 of us were responding on the scene while there were probably countless calling 911 who were going by.  A few truckers pulled over and hit their hazards to direct traffic over to the other two lanes.  Stephanie and I didn't think of our phones just the person inside.  It made me think of this video.  (A warning:  a couple sayings of the Lord's name probably not appropriately here.)

Watch the young man in the tan pants and black top.  He is not filming.  He puts his hands to his head, a sign of distress.  He comes back into the picture and he jumps on the ride to counterweight it before anyone else does.  I tell churches, "There is your next pastor.  He is not filming it.  He is distressed enough to act before anyone else does.  He is giving an example of what others should do.  This is the one we are looking for.  We are definitely not looking for the young man in the green hoodie that has 'coach' on the back of his hoodie and then walks away."  

Lastly, pray with me about Diane, the driver of the flipped car.  We think she fell asleep at the wheel.  Pray for us as we head to Wisconsin the first weekend of June for a candidate weekend.  Be those who respond.

Adam