I don’t think I was supposed to live long. For some strange reason, I never truly believed I would. I remember reaching age 30 and thinking, “Wow! I can’t believe I made it passed age 16.”
Several reasons for my thinking:
1) My father told me about a time when I nearly drown, but he or someone (maybe him, not sure) saved me. I don’t really remember this incidence at all. This was the first of two or three such happenings!
2) I do remember as a child playing at the water’s edge with a new found friend. We were jumping over waves, (though, I believe we were at a lake) holding each other’s hand. We kept getting a little deeper and a little deeper. I never sensed any danger. The next thing I knew, I woke up on the shoulders of a very tall man–seemed almost overwhelming. (At least at that age he seemed so.) I never saw his face, but he gave me back to my thankful dad.
3) I was walking down the street at age 7-8, I think, when a car suddenly stopped in the middle of the road in front of me. He asked me for directions and I told him best I could. He said he couldn’t hear me very well and would I come closer. Now, back then you didn’t hear even whispers of child molesters. Though, I’m sure they existed–always have. An inner voice told me to run and believe me, I did! I’ll always believe that man meant me harm–no doubt about it!
4) Well, I guess I have to tell you first that growing up I was a major tomboy! So, when I tell you I was on top of the roof of the house next door, you’ll believe me. What I was doing up there only the Lord knows. I think a storm had knocked over a tree next to our house and so, since it was there, I just hopped up and climbed up onto our neighbor’s roof!
I remember somehow losing my footing and falling backward–hitting the ground hard! I lay there for what seemed forever with no breath whatsoever. At first I felt only frantic panic, then peace. I lay there wondering when the angels would come and get me. I think I called out to God since it was useless trying to call out to anyone else. Any bodily movement or function was physically suspended–I was completely paralyzed! Miraculously, my breath returned, and I was able to run off and play.
5) At age 13, my dad had taken a bunch of us kids to a local swimming pond. One of my friends was a rather large girl. I could swim by this time so I was pretty confident. My friend got into trouble not too far away from me. I reached out to help her and the next thing I know she was on my back pushing me down beneath her. I guess it’s true what they say about your life passing before your eyes because that indeed happened to me. Nothing major to speak of, but I did relive the events surrounding President Kennedy’s assassination. Then, nothing.
I think I may have started to panic, but then the fear actually left me. I resigned myself to the fact that I was going to die. I looked up and saw light swirling through the water–almost tunnel-like. I heard a voice speak to me and say, “Go all the way down to the bottom of the hole (I didn’t know there was a hole!) and then make a strong push upward.” (Looking back this voice somehow calmed me, like “Fear not”!)
I did exactly as the voice told me and in the pushing my friend was physically knocked off my shoulders and thrusted forward back into safer waters. I was able to swim to safety.
I think what stuck me most about this even was that I really didn’t have anything to show for my life. That was more upsetting than the potential drowning.
There have been plenty of “near misses” since then. All I can say is that God and His holy angels were and are watching over me. Can’t wait until I reach “home” to find out how many times God intervened in my behalf! To Him be the glory forever!
