Hands of God

My husband and I are on the Board of Directors of the Scotland County Highland Games that take place annually.  As soon as the games are over for one year, we gather ourselves together with the other 25 or so committee members and start over from scratch for the next year’s games. If you’ve never attended any Highland Games, you will find no better than those that happen in Scotland County, North Carolina on the first weekend of October each year. (See links below to check out our website.)

By this time in the execution of the games, we meet every two weeks until we have all bases covered.  This works well and the games always go smoothly. Each year our attendance grows. But it’s no light matter to devote yourself to be on the committee.

A year ago today, August 26, 2014, my husband was making his way to the SCHG Committee Meeting by himself. I was having a severe chronic pain episode and my husband left early to go by and grab a burger on the way to the meeting. He eased onto I-95 and began to eat his sandwich as he drove. He began to choke and tried to pull over. Before he could get all the way off the interstate, he blacked out.

It couldn’t have been more than a few seconds, because he came to and eased back onto the interstate.  It didn’t take him long to figure out that he was now going the wrong way on the north-bound lane. He pulled over again, turned around, and made it across a flat area in the grassy median to return to the south-bound lance. He took the next exit, shaking all over, and called me.

Here’s what happened: Kelly got choked on a piece of burger. It was lodged in his trachea. In just a short amount of time, he blacked out due to lack of oxygen. The car veered to the left and into the grassy median just past Exit 44. His car bounced over the grassy, but rough, terrain, probably causing the piece of sandwich to dislodge and oxygen rushed back into his lungs, bringing him into consciousness.  We thank God that neither the Kelly, nor the car, nor anyone traveling along that stretch of the interstate was harmed in any way.

God has put His angels in charge of you, to watch you wherever you go. Psalm 91:11 (NCV)

The next day, we drove along that section of the interstate, pulled well off the road, and surveyed what we saw. Here are the miracles that God showed us in harsh light of day:

• That uneven, grassy median is the only spot along that whole length of interstate that is flat and grassy. At any time before, he would have crashed into trees. If he had been further along, he would have plowed into the bridge supports at the next exit.
• Even though it looks like a smooth, grassy place to turn around or cross to the other side of the interstate, in the middle is a dip that slopes into a small V-shaped ravine. The car could have hit this and possibly flipped end over end, but the car missed it by at least two feet.
• It was 5:00pm. Usually, traffic on both sides of I-95 is a nightmare at this time of day. And folks move along at the pace of a NASCAR race. When Kelly gained conciousness, the only cars he saw were at least a half-mile away.
• We found the bite of burger that caused the choking — on the driver’s passenger side, under the seat. The last thing Kelly remembers was that he was trying to cough it up, with no success. I don’t know if it was the bumpy median that dislodged it, but I believe that it was the hand of God or one of His angels.

Every time we pass that little place in the road, we say a prayer of thanksgiving to God. The fact that Kelly’s life was spared and that no harm was done, is just another miracle God has given us.

Have you had any miracles happen in your life lately? Will you share your experience in the comments so that others may be encouraged?

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A DAY OF FAMILY FUN!

The Scotland County Highland Games is a great day of family fun, Scottish traditions, Scottish-British foods, pipe and drum competitions, and Highland dance competition. Come see world-famous Scottish athletes perform. There are games for the children as well.

Interested in the Scotland County Highland Games? Click here. Join us Saturday night for a blending of two successful Scottish Rock Bands, Seven Nations and Rathkeltair as they join forces for the “Clan Na Gael Reunion Concert!.” It’s the best $5 you’ll spend all year!  More information here.

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