So today my husband Brandon and I were driving home on some beautiful small country roads after spending time with good friends. We were chatting and looking at the beautiful sunny sky and snow-covered trees and admiring their beauty. We started to get pretty warm, so in the interest of safety we pulled over to the side of the road so that we could take our coats off without interfering with our driving. We got our jackets off and went to get back on the road when we realized that the snow was actually quite deep on my side of the car and we were stuck (the way it was plowed made it look like it was maybe an inch deep, but it was several inches deep.) Brandon got out to push – and there was no way we were getting out of that ditch. It was bad.
We were on a small country road.
We were stuck.
So as Brandon is walking back to the car, I notice that the little green Neon with out-of-state plates that just passed us on the road is driving back towards us in reverse to help. Brandon was pretty sure there was no way that even the two of them could push us out and that we’d still need a tow truck. But it was worth a try.
Well, they tried and no amount of pushing got us out of the ditch. BUT – they guy had towing cables in his trunk under all the suitcases and stuff in there. No kidding. And he got down on the cold and snowy ground and went WAY under our car in order to find a place that he could hook them up, and he hooked us up to his little Neon and pulled us out of the snow. His small daughter slept through the entire thing in the backseat of his car, and his young son kept peeking out the back window to see what his dad was doing. We were out of the ditch, and the man and his children were gone in moments. We didn’t even get his first name – just some well-needed help from a stranger in a Neon.
I have not been able to stop thinking about that whole experience since it happened. I’ve taken several things from it. First, that God is watching over us and is with us even in the little stuff. We were on a very small country road with very little traffic, and the chances of finding help (and someone who was willing to help) was minimal. I’m entirely amused that it came from someone in a little ol’ Neon. But through it all I was thanking God and asking him to bless the man who went out of his way to help some complete strangers. It wasn’t necessary for God to do so, but he provided even in this small situation and it was a well-needed reminder of his love and care for us.
Second, it made me renew my desire to be like that man. With a family with three kids ages four and under, a full-time office job and a photography business, I rarely have a time when I’m not multitasking or doing something that “has to get done”. It made me want to make sure that I take the time to look outside myself and help others in their times of need. I’ve always feel the desire to serve others and get great joy from serving, but when I’m busy I tend to focus only on me and need those reminders to look outwardly as well. Life is so much bigger than the things that keep me occupied.
So to the man in the Neon, I thank you for your help, but I thank you for being the type of person who would help entire strangers when you could have blown right past without a second thought. You’ve inspired me and renewed my hope in people, and I know that God will bless you for it.
by Jamie M Swanson
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