Divine Intervention

Do you ever have those mornings where you wake up with a strange, uneasy feeling about the day? That happened to me yesterday.

The whole day started off on the wrong foot. First, it was freezing in the middle of Spring. The stores were out of hot chocolate, and nothing seemed to be going smoothly.

Then right as I got onto the Highland Park Bridge, a truck in front of me, carrying an oversized load, failed to negotiate the turn and got wedged between the retaining walls. It blocked off the entire Southbound part of Rt. 8, and I was left sitting in the middle of a bridge over the Allegheny for almost an hour.

So by the time I got to campus, I was really late and very frustrated. I dropped off the supplies for our hot chocolate table, accidentally backing into another vehicle on my way out, and had to go all the way to the top of Forbes before I found a parking place.

It was 11:35 by the time I started walking back down Forbes towards campus. My mind was preoccupied, and I was not as attentive as usual to my surroundings.

All of a sudden, this guy with long stringy hair stepped on the sidewalk in front of me, blocking my way. He and another guy were carrying a huge dresser.

"We're having a garage sale," he stated. Which I found really odd on a Wednesday in 31 degree weather.

I had to stop, because they were blocking the entire walkway, and my only other option was to go out into the busy street.

"Hey, get on that exercise machine," the guy suggested, pointing to an E-Z rider that was sitting on the curb next to their cargo van.

"No, thanks." I said uneasily.

"I said, 'try out our exercise machine!'" he demanded more aggressively.

I was starting to feel uncomfortable. Just then I noticed two additional guys, who also looked a little sketchy. They had stopped carrying furniture and were leering in my direction as well. All four of them were watching me.

The blonde-headed dude hopped on the machine, demonstrating how it worked. "See? It's simple. Now you try it." They were all laughing at this point, and I was really getting uneasy.

I saw a clearing in the traffic, and darted into the street and around the group of guys, not looking back as I ran the last block to campus.

I tried to brush off my discomfort, rationalizing that they must have been at that house legitimately. But the more I thought about the situation, the odder it seemed. And then when I told Jarrod and Anna what happened, their faces reflected alarm and concern.

"That's just creepy," Anna said.

When I got home that afternoon, I had an email from my friend Dorcas, who lives in Texas. It said,

"I had this awful feeling this morning that something sad was happening today. I am not one for premonitions and such. Nevertheless, I stopped and prayed for everyone. Including you!My thoughts are with you. If you are having a bad day, may this e-mail cheer you. And if your day is going fine, I am so glad."

I wrote Dorcas back and asked what time she had that awful feeling. She told me 10:30 Central time, which would have been about five minutes before I headed down Forbes and into that situation!!!!!!

I don't think that was a coincidence. I am so thankful for friends who listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and who are faithful to pray.

I am also thankful for a Heavenly Father who watches over us. Praise be to God!!!!