My husband and I took my 95-year-old mom on a scenic walkway around a lake near her retirement home. I was pushing her wheelchair as we walked from the parking lot toward the lake. The walkway was beautifully kept with brightly colored flowers and lovely trees on either side.
The walkway started to become steep and due to the hot and humid day my hands were sweating, which loosened my grip on the handles of the wheelchair. As the ramp became even more steep I had to compensate for my hefty mother's weight by leaning way back and planting my feet with
each step. I could not hold her much longer and asked my husband to take control of the wheelchair.
He was busy chit chatting with my mom and didn't notice my plight. Finally he saw my distress and took the handles from my grip. He was still making light conversation with my mom and not noticing how close he was getting to the edge of the walkway. The front wheel went over the edge, and onto the grass and the back wheel followed after it. My husband tried to stop the forward motion of the wheelchair, but all he could do was grab the arms of the chair and pull it towards himself to soften her fall. They both fell into a two and a half feet deep ditch at the side of the walkway! There we were, my mom was upright in the wheelchair still strapped into the seat, my husband was on his side, trapped underneath her, and I was standing above the two of them bewildered to say the least. It had all happened so fast!
I said aloud, "God, what do I do with this?" I thought I would have to call 911 as I was unable to lift my mom, in the best of times. Immediately I heard "Can we help?". Two very large, fit muscle-men had arrived to the rescue! I'm sure they were angels sent from God! They lifted my mom easily, wheelchair and all up out of the ditch and onto the walkway! They asked my mom if she was ok, and asked me too, since I think my jaw had dropped to the ground. My husband climbed up out of the ditch with only a scrape and a few sore muscles.
My mom enjoyed the ensuing walk around the lake and was much more animated than usual. Instead of going back up the hill my husband brought the car around to the no parking zone and picked up my mom and me.
Back at the retirement home, my mom spoke with her friend and said, "You know nothing exciting ever happens around here, but today was reeeee-ally exciting!" and she continued to exclaim her story.
I realize that God is always watching our backs and helping us out. Even when we don't know it, He is working on our behalf. Glory to God, Amen!