a miracle in the mud

Basketball season is two thirds of the way through. Simultaneously, this Mama is two thirds of the way depressed. This happens to me each year. I struggle with being exhausted from managing a lot on my own {add Lauren this year}. I struggle to have a good attitude towards basketball in general, towards Mike, towards me, towards everything. I pray a lot. Please Lord, give me strength and wisdom to not have a pity party, thank you for Mike's good job. Thank you for his amazing gift in coaching and mentoring young lives, thank you for my precious children and my ability to physically and emotionally care for them. Please help me to have a good attitude. Amen. and repeat.

This time of year I have bad thoughts swirling through my head. This time of year I feel overwhelmed and sad that Mike is missing bedtime prayers. This time of year I feel pride and joy swelling up inside when he leads them to a double overtime win. This time of year I love having the team over for a pizza and movies to get to know them better and hear about high school drama. This time of year I love sitting by my basketball family and watch their joy as they help me wrangle my littles through the 3rd quarter. This time of year I am tired.

Last night I experienced a miracle straight from above. No joke, no sarcasm. I am completely serious.

Sunday was a typical day. We went back to Freewill church and were welcomed back with hugs and kisses for our babies. Mike had practice all afternoon, plus film stats after that. I had recently received a message from my neighbor she was selling Scentsy. I called her house and invited her over to place an order. I've lived in my house 2.5 years and have never called the McDaris' home. She came over and stayed a little while. The kids totally flipped out, whining and crying almost the whole time. Nice visit.

Yesterday was a typical day, I was late to work because I didn't sleep well Sunday night. Beau was in our bed the 1st half of the night (unusual) and I was in Lauren's room the other half of the night. Sinus infections = no sleep for my uncomfortable babies. I went to Joy's house on my lunch break, fed Lauren and then ran to Walmart and did my week's shopping in 30mins. Monday night is ballgame night. I picked up the littles and headed home to drop off the groceries. Ding! There's my gas light going off. I didn't even take them out of the car, just threw stuff on the counter, in the fridge and left. We were already late. I got to the bottom of my road, which is a really steep valley, the Gasconade river, and realized I forgot a really important piece of baby gear essential for ballgame survival. This is our new bridge. The sides of the road are newly sowed with grass seed and slightly steep. I did a quick u-turn in the road, but in my haste (stupidity) my wheels fell off the edge and my trailblazer slid sideways down into the mud. I didn't panic right away. Mike has been wonderful to help me learn the logistics of my 4-wheel drive. I was confident in my ability to get out of the mud.

I was not able to get out of the mud. I started praying as I was switching gears and desperately trying to reverse and then forward and then turn the wheels, 4HI,4LOW, anything, "Sweet Jesus please help me get out of this mud." Beau began to get worried. Lauren started bawling. Beau said, "Mama, where's Jesus?" I said, "Beau He's listening to our prayers. Pray to Jesus that we can get out of this mud." My two year old began to pray "Jesus please help Mama get out of the mud. Please Jesus help us!" and he prayed this over and over again. "Mama, when is Jesus coming to help?" "I'm not sure Beau, but He will." As I mentioned before, my gas light was on. 4 wheel drive sucks gas. As I mentioned before, I was in a steep valley, with zero cell phone service. None of my calls were going through. My truck was up to the front bumper in mud. Two cars past and did not stop. It is a 2.5 mile walk up and down steep hills to my home and it was cold. At that point I was so frightened.

Suddenly I remembered the McDaris' phone number from Sunday evening. I got out of the truck, slid in my tennis shoes up the hill to the road. I looked at my phone and said, "please Lord." I called the number and Scott answered the phone. I quickly briefed him on the situation and he was down by the river with a chain in a matter of minutes. That man laid in the mud to hook the chain and pulled me out with his truck. When he came to the truck Beau said, "Mommy! It's Jesus! He came to help us get out of the mud!" I cried and said, "Beau that's Scott and Jesus sent him to help us because He heard your prayers." and then the two year old said, "Thank you Jesus!"

On a typical day I should not have been able to call Scott. There is no cell phone service at the river. I should not have had their phone number and remembered it to boot. Scott should not have been home because his family usually attends the ballgame. I should have run out of gas. I could have rolled my truck sliding down the river bank.

So as I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes thinking about how I've felt stuck in the mud this basketball season; how the Lord answered my prayers when I was literally stuck in the mud... well, to say I am thankful is an understatement. I am thankful that He cares when I am stuck in the mud.