A post popped up on my feed this morning, sort like a time hop or whatever, from 3 years ago. And it read:
A few thoughts on my mind. Simple, but heavy on my heart...
- Mommies and Daddies, hug your babies and keep them close.
- Divine Intervention is a REAL thing.
- GOD is good. HE is in control and always knowing.
I remember this day like it was yesterday, and I remember it often.
It was just a normal, everyday kind of day. The fam (minus one back then) and I were taking a leisurely drive through some neighborhoods in town, talking and enjoying the day. It was sunny and bright. We took an off-road that we don't ever typically take. But when we stopped at the stop sign and the hubs asked 'left or right', for some reason I answered, 'left'.
A few minutes later, we were coming up to the ending edge of the neighborhood and closing in on the exit to the highway that runs through the center of our town.
And up ahead, about 100 yards or so, there he was...
A little boy, close in age to what my Little is now, standing in the middle of the road, looking as if he was contemplating crossing the remainder of the road and then the highway. He wasn't wearing any shoes, and he was alone.
The hubs eased the car to a stop and I slowly got out, not wanting to scare the little guy into running, as littles sometimes do. He was calm, he wasn't upset, just there.
I casually walked up to him, knelt down and asked if he knew where his mom and dad were. He didn't answer. Like I said, he was a little guy. I asked him if he knew where home was, and he turned around and looked into the neighborhood.
So, I looked at my fam in the car and nodded toward the neighborhood entrance and asked the child if he could walk with me to his house (but since he was barefooted, I asked if I could carry him...he reached up to me with open arms).
We walked a good distance, about another 100 yards away, before we reached a house.There was a car in the drive, so I decided to knock.
A man answered the door, totally oblivious to what was actually going on. He didn't say anything when he answered the door, just looked at the little boy confused. Then, he said, 'hey buddy, what are you doing outside?'
I said, 'Sir, my family and I found him walking down the road by himself. He seems to be fine. But he almost made it to the highway...'
The man didn't say much, not really even a 'thank you'. He just took the little boy, sat him inside the door, and waved a simple goodbye as he talked to the boy, asking how he got out of the house, then shut the door.
Had this happened before? What if something like this happened again? Would someone be there at just the right place, at just the right time to save this precious boy from danger?
I prayed for that child, that God would keep him safe. But I didn't feel any closure. The dad hadn't seemed fazed by the whole thing, and I couldn't imagine not feeling that as a parent. We all react to things differently. But still, my heart was heavy.
We were asked to join our nephew at his church for a special presentation he was a part of that Sunday. As we were leaving church, God answered my heavy heart with a little sign of relief. The boy and his father were walking out to their car...parked right next to ours.
Later, I asked our nephew's gf (who often worked the nursery at that church) about the child, about his family. She said that it was not uncommon for them to be absent - in fact, it had been months since she'd seen them at all.
When I told her what had happened, she nodded in sudden understanding...she said, she felt a presence with the boy there and that she noticed something different about the mom and dad - the way they held onto him, the way they carried him a little closer.
A few weeks later, they moved to another state for a job relocation. I still think about that family, wonder how they're doing, wonder how the boy is doing.
God had a hand in that event, I'm sure. My family and I were placed on that road for a reason. I am so thankful for divine intervention, and if look closely, it's happening all around us.
I know we often question, why? But just because we don't know all the answers, doesn't mean the same for Him...God knows the need. God is good. All the time.
