Sight seeing was one of the favorite pastimes I enjoyed with my children in their younger days. During the hot summer holidays, the days usually started early with vacation bible school during early summer and then swimming lessons, tennis lessons and later tournaments and then, the left over time, was spent going sightseeing. We would pile in the car and take off, not having any particular destination in mind, but the county parks with playgrounds, the area lakes, or long drives through open land as far as the eye could see to nowhere, until we got tired and turned around to go home. We packed snacks and lunch and good music for the tape player or car radio, and games, and books, for the trip. Upon arriving home later, all would settle down and rest after a good day, put to good use. There was never a dull moment in those days.
One day, after a visit to the pediatrician for the two year old baby, we decided to go sight seeing in the Venetian gardens, a beautiful park by the Harris chain of Lakes in Leesburg. The garden is right behind the building where the doctor had his office at the time. The appointment was brief and we drove the car from the parking lot to the parking area by the park. We took drinks and left everything else in the car since we were just going to look around the park and then come back and go to the YMCA for swimming. That morning was not hot yet as a typical summer morning would be. It was very nice, comfortable and a little breezy when we took off on the grassy path along the banks of a small body of water which looked man-made. We walked, taking in the sights, the flowers, the birds , ducks gliding on the water, the other birds fishing in the water with their long pointed beaks. We just followed the clearing until we came to a view of the lake, Lake Harris and I am not sure which one, there is little Lake Harris and Lake Harris. I did not want to get too close to the lake, since I was afraid of water and alligators. We stopped at that point taking in the views and at that point the summer sun had started beating down on the previously comfortable morning.
“Time to go back and get to the YMCA” I announced. The summer rains came almost every afternoon and the pools closed. We turned around to go back to the park, but to my utter dismay, all we saw was water, the lake and no way out. We must have made turns while coming up the grassy path and could not find our way back. My first reaction was panic, but I decided to remain calm. Panicking would scare the children and we would have had a mess on our hands. There were no cell phones in those days and no way of contacting anybody or calling for help. My heart was pounding and I remained calm. I had left the baby's stroller in the car and the weight of the two year old was beginning to get to me. I had to pick him up when he got tired of walking and had put his hands up to be carried. No wrapper to carry him on my back either.
Looking around one more time for a way out, because there had to be a way out, we saw land, the park, but the only way to get to it was a rickety old bridge which looked more like a rope bridge suspended over the water. I felt a sinking feeling, fear, panic, desperation, all combined. That bridge was the only way out and I could not imagine myself going over that bridge with a baby in my arms and five other little ones in front or behind me. I was alarmed and the children picked it up from the look on my face. They looked afraid too.
I had to make the decision to relax and abolish all panic and fear and cross that bridge back to the park and to life. I said a prayer. The children waited patiently. I announced to them that we must cross the bridge to get back to the park and that we had no other choice than to cross that bridge, and we must not be afraid since there was nothing to be afraid of. Deep down, I was numb with fear, but had no choice at the time. Fear was not going to help me in that situation. I prayed out loud and asked God to take control.
We crossed that bridge and there was total silence as we walked on that rickety bridge and it seemed to have taken for ever to cross it, shaking and almost swinging, but we crossed it and as I got off the bridge, I turned around to look and I fell on the grass on my knees thanking God for bringing us back across that shaky bridge with the lake under it and all that could have gone wrong. The children told me later how scared they were but had to follow when they noticed that I was not afraid. If they only knew how afraid I was initially until I put our situation in God's able hands.
That incident is one of our favorite memories of the good old days. All that could have gone wrong are what we talk about when we discuss that day. We crossed back to the park, to the car and to the YMCA, swimming, and other fun activities. The bridge was behind us and life went on.
In life we as humans, get to rough, tight places and where there seem to be no way out of such situations. God in His infinite wisdom and mercy, always provides a bridge to get His children out and unto the abundant life He planned for them, even before they were born.
Who is like Him? Nobody. Enjoy this piece below and have a blessed day.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0Zc_VWJJoI