an unexpected blessing

For the last several years I have kicked off the month of August by attending the Methodist Family Health Big Dam Bridge Walk for Children and Families with the UMY group. It is always extremely hot on the day of the walk. There were some differences in this year's walk but not in the temperature - it was HOT. In years past, we have had quite a few people in our group. And it has usually been hared for me to huff and puff my way up the the bridge. This year it was just me and a few of the youth kids. And I was able to stay at the front of the pack - even passed a lot of people because they were walking too slow! That was new for me.

When the walk was done, we went to get some supper and then headed to the lock-in at Wild River Country. After that hot afternoon, the kids are always ready to hit the water slides. Because I was the only adult, I grabbed a lounge chair and got my book out. But it was just soooo hot, even at 10:00 p.m. In hopes of cooling down just a bit, I left my perch and headed for the lazy river. As I was coming around to the exit, I noticed a women floating and walking along beside a boy in a tube. She was talking to him. The boy, in a life jacket and awkwardly laying in the tube, was obviously enjoying the ride.  When we got near the exit, another lady was waiting with a wheelchair. I thought it was neat that he was able to float in lazy river and enjoy the lock-in. And then I went back to my book and lounge chair. Soon I noticed that the ladies pushed the boy in his wheelchair back to their loungers which were just in front of me.

I didn't want to stare. I tried to return to my book. But my attention was drawn toward the boy and his caretaker? mom? youth leader? I'm really not sure. When they got back to their seats, one of the ladies covered a lounge chair in towels; I thought it might be his mother. But then the other lady lifted him out of his chair and place him on the lounger. The first lady then left. The lifter lady went on to cover the boy with a towel. Then she carefully dried him and without moving the towel managed to change his clothes. Now, I'm telling you I tried not to stare, but I was drawn to the action in front of me. It was obvious that the lady and the boy had a good relationship. Soon she lifted him again and placed him back in the wheelchair. And I wondered how many times she had lifted that boy. How many more times she would have to lift him. How many more years she would be able to lift him. And I was taken aback for just a moment. And I prayed for the boy, for the lady, for my boys, for the kids I brought with me, for the kids splashing in the water around me. And I thanked God for his many blessings.

How many times do we, in our rush and hurry, not notice God's presence in our daily lives? If I had brought more kids, if another adult had been with me, I might not have noticed the boy and his lady. I might not have seen God's angels in front of me. I might not have taken the opportunity to pray for the many people surrounding me.