The River

I can’t believe it has been three months since I took the time to sit and think about what I was going to blog about.  We have had such a busy summer, we have been camping, hiking, kayaking, VBS, revival and just being plain lazy. We have enjoyed our time together as a family and are thankful we have all made it safely thru the summer.  I was talking to a friend last night who was involved in a really bad car accident a few years ago and while he was telling me about the accident and all that he had been thru, I kept thinking oh my goodness you poor thing.  He then told me even though it sounds really bad it could have been worse and I thank God that I am alive and able to walk around today.  That got me thinking about my little accident that I had over the summer while kayaking with Jason and Jeremy on the New River.

 

It started out as a normal trip on the New River, the mountains have had a lot of rain this year, and the river was up.  We got about half way through our trip when we came upon a low water bridge.  Normally we have to lie down in our boats and just float right underneath the bridge, but not this time.  It had rained so much there was very little of the bridge above water; most of the bridge was either under water or just level with the water.  Jason went first, thinking he could just skim right over the top, and he got stuck.  I was in the middle and Jeremy was bringing up the rear.  When I saw Jason was stuck on the bridge, I started to back paddle to allow myself to come in at a different angle so I would not plow into my husband.  While I was back paddling I got caught in the current and it pushed me into the bridge and some debris.  Jason at this point was walking on the bridge and came over to help me push the kayak away from the bridge, but then my boat got tipped and started taking on water and then I flipped.  Now I have flipped my boat before, this was not the first time I have been dumped in the river, but never before have I been caught underneath my boat before.  I was scared and kicking and clawing for my life, the next thing I knew I was under the bridge.  I grabbed for the bridge and was trying to pull myself up for air, but I was panicking and I kept hitting my head on the underside of the bridge.  I kept thinking I am going to drown, but God.  As I have said in the past I love this phrase, but GOD.  At what I thought was the end, I felt a sense of peace as I remember all of my white water rapid training from the past.  If you have ever been white water rafting the one important thing they tell you is this … If you fall out of your boat, don’t try to swim back to the boat or stand up, and just allow your body to be carried with the current.  At that moment I relaxed and allowed the current to carry me out from under the bridge.  As I surfaced Jason jumped in and grabbed me, I have never been so thankful to take a breath of air, to feel the air fill my lungs and be able to breathe was such a blessing. 

 

Now just like my friend Andrew, it sounds bad, but it could have been worse.  God could have allowed me to drown and take me home, He could have said Constance I don’t need you down there anymore, your journey is over you have run your race and it’s time to come home.  But GOD has other plans for me.  I don’t know what those plans are, but I have not finished my journey.  There is still a great work that God needs to have accomplished.  As the bible says in Hebrew 9:27 ~ And as it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment.  I am so thankful that God had not set my appointed time to be July 16,  2013, not that I am not looking forward to spending eternity with my Savior, but I am human and this old flesh is selfish and I would like to be around a little longer for my husband and children.  As I said before, God spared me for a reason and I don’t know what that reason is and I may never know.  There still might be that one that God will reach through me.  I may never talk with this person or it could be someone that I am close to.  Whatever the reason, I pray that I will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and when He speaks I pray that I will listen and be obedient.   I am so thankful to be one of His children and that He spared me and has allowed me to continue on my journey.