NEVER Forget to say THANKS!

Last night as I got into the little Mazda 3 they've given me to drive (while my poor Sebring gets a makeover after being rear-ended last week) I knew the next hour of my life would be interesting. Snowflakes fell softly from the sky, gently coating the earth below.

Sounds nice, right?

It wasn't.

The minute I got onto the freeway in Salt Lake, heading toward I-80 to head up Parley's, the snow started to fall faster. And there was more. And then more. Because I was unsure how this Mazda would do in the snow, and because I'm already a HUGE baby when it comes to driving in this weather, I said the most heartfelt prayer I could say with my knuckles turning white on the steering wheel and my eyes wide open.

As I made my way up the first hill of Parley's, I knew I was in for a rough ride. All I could see in front of me was snow flurries - bouncing off the headlights and across the windshield. I couldn't see if there were cars in front of me. I couldn't see if I was on the road. For all I knew, I was driving through a field or down a ski slope. I was SCARED.

I finally figured out that if I turn off my headlights and keep my running lights on, I could actually decipher where I was and whether or not i was on the road. As I headed up the next hill, I switched off my lights and attached my eyes to the back end of a semi truck. Did I care that people wondered what I was doing? No. Because they couldn't see me anyway, right? But I could SEE! The scariest part of all was coming down the hill toward Park City/Kimball Junction. On a normal day, without snow, I can end up going close to 90 mph before I realize how fast I am flying down that hill. Last night, however, I was barely going over 40, and it felt like I was cruising. There was one point where I was sure I was going over the side of the road - my wheels were slipping, I was absolutely out of control. But then, miraculously, I found my bearings and got back into the lane. Right then and there I thanked God for rumble strips - otherwise I would have ended up in the median FOR SURE.

When the time came that I could finally let go of the steering wheel, my arms started to shake. No, convulse, rather. I had been holding on to the wheel so tightly, that all my muscles had contracted. All the blood had drained from my hands. And it was the weirdest feeling in the world. I made it home, and as I pulled into my garage, I couldn't help but think about how out of control we really are in life. Things will happen. We will go through crappy situations - car wrecks and job losses and losing loved ones and being totally poor - but it's how we handle those situations that make us who we are. Could I have been in a horrible accident last night? Absolutely. But I wasn't. And that's when we turn to give thanks for the GREAT things that happen in life.

It's trivial, sure. Who contemplates life over a snowy drive home? Well I sure did. And as I made my way from the garage to my home, I looked up into the sky and poured out thankfulness and gratitude to the only one that had things in control.

May we always remember to say thanks - because it's prayer that makes you humble,
but it's gratitude that makes you whole.