My Hero!

Recently, our family was on vacation in Gatlinburg, TN. If you have ever been to the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area then you know how awful the traffic can be. If you haven't, just take my word for it..it's bad! We planned to return home on a Sunday morning before church. Probably not the wisest of things to do considering how Sundays always are for us - stressful- and the additional problem with the traffic. But we stuck to the plan! We got up, packed in a whirlwind and took off. Little did we know what was in store for us.
After we got through the most heavily congested area of Pigeon Forge, the traffic began to pick up speed. All of a sudden an 18 wheeler that was in the lane beside us slammed on brakes. It's tires were squealing and smoking. Then one by one other cars began to follow suit. That's when we saw him. A little boy who was about 8 years old, and obviously handicapped by the way he was limping, came tearing across the highway. We was moving just as fast as he could with a huge smile on his face! People were slamming on their breaks and swerving to miss him but no one would stop to help him! It was terrifying to watch! My husband immediately pulled off to the side of the road, jumped out of the car, ran across the median and in front of the on coming traffic in order to catch this little man on his mission. At first the little boy tried to fight Bobby away but when he calmed down a little and looked around at all the cars flying by them, he latched on to him and would hardly let go. We discovered he was deaf and couldn't speak so we couldn't get any information from him and there was nobody looking for him. Not knowing what to do, we called the police and told them what was happening. While we waited for them to arrive, I kept replaying the scene that had just unfolded before my eyes over and over again in my mind. This little boy was running on blind ambition! He didn't see the danger...he just wanted to run...his goal was to make it across the highway! He didn't know his life was in serious danger. He didn't know he needed a savior and didn't recognize who or what he was when this savior came. I thought about how many times in my own life I have tried to do my own thing. Just wildly pursuing a dream, relationship, job. Not seeing the danger in what I was getting myself into when I placed my foot on the pavement. Oblivious to what was really happening...the speeding traffic...the tires screeching around me. Handicapped by my own will and desires! Then, out of nowhere, my Savior comes! He catches me before I get hurt or worse. There were times that I fought against Him because I didn't understand why He wouldn't let me do what I wanted especially when it was involving ministry. It wasn't until He held me tightly to Himself to end my kicking and screaming that I realized what a dangerous place I had been in. It's amazing how different things look when you are in the arms of your Savior. Jesus is my hero! He has saved my life time and time again! Even when I didn't realize I needed saving!

And Bobby...you're my hero too. Not many people would put their own life in danger to save someone else's child. The kids and I will never forget that day! Thanks for the life lesson!