Rescued by Hands of Grace

I sat in my little child size lawn chair in the metal flat-bottom boat playing with paper dolls while my parents fished. In childlike, wide-eyed wonder, I surveyed the surrounding scene and absorbed the sights and smells of the warm Texas summer day.

Unexpectedly, a slight gust of wind swooped one of the paper dolls over the edge of the boat and into the water.  It fluttered in the breeze then landed just over the edge of the boat into the water. I slipped my little arm over to retrieve it, but it was out of my reach. I stretched just a little farther…

Too far!

The sound of the splash of my body tumbling headfirst was followed by the almost instantaneous sound of my dad diving in after me. The water was green, dark, and murky as are many man-made lakes in Texas. I remember the rays of the sun being darkened by bubbles floating past my eyes as I sank deeper into the dark water.

My dad remembers he lost sight of me almost immediately in the murky lake. He dove in and swam down, trying to discern an outline of my body. I was doing my best to get back to the surface. I dog paddled with all my might to get back to the surface, but I was hindered by one thing: I was swimming the wrong direction! Each little paddle took me farther away from the loving hands that reached for me.

Miraculously, my dad eventually felt my hand and could grab me. He swam quickly to the surface and tossed me upward into the boat into my loving mother’s arms.

I’ve known my entire life that I was spared that day.  What could have been a tragic end to the short book of my life, ended instead rescued by loving arms. I’ve often thought of that day as my personal daily reminder of God’s Grace.

It’s been the guiding light that has taught me there are days that you define, and there are days that define you.

Grace also reminds me to make every day count.

As I reflect this morning, I am reminded of another pair of rescuing hands in my life…

The hands of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I’m so thankful his hands of rescue aren’t a one-time thing. I reach for him daily to help me. When I’m down about family dynamics if I’m confused about a writing project, or when I want to sit in mindful gratitude..He’s there with me.

I invite you sweet one, don’t do life alone.