Crazy Sista Trip

Posted May 6, 2018

By Carol and Larry Smith

Note From Larry: There is never a time when God is not working in our lives to lead us, to direct us, to protect us and even just to fellowship with us. But very often, maybe even most of the time, we don’t live from moment to moment with our consciousness fixed on Him. The cool thing is that when we seek him, He will allow us to find Him. This is something that I’m working on in my own life, and when I read Carol’s new blog, I was excited and happy because of the way she includes God in every aspect of life. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as i did!

Crazy Sista Trip

Just had to stop for a few minutes and write down our God trip to Gulf Shores with my sisters.

Once a year, my sisters and I go down to the beach together for a week to spend some quality time together. It gives us a chance to get caught up, spend quality time together and just have fun. We are thankful to have the opportunity to do this.

On this particular trip, we were extremely blessed with God’s presence and help. If I don’t document a few of the amazing moments we had, I am afraid they will be forgotten, and then God might not receive the glory for each miracle we encountered.  I still am not sure if I believe it!  However, my sisters and I can and will testify to God’s goodness for the rest of our days.

First off, on the ride down, we saw an RV completely consumed in fire!  To the best of my recollection I would say it was somewhere between Birmingham and Montgomery.  The RV was on the side of the road on interstate 65 northbound.  We were traveling south of course, but as we drove by I could feel the heat from the flames!  Praise God it looked like everyone was out and no one was injured.

Then after we got off the interstate, we had about an hour drive through small towns in some major rain.  It was so hard at times I had trouble seeing.  As we came into Foley the rain stopped, and it hit me that I needed to stop at a Dollar General and pick up coffee & filters, so we would be stocked up when we arrived at the condo.  After stopping there for no more than ten minutes and then hitting a gas station and topping off the tank, we continued into town.  My sister Diane was watching the clouds. She looked to the left and saw a black wall cloud and said: “I know what that is! It’s a tornado forming.” We could actually see the rotation!!

We began seeing all kinds of debris on Highway 59.  The traffic lights were out, and I had to start swerving to miss the street lights that had been ripped up out of the ground and thrown in the streets!  At this point we realized the tornado was not forming, it had just hit and actually ran straight across our path!!!  If we had not stopped for coffee and gas we would have been in the midst of its devastation.  What a good God we have!

Finally, we arrived at Island Winds East our modest condo. All of us girls had scrapped together the money to have five precious nights together.  It was obvious they were in the middle of construction on the West building. The sight wasn’t pretty but we thought we could deal with it. After all, we were on the beach!

 

 

 

But the next morning reality set in.  I was the first one up, and after the coffee was brewed, I settled-in on our small balcony to enjoy the view of our little piece of ocean.  All of a sudden I started noticing that it looked like it was snowing. And it was getting in my coffee! I looked down and the pool was halfway covered.  And there was the loud sound of the equipment from some men who were sanding the building across the way. It sure wasn’t soothing!  Upon further inspection of the white stuff that was falling, I realized that it was not snow but little pieces of Styrofoam!!  They were blowing all over the place, and I was not happy.

Diane came out about this time and we discussed how this would mess up any chance of Sue being able to sit out on the balcony and enjoy the view.  She has very weak lungs and any irritation at all would cause infection.  She is in a wheelchair and can’t go down on the beach, so the balcony is her one pleasure.  After going down stairs and outside to see if it was any better I became even more discouraged.  I made up my mind to go and talk with the front desk, and prayed they would have some type of solution for us.  Diane being the good sister tagged along with me.

In the office, we talked to Carolyn and Donna.  At first it seemed like they were going to blow it off.  But they did send someone right away to skim the pool and ask if they could contain the Styrofoam (snow) in a better way.  I was about to give up when Diane asked: “Is there anywhere else you could move us to?”  Carolyn took a look at her laptop and asked: “Would Orange Beach be ok?”  We asked if it was beachfront. She said: “Yes, and it will be an upgrade.” Then she started rattling off the amenities they had at the Phoenix V.  I didn’t really pay attention. I was just so happy that they were willing to move us somewhere else away from the noise and Styrofoam where we could enjoy our stay.

Thankfully, I was the only one that had unpacked completely and Diane packed me back up lightening quick!  Between her and Patsy they had us loaded back up and ready to move in an hour!!  When we arrived at our new temporary home, I know we looked like the Beverly Hillbillies the first time they saw their mansion!  We couldn’t believe that God was so good to bless us with a place that not only had an indoor pool, but also had a Jacuzzi, fitness room, waterpark for kids and a huge balcony!!! Also, this was a $300 a night condo, compared to our $180 at no extra charge!!!  Did I mention God is so good?

We settled in to our piece of heaven on earth and enjoyed every second of it, praising God for his blessings.  One thing we did each day was a group prayer telling God we would give Him praise, honor & glory for everything that happened on our trip.  But we had no idea just how much God was still gonna show up and show out.

One of our rituals when we go to the beach is going to Wal-Mart several times.  It is one place Sue enjoys because they have the electric wheelchairs and she can shop to her heart’s content. And this is just what we did one night after we had been to LuLu’s for a wonderful meal.

It was already 10 pm, and our last night, so we decided to do a little last minute shopping spree.  When we got inside the store we all went our separate ways agreeing to meet up with one another here and there.  We had been picking out outfits to buy that looked alike.  Diane and I had to try them on.  After laughing and having our giggle box turned on I said: “I have to go to the restroom.”  Of course, being the good sister she is, she followed me and said: “I’ll it out here with the buggy.”  I went in to the first stall as usual, but as I entered I saw a debit card laying right beside the toilet. I thought to myself that looks like Sue’s card.  I picked it up and read the name on the card: “Bobbie S. Smith” I almost passed out!!  It was Sue’s!!!

I put the card in my pocket and did what I came to do.  When I walked out I told Diane: “You will never in a million years believe what I just found.”  In her cute voice, she immediately said: “It’s mine.”  She just knew it had to be valuable.  I said: “No, this has their name on it.”  I pulled Sue’s debit card out and Diane looked like she was going to faint.  We both said: “That is God. Only God can lead you to your sister’s bank card like that!”

We found Patsy and showed it to her getting the same reaction as we had.  We got to Sue and showed her. She lifted her hands and said: “Thank you Jesus!!”  She had no idea she had dropped it.  I asked her why she went to the first stall because she always goes in to the handicapped one?  She said: “The wheelchair wouldn’t fit in the restroom, so I had to hold on to the walls to walk and just went in the first one I came to.”  Now, tell me that was not God protecting all of us?

After we left Wal-Mart at midnight, still praising our Mighty God, something dawned on me and I said out loud: “Lord, we said we were gonna praise you and honor you for this whole trip and we do!  We give you the glory for everything that has happened.  You are a great God.”  God reminded me of this verse from Isaiah:

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.  When you go through rivers of difficulty, You will not drown.  When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up, The flames will not consume you.  Isaiah 43:2

That said it all.  We had been through fire, tornado, and moving and losing something that He gave back.  He also gave us back each other. We remembered this week how very special family is. Of course, they are our first ministry that God blesses us with.  We must learn to love and accept them for who they are because each of them brings something unique and special to the table of God’s blessings.

We have two sisters that can’t make the trip with us each year physically.  One has already gone home to be with the Lord, and the other has circumstances that keep her from leaving her family to travel with us.  But I pray God allows them to feel the love we have for both of them.  I know that one day we will all be together for a ‘Crazy Sista Trip!’

Peace and Love, may you feel God’s everlasting presence today & always.  “God Bless!”

P.S.  I want to thank all of our husbands for sacrificing and allowing us to make this trip each year. Ya’ll are the Bomb Baby!!!

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you, When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God (Isaiah 43:2-3 NLT)

Come close to the one true God, and He will draw close to you…(James 4:8 VOICE)

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (Isaiah 26:3 NLT)

Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you (Jeremiah 29:13-14 AMP)

© 2018 by Larry and Carol Smith