"THe Blow Out"

     It was late afternoon on Wednesday, August 15th. Beckie and I had taken a vacation day and now were were taking Drew and Emma into Chicago to Brookfield Zoo for the day. They had stayed the night with us on Tuesday so that we could get an early start. To make a long Zoo story short, we arrived at Brookfield at 10:00a.m. and did not leave until 4:00p.m. We spent the day seeing all that we could amidst the intense heat. It was now time to go home and there was no way to get around the mid-afternoon Chicago traffic. What a bummer! We barely made it out of the parking lot before Drew fell fast asleep. A little while later Emma nodded off and then Beckie took little cat naps as we began our trek home. There I was left to fend for myself. That's what Grandpas do. After driving for about 40 minutes or so the traffic thinned out a bit. I was in the middle lane and I found myself smack dab behind a Semi with a load of  very large metal pipes. I began to day dream about how tragic it would be if his load of pipes came undone and the danger it would cause to us motorists. So I decided that I needed to get around and in front of him! As I got along side of the truck, I heard what sounded like a gun shot or small explosion! One of the trucks inside duals had blown out and pieces of the tire began flying everywhere! With me now beside him I was spared the brunt of the onslaught of the dangerous debris. I began to pray for those cars behind me and the driver of the truck as well that he could get his Semi to the side of the road safely amidst the now early evening traffic. When the Adrenaline rush began to subside within me, I began then to realize that my day dream was actually the still small voice of God urging me to to get around this truck. You might call it coincidence, luck, karma or fate. But I know it to be the voice of God. Thanks be to Him for His protection on that day and to the Holy Spirit causing me to listen. This week I urge you to listen for God's voice as you meander through the days ahead! To Go be the Glory!
        Your Brother in Christ, Pastor Rick Koch Dutchtown Church