God Sent a White Cadillac

Listening to an old, old Ginny Owens CD this morning. I'm burning my collection of CDs at the office to add to my mp3 player tonight.

I was on my way to an interview in Arkansas. What a culture shock from central Pennsylvania, but it sounded like a great opportunity from the job description and the subsequent phone interviews. However, the airtrip scheduled for me didn't work out as planned. I was booked on a full flight, and instead of arriving in Little Rock at 3pm CDT, I was not to arrive until 1130pm CDT. Okay, I can handle that, I figured. I'll be tired, but no big deal. Flight layover in Pittsburgh, PA led to another delay. It was nearly midnight when the flight landed in Little Rock. I faced over an hour's drive to the hotel. I had specifically asked for a small car (similar to what I was used to), but I was not heard, and was instead stuck in a rental car we will lovingly call "the boat", because that's what it felt like.

The road was dark, two lanes each direction with a grassy median, and the weather was less than cooperative. It was very foggy, and it kept getting denser as I drove south. I was shocked a road could be so quiet - almost no traffic, the occasional 18-wheeler whizzing by me, as if the fog was only around my rental boat. I was nearly terrified. I stuck a CD in the boat radio, and prayed, "God, I hope You know what You're doing. This car's too big, the fog is too thick, and I'm scared. You got me in this mess, now, get me there safe, please."
This song started to play..
Ginny Owens, This Road

A million miles away, from anything familiar
A thousand places I would rather be
So I choke back the tears
And try to find the bright side
But I find it hard to see beyond my suffering
In my heart I know, Your plan is so much bigger
But this small part is all I can see
And I believe You haven't left me here to wander
Still I can't help but ponder, where You're leading me

And I ask, "Why this road?
Why this way, and this load?
Tell me how far must I go
'Til I see, 'til I know why
This Road?"

A million miles away, from anything familiar
What was it like to be so far from home?
And though You came in love
The world misunderstood You
There must have been some days when You felt so alone
But You endured, 'cause there was joy before You
Joy that came because You sacrificed
Since You gave Yourself,
Just to spend forever with me
Surely I can trust You'll lead me
From my darkest time When I ask why...
repeat chorus

From here I cannot see
Why You choose this path for me
But I don't have to understand
To believe that You know why...
repeat chorus

Once again, I found myself in tears along the highway. I felt beyond stupid. Here I was, on a marked road, map in hand, and I thought I was on my way to the end of the world. So I prayed again, "God, I'm sorry. Just help me get there? I'll trust You for the rest of it."

As I entered the little town where my hotel was, the road signs seemed to disappear. I walked into a convenience store, and asked the clerk (who was covered in little bits of lunchmeat on her apron) "Where is ___ hotel?" She proceeded to give me directions, missing 3/4 of the natural teeth she was born with. I couldn't understand more than "Go up this road here..." I figured that would get me to the next station, and said, "Thanks."

A gentleman on my side of the counter must have seen my confusion. He asked me, "So where you headed, darling?" I told him the name of the hotel, and he then started giving me directions. As my eyes glassed over, he realized that was getting both of us nowhere. Holding a 12-pack of beer, he glanced at his watch (1:15am) and said to me, "Well, I don't have anywhere to be for a while. Let me take you there. I'm in the white car out front. Just follow along."

I walked out of the store, and began laughing flat out loud. God sent me a man in a White Cadillac to take me straight to the hotel. I laughed all the way to there, about two miles from that store. As we entered the hotel lot, I parked the car, walked up to him, and thanked him. He smiled, and said, "God Bless you dear. Looks like you need it." *Laugh* Boy did I ever...

I entered the lobby a blubbering mess, the hotel clerk said to me, "Are you Jennifer? Your momma has been calling for the last few hours, worrying about you. Please call her." He handed me the lobby phone, where I called and told Mom the whole story. We both laughed. Safe in my room, I thanked God for His protection, and for the guide.