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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Billboard/Poster/Sign (any or all) (12/02/10)
It had been a couple of years since I’d been to the valley. This was only the third time I’d ever been there. The first time was for an adoption seminar with my housemate. I went for moral support. My husband and I had our own children and were not interested in adopting. The last time I’d been to the valley was for a wedding reception at the home of an old school friend. We’d reconnected on Facebook. She lived in Virginia and her mother hosted a celebration out here. I’d gone alone to that but on this most recent trip my husband drove. We found out the last time that it’s too long a drive for my easily tired eyes. I had to close one eye so I wouldn’t see double as I drove. While we are both very thankful for God’s protection Dave decided not to chance something happening.

The trip wasn’t full of anticipation for the future as the adoption seminar had been. Nor was it filled with the joy of new love. No recently I went to the funeral of my friend’s mother. I didn’t know her well but I went to support Kjersti. She arranged a lovely service despite the sudden loss. I felt bad for her when an elderly couple could be heard to say, “I’ve never been to something like this. It isn’t normal.” My friend’s aunt got up and spoke about the fear of being in a car with Deb, because she veered to the left. I racked my brain and couldn’t find a time I’d ever been in her car. I hadn’t but I think I know why she veered, the same reason my mom veered to one side when she swam: scoliosis. Deb, like my mother had lived many years with this debilitating painful back condition.

We released balloons after and then went back inside for refreshments. I talked to Kjersti briefly as a friend and as someone who’s been there. I lost my mother in 2008. Then we got on our way. Getting on the freeway I noticed the sign: “Thru traffic merge left.” It wasn’t the symbolic merging arrows. It was words. To me they had a deeper meaning. As soon as I got home I sent Kjersti a Facebook message. I told her that her mother wasn’t veering left when she drove. She just knew she was thru traffic. She was going to stay on this freeway of life even with its pains and sorrows for as long as possible. I saw that same determination in my own mother. I too hope to be viewed as someone who veers left when it comes to staying the course.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Mildred Sheldon
12/09/10
Thank you for a very interesting story. I enjoyed this very much. Good job and keep writing.
Anita van der Elst
12/11/10
Nice devotional piece. I like how you tied the freeway sign to the comments made at the service. For having tired eyes, you notice a lot!
Fern Brown
12/11/10
It's amazing how 3 trips to the same beautiful place can evoke excitement, happiness and tears - and yet God is in it all!
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
12/12/10
This is a nice message and a sweet way to offer comfort to a grieving friend. I wasn't sure who Deb was at first then I realized she was your friend's mother who had died. I like how God gave you a message that would allow you to pass it on. God is amazing and gracious inthat respect. We just have to be aware and be looking for his answer like you did. Nice job.
diana kay
12/14/10
an interesting read and i liked the description and the contrast of the three trips each for different reasons and evoking different emotions.
I got slightly confused in the first paragraph when you used "last trip" for the second one, probably just me being fussy but it straghtened out and became clear later.
What an interesting story of the veering left and how the sign somehow gave you clarity...... we can sometimes feel that we have taken a left turn of Gods highway when in fact it IS all part of Gods bigger journey for us. this certainly gave me the oportunity to reflect on my own life and I thank you for that!