Faith and hope in the things unseen.

About one year ago I got a call from my sister-in-law terror filled her voice as she screamed into the phone, 'you're brother had an accident! I don't know what is going on - get to Sioux Falls!' My brother had evaded another potential crash but in the process flipped his motorcycle and was found lying face down in a pile of mud in a ditch. Air flighted to Sanford in Sioux Falls I sat with my son and Lavonne awaiting the helicopter and we prayed. Though scared and when I heard the thumping of the chopper as it landed tears flowed and my heart broke in half. God was ever present and he just filled me with a calm that Paul would be okay and he just had a life lesson to be learned. Days passed as Paul lay unconscious, fighting to live and his body taking the time of rest to focus on what needed to be done. As we waited we cried, we laughed, we prayed and Paul opened his eyes on a Sunday morning and spoke his first words to one of his best friends in life, Scotty. 

Fast forward one year and there I sat last night watching Paul make his first laps at the annual enduro race in Worthington MN. This is a race that he has participated in for over 10 years now; finished 1st the year after his wife passed, proposed to his new love and only missing last year. Something comes over you as you sit in the stands and watch someone you love so much enjoy a sport that fills their heart, but last night it was something so much larger. I imagined how Paul felt putting his helmet on and strapping into his car - THE CAR - that has been there the whole ten years. I channeled the memories that filled his heart as he reved up the engine for the first time and what a feeling that came over him when he drove towards the track to line up. A year ago he was attempting his first steps down a hall as we all watched with tears streaming down our cheeks and now here he was putting that last piece of Paul back together. 'Click' 

The night wasn't without issues, a gas leak took him off the track twice, fixed and back on. Then a tie rod broke - thinking he was done... His brother from another mother who's radiator went out had the part he needed. They slapped it in place and back on the track he came. I won't forget that feeling when I looked to the left and here came the number 6 car! Paul was back and as he drove by lap after lap tears once again filled my eyes this time with joy, thankfulness and faith. Paul finished Third last night in the race but finished first on his goal sheet. 

I guess my point in this is that we don't always see what God has in his plan for us but keeping our faith and hope in him can often make the impossible possible and sometimes he slaps us down so that we relearn humble love and respect for him.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 KJV)