Answered Prayers and Moment of Panic

Our family has been very blessed lately, and it has been absolutely clear that our prayers are being answered. Here are 3 examples:

1. We've been praying for months that Jared would be blessed in the job search for next summer internships-- that we would be guided where to apply, that interviews would go well, etc. And we have definitely been blessed with his search in Texas and are so grateful to Heavenly Father for guiding us.

2. Since Jared has been out of town a lot lately on job interviews I've been worried that the baby will come early and Jared would miss it. So we've also been praying for the baby to just stay put. I went to the doctor yesterday and haven't started dilating at all-- which is great considering that with Luke I was dilated to a 2 by this time and that I was on my way to giving birth just 4 days from now. At this point it seems that Jared's travels are done and it would be okay for the baby to come anytime, but we're hoping to hold out to the due date (Oct. 1) anyway. If I wasn't so uncomfortable I'd even wish to go 2 weeks late. I'm not feeling nearly so ready this time.

3. This is the moment of panic. On Thursday morning we went to New Quarter Park and met up with some friends there. I was sitting over by the sand pit in the shade, and Luke was playing on the jungle gym with a few other kids. There were 3 moms by the gym, and so I stopped watching Luke and started chatting. A little later I saw the other moms looking around and then peering in my direction. It didn't take more than a second to realize what had happened. Luke had wandered off! I scanned the most likely spots-- not by the garbage cans or the hose spools. That left the woods, and there are lots of woods. Panic! Total panic in my chest and then the chanting prayer, "Please God, help me find him!" The other moms and I started looking, and we took different directions. I ran down one path yelling Luke's name and heard a screech in response. It was hard to tell where it was coming from, so another chanted prayer was begun. "Please God, where should I go?" Luckily I was lead down the right path and found him standing on the path way out in the woods. He looked scared until he saw me. Then he just looked down to the stick in his hand and held it up to show me. Well I was so relieved I started to cry and ran to pick him up. Luke looked right at me and said, "You need to listen." Well I told him that was darn right-- he needed to listen and he needed to stay close. You can bet that another prayer followed-- this one full of gratitude. I can say that I learned my lesson. Luke is too fast to let him out of my sight for a second. And I also learned (once again and not for the last time, I'm sure) that we are truly being guided.

I am so thankful for prayer!