We send a letter each month to those who financially support the ministry of GES. We call the newsletter Partners in Grace.

We try to get the newsletters to partners by the first of the month.

Well, we had an ice storm in Dallas that hit Monday morning. I had to leave the office at 1PM on Monday to avoid getting stuck. The partner’s letter was not yet done, but hopefully I’d be back in the office on Tuesday. Nope. Roads covered in ice. Wednesday? Nope. More ice.

Well today, February 2, is Thursday and things look better on the street in front of our house. I decided to go to the office late this morning.

I drove slowly and carefully, and made it to the office safely. Safely until I turned into the ice-covered parking lot. I tried to turn right into the lot. Instead, my car slid from right to left. I missed the parking lot entirely and ended up in the grass on the side of the road.

With careful maneuvering, I moved the car another 20 feet to the left in the grass and became hopelessly stuck. I thought, Well, I can walk from here to the office, print the newsletters, and call AAA to get me out.

I stood outside the car and my feet flew out from under me. I hit the ice on my butt. Now my back hurt and my knee hurt.

Back into the car.

I called AAA and fought with the automated phone system. After 10 more minutes with a real person, they said a truck would be out as soon as possible. Yeah, right! I figured it would be an hour or more.

Miraculously, the truck arrived in 25 minutes. He pulled up and set up cones so that people would not hit us.

Then he tried to unwind the cable from the winch. It would only move to the end of the truck. He cussed. He pulled and pulled trying to unstick the cable. I saw him hitting the base of the cable with a big wrench.

After 30 minutes of fighting with the cable, he told me he could not get me out. But he would send another truck. Off he went. I was hopeful it would just be another hour.

Ten minutes later he called back. “It is going to be at least two hours before another truck can make it. Would you like me to drive you home in my truck and we can leave your car there?”

“Yes. I do not want to sit here for over two hours in freezing cold.”

He came back and he was parked only a few feet from my back bumper.

“Will the winch work when you are this close?”

“Nope. It is frozen up.”

“Could you help me drive it out?”

“OK. Go ahead and show me what happens when you try.”

“Nope. That won’t work. But I could try to pull you out.”

“I thought you said the winch won’t work.”

“It won’t, but I have two hooks, each of which has about 5 feet of chain. If I hook one to your bumper and the other to my truck, I think I can just pull you out.”

“OK. Let’s try.”

He pulled me out! Amazing. About two hours after getting stuck, I was free. Sort of.

I was facing the wrong way on the frontage road to the freeway! The cars coming my way stopped and waited while the driver disconnected my car.

I was able to make a T-turn and get going the right way. The drive home was slow, but I made it.

That’s why your Partners in Grace newsletter will be late if you are a financial supporter of this ministry.

BTW. Was this suffering for the Lord? Will there be eternal rewards for my ordeal? I doubt it. I think this was more like suffering for my foolish decision to try to get to the office today. But maybe I get some credit for trying.

In any case, it was an adventure.