Crossroads - Written December 8, 2024 - Posted March 9, 2025

Crossroads

Written By Wanda Rodriguez

Written December 8, 2024 - Published March 9, 2025

*** Quick note: For a time reference, this reflection was written in early December of 2024. ***

I think of life as a journey, and find that, for the most part, I am on autopilot, just going naturally down familiar pathways.  Sometimes this is not the case.  Sometimes I think little of it, and at other times God does all but smack me in the face, to wake me from the fog to help me realize that I am at the intersection of a major crossroad, and autopilot just won’t cut it!  It’s time to get your head in the game!  100%, not 50/50.  You cannot serve two masters, and decisions, whatever they are, and no matter how difficult, they must be made. I believe this is exactly the kind of gentle parental smackdown (wake up moment!) reminder that I got yesterday from God.

Backing up, I believe that things happen for a reason and that people cross one another’s paths for a reason/season(s).  With Dave having received support from Hospice Care, we had the good fortune of meeting and working with some fabulous individuals.  Since his passing, I have had the pleasure of knowing a volunteer who created some beautiful memory bears, and a keepsake pillow for us out of some of his clothes.  Recently she made me aware of a program that offers live trees, with all the trimmings, for families who suffered a recent loss and had worked with local hospice.  We graciously accepted the offer and yesterday was the pickup day.  It was about an hour from my home. 

The volunteer event was festive, with everyone dressed in bright holiday fashion or as elves, they had snacks, games and hot chocolate, dogs (also dressed up!) for petting and even Mr. and Mrs. Claus for photos.  The organizers went all out to share comfort and joy with those families preparing to celebrate this holiday season without a loved one. Their kind efforts were recognized and greatly appreciated by all in attendance. 

While families walked around, other elf helpers tied the chosen trees to the tops of cars.  When I returned from exploring, I told the tree tying elves that I had to drive home for almost an hour and to please make sure it was secure.  Elf number one said with confidence, “Oh, it’s not going anywhere.”  With that, my “spidey senses” began to tingle and I thought I heard the Twilight Zone music begin playing in the distance.  Though I didn’t hear Rod Serling narrate, I definitely felt a strong sense of foreshadowing.

Now onto timing.  It was afternoon, probably close to 2:00PM and I needed to go to the bathroom.  I considered running inside the building by the pickup location, but I wanted to get on the road.  I also considered stopping to grab some food on the way and maybe going to the bathroom while there, but decided to press on for the same reason, to just get home quicker.  I had an uneasy feeling about the tree the entire time and kept checking it in my rearview mirror.  As mentioned, I was about an hour from home and the GPS decided to take me back routes, probably because of all the holiday/weekend traffic.  To the best of my recall, I had never been on this two-laned road before.  As you have probably guessed by now while on this road the tree did, in fact, come untied and slide off the roof of the car.  Yeah, I was not surprised either.  I was thankful to not be on the interstate when it happened!!  “Thanks for nothing, Rod Serling,” I thought as I slowly pulled ahead to a safe stopping point.  Watching the tree sliding ever so slowly off the back of the little car, I felt like one of the Griswalds off on one of their ill-fated National Lampoon adventures. 

I decided the best course of action would be to empty the car, fold down the back seats and attempt to feed the tree through the trunk rather than reattaching it to the roof.  Upon exiting the car, a truck driving in the other direction pulled up and the driver offered to help.  Ironically the side of this modern-day good Samaritan’s truck advertised tree services.  Coincidence?  I think not!

The good Samaritan happened upon me within two minutes of my having stopped, which is why I say timing is everything. Had I made any of those detours mentioned earlier, I would have missed him passing by.  As it turned out, the entrance to his driveway was visible from where I had stopped the car, and he said he had considered going to the right but decided to turn left and I’m glad he did.  He said he had read a passage in his bible the night before and underlined it and was praying about it today prior to leaving his home.  He mentioned the contents of it briefly and I asked him to repeat it because it referred to protecting/helping widows.  Here is where I interjected and told him how I came to have a tree strapped to my roof and why I was on this road to begin with and that I believed none of it to have been a chance meeting.  There were just too many coincidences to make it coincidental, if that makes any sense at all. 

With his assistance, we got the tree loaded and the car packed back up with ease.  Then we stood and talked for a few minutes about God, His word, choices, church, etc.  We ended our encounter in prayer.  This was not a chance meeting.  This was divine intervention.  God thumping me on the head and saying, Look!!  I am right here with you, always.  I gave you the warning about the tree and you heard it as soon as it started to give way.  You were able to pull over safely and without incident.  I took you down the back roads and off the beaten path and led you to this familiar stranger so that you could both be blessed.  I am with you.

This is not my only take away from the day’s encounter.  I felt there was a deeper, more personal message as well.  With this year and the closing of so many beautiful and wonderful doors, I find many others opening up with many and varied opportunities and options. This can feel both exciting and overwhelming to me.  I am terrified of making a misstep, but I am also enjoying the sense of adventure that comes with trying new things.  Here is where I found my bigger picture.  God will travel with me, down whichever road(s) I choose to travel.  He did give me, and each of us, free will to make those choices.  But He wants us to choose carefully, thoughtfully and knowingly.  You can’t travel down two roads at the same time, with one toe over here and another over there, any more than you can serve two masters.  I believe God is saying, I am here for you; I know it is scary and you are afraid of missteps, but you will not walk alone.  Just like I did not travel the unfamiliar road alone today. 

The verse my good Samaritan referenced was Psalm 68:5, Father to the fatherless, defender of the widows, this is God whose dwelling is holy.