But I said, "I have toiled in vain,
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity:
Yet surely the justice due me is with the Lord,
and my reward with my God."
-------- Isaiah 49:4 ---------
Five hours to Chicago on a Friday afternoon. It was hot and humid and we were crammed inside Bong's little Mercury Sable. Lourdes, Chit and Maley shared the backseat with all the other things that we could not fit in the trunk. Nothing could stop us, not even the dreaded traffic that was awaiting us once we get to the Chicago area. This road trip was meant to be! Off we went to the CFC-FFL Conference. We let God be our strength!
I drove the first half... one stop at a rest area for a bathroom break and a very late lunch. Thank God for HFL sisters, Lourdes & Chit, we can never go hungry because they always bring food... we can never have bad breath because there is always some fresh breath gum ready in their purses.
After we fillep-up our gas tank just before entering the state of Illimois, Bong took the wheel. Time for my nap you would think... but oh no, I was tasked to look at the map, look at the road and make sure that he can follow where the GPS directs him to. "Stay on this Hi-way", I told him. "No, we have pay toll", he insisted. "But that's for another hi-way", my voice was now raised a wee bit. "After the toll gate, we would still be back to that same hi-way", said he very confidently. No more argument... now, where's that same hi-way? Blame, blame, blame... argue, argue, argue... why do we bother to let the GPS guide us but yet we do not heed? Hmmppp!
To make the long story short, we found another way to our destination, but instead of the original plan to evade the downtown traffic, we found ourselves dashing off into it. I got tired of arguing, I just prayed that we get there safely --- getting there on time was no longer an option anyway. Finally! Our exit! We were just waiting for our turn to merge into the local street at the stop sign when we were suddenly jolted by a thud. Oh great! Almost there, and now, more delay. We were rearended!
It tturned out to be a very quick settlement. The other driver apologetically owned the fault. He was going to take care of that big damage to his car.... we would take care of the little scratch on ours.
We got to the conference, not on time for the opening, but we accomplished the first objective --- to be there. Victory! We toiled not in vain. And God gave us our reward --- the rest of the wonderful conference experience.
My God is now my strength.
--- no Angel ---
