I SCREAMED IN A PANIC: "DELRA!"

This morning while walking my dog, I saw a girl on her bike at the end of the sidewalk. She stopped, turned around, and looked behind her. Then I saw why she stopped. Her little sister was in a hurry, trying to catch up. I watched them ride off together.

I immediately remembered a time when my sister and I were young, out riding our bikes on the Marblehead peninsula together. I was on my bike with a banana seat, complete with colorful hippie flowers. The road we were riding down was a gradual decline toward the lake, with a beautiful view of Lake Erie. Near the shore the road took a sharp left turn that led to the East gate of Lakeside, Ohio. My sister was probably trying to get away from her annoying little sister, so she was ahead of me and going fast. I was trying to keep up with her, peddling as fast as I could. I was able to pick up a little too much speed, so that when I got to the sharp bend in the road, I was unable to turn fast or sharp enough. I crashed right into a heavy chain draped from pole to pole that made a fence between the road and the shore, and I crashed onto the grass. I looked up and saw Delra still peddling away from me, unaware of what happened. I screamed in a panic: “Delra!" and then I started bawling and wailing from the pain of the accident and the fear of her leaving me there alone and wounded. She heard my scream and hurried back to me. Many other people came running and a kind lady wrapped my arm in one of her white pillowcases. The pillowcase wasn’t nearly as comforting as Delra’s kind words and presence. She came back to me! That helped make everything better. Delra helped me get back home where our Dad took care of my wound.

A few years ago, Delra was riding through her life, when she crashed right into cancer. When I heard her cry, I joined with her husband and children and so many others in turning around and rushing to her. Just as her presence always made everything better in my life, I hope my presence helped her. Now she is safely back home with our Savior—the only One who has the power to heal our heart wounds.

“I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee.” (2 Kings 2:5)