The Miraculous Trip

 

It was 1968. My oldest sister was living in Gainesville Florida while managing a department store there.

I was there checking out the college and looking for work along with her. We were room mates for the time being. It was wonderful. She came home one evening to tell me she had been transferred to Tampa Florida and had already begun the transition to Tampa.

 

I decided to head back to St. Petersburg, looks like the sister time was going to end abruptly. The trip from Gainesville to St. Petersburg is about 170 miles. So, I mentally prepared myself for the move. 

My sister had already packed up her belongings and headed to Tampa the week before I left.

I stayed in the apartment for a week or so while she got things together in Tampa.

It was late the night I gathered my belongings, closed up the apartment and headed out to Interstate 75 heading South.

 

I had no money in my wallet and I glanced down at the gas tank and noticed I was on empty.

I thought to myself, this isn't good. I'm already 20 miles down the road and I just now check for gas? What am I doing?

I guess with all the things going on with moving and packing I forgot to check the most important thing, the gas tank!

So, I started to pray!

I wasn't "good " at praying. I didn't do it much in those days, but I thought I'd give it a try tonight. I was alone, I was afraid, and I needed help! There were not many cars on the highway. I felt so alone. I was fearful of running out of gas and being stuck alone on the side of the road in the dark. But I kept praying, "PLEASE, if you're up there GOD, PLEASE help me now".

 

I wondered with each exit I passed if this would be the one I should pull into and call for help? I kept thinking, But I've prayed, I've asked for help so maybe GOD will come through for me, maybe I should just have a little faith? Wouldn't pulling over mean giving up? I didn't know for sure how "HE" would take me serious if I stopped the car. I Just decided I  wouldn't doubt, so I kept on driving, it was a long, lonely drive.

Please GOD get me home!

I remember thinking I hope HE hears me. I hope HE knows how afraid I am! The miles kept passing, the exits were going by one by one and my trusty Dodge Dart just kept plugging along. It hadn't even sputtered or missed a beat.

The trip took so long though. I didn't remember it taking so long before coming into Gainesville. Why was going back  home taking so long?

I passed so many exit's. It seemed like forever!

The moon was full and it was just beautiful. It made such an impression on me that night. I kept looking up at it as I drove! It comforted me because it was so bright it was almost surreal. Like a big comforting spot light in the night sky.

I must admit though, I still did feel a bit nervous wondering

when I would finally get close to home. I felt as if the night were almost magical. I had cried on and off  wondering how my car was still flying down the road on empty! This was just miraculous! How could I have gotten this far? Why hadn't I run out of gas yet? It truly was a miracle.

I couldn't remember when the last time was I had put gas in that tank? I thought it had been awhile.

I tried to remember going over and over it again in my mind, as I kept on flying down the road but it seemed like it had been a week or so before I left Gainesville.

How was this possible?

 

It was now about twelve midnight.  I'd been on the road for over an hour. My gas tank still read "EMPTY".  I had never had a problem with my gas meter before. It wasn't a mistake. I was on empty! I was clearly in a conundrum here.  I kept staring at it thanking GOD for getting me this far! I started singing little songs to HIM and blessing HIM for keeping me safe. I laughed and felt really stupid. I kept talking to HIM as if HE were right there in the car with me.  Over an hour had past.

Finally I saw the sign to exit for Tampa ahead. I was so relieved! Finally a sign I actually recognized. I hadn't travelled the state that much. And hardly ever alone, so I really didn't know where I was. I only recognized the cities closer to my home. I felt a bit safer just seeing that Tampa sign. But I wasn't safe yet! Driving at night just made everything a bit more challenging as well.

I was so sick of all the advertisements I had seen all along the way thus far. Peanuts for sale, Gas stations and Motels, stop here, go there, all the beaches had advertised and Gator Land, and Coco Beach? It was so far away I thought, why advertise way over here?   Ron Jon surf shop, Geeze, they just never stopped. They were all just cluttering the highway back in those days, it was like a color assault! Signs were everywhere. I hadn't ever noticed that until this night!  And all the cob webs covering all the signs I could see from the lights surrounding them  made me extra fearful, had I gotten stranded, I wondered if the bugs would eat me alive before someone came for help!

 

I was now entering into the city of Tampa. All the bright lights made me feel safe somehow.

I found myself driving over the Gandy Bridge and then into my city! I could hardly believe my eyes! I was so close to my Mom's home.

I kept thinking, if worse came to worse I could almost walk home from here. I was so relieved.

(It would have been a really long walk).

I only had to stop at a few lights. I was getting closer, closer, Please GOD get me home I prayed!

Then that magical moment. I pulled into my Mom's driveway after being on the long road home and you cannot imagine what happened next. Before I had a chance to shut the engine off, the car simply sputtered several times and shut off itself!

I was out of GAS!

You ask me If I believe in GOD? My answer, Oh YES!

I believe in GOD and I also believe in Miracles!

This is one of them!