The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Life Can Throw You a Curve

Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher/Owner

February 21, 2018

Life can throw you a curve at anytime and it can bring you to your knees. We were enjoying our weekend in Indiana with son Matthew, wife Katie and three grandchildren, and our other family members were busy too.

Our eldest daughter Tami and husband were in Cancun, first born grandson Drew was at the Daytona 500 races, son-in-law Steve was in Champaign taking a student to the State wrestling meet, son Damon was preparing to fly to France and Africa on a business trip.

My prayers have been for their safety and safety for Ali, Caleb, Noah Jayne, and Josh who are all in college.

Younger grandkids are all home and should be safe-right?

Saturday night my husband Michael received a phone call from a La Harpe fireman that our 17-year old granddaughter Hannah Wood had been hit by a car! It was in an unusual accident on a road near La Crosse with "black ice" just off the Fountain Green blacktop. The caller was seeking Hannah's parents phone number.

They said she was disoriented and pretty shook up, but looked as if she was most likely okay and sent to the Emergency room at Carthage for assessment where her mother from Carthage could meet her.

Into the night, I texted with Heather to keep track of all the concerns and extent of her injuries as doctors ran a cat scan, took chest and leg X-rays which were clear, and put in a couple staples in her head. Our biggest concern was the blow to her head, her lack of memory about the entire day, her confusion and fear. Eventually, around 3 a.m., Hannah was sent home to be wakened every couple hours and we were all left deep in prayer and thankful that she was alive, and it wasn't worse.

Hannah wasn't driving but we were told the girls were traveling with another car following on the way to a friend's. They thought the car behind them disappeared and went into a ditch. The girls stopped and had just gotten out to see if they could help when the car came out of the ditch not knowing the girls had stopped and was unable to stop due to "black ice" and hit Hannah's friend's car totaling both cars and causing Hannah to be hit somehow on her right side, knocking her out of her shoes and pushing their car 50 feet.

After a short night, Mike and I and Matt's family were in church singing praise songs to a God who is always there-even when we think he is not.

Hannah's hurting, but sleeping, improving and she is remembering more-little by little.

It seems pastors always have a special message for me, no matter where I attend church. This message was no different and questioned: "Why does bad things happen to good people." and "Is God there?

He read a part of the book about a pastor's little boy who had almost died in Nebraska when his parents were on vacation and later told his parents that he had seen doctors working on him, and saw his dad in another room yelling at God. His dad asked him where he was when he saw him, and the boy answered: "I was sitting on Jesus' lap." (all safe and sound)

Our minister also preached about the scripture of Jesus walking on the water. The passage he wanted us to remember was: "Do Not Be Afraid. Take Courage. I Am Here!"

-Matthew 14:27

I thought about Heather when she told me, "I think she's scared," and texted her the scripture for Hannah.

Our service concluded with a special duet with a song by Third Day: "Just To Be With You...I'll Do Anything...I'll Give My Life Away...I'll Walk The Road To Calvary....There's No Cross I Would Not Bear...just to be with you: I've done everything...There's no more I can do."

I hope this message helps you today knowing God is here and gives you assurance.

Hannah's dad said: "I just want to go home and hug her."

For our family, we all know our God loves Hannah and we love her so very much. And like her dad, we can't wait to see her smiling face and hug her, too!