Chapter 3

PLAYING CHICKEN

At one time we lived just outside of Dubois on a cattle ranch. Myself and another lady that lived at the ranch decided to drive into town to meet our husbands for dinner. I searched all over the house for my car keys but could not find them. The other lady offered to drive so off we went down out two-mile dirt road. We were in a hurry so we all just jumped into her and car and headed off. I did not even grab the car seats out of my car. Ranell was standing up in the backseat between the seats and I had McKenzie, who was probably nine months old, on my lap. As we drove down the road, a couple of sage hens flew up in front of the car. The driver hit her brakes and we skidded on the gravel into the burrow pit. Once our tires hit the edge of the road, the car rolled about seven times out into the middle of the desert. I remember the whole time how slow everything was moving and trying to keep a hold of McKenzie and wondering what was happening to Ranell. Once the car stopped we all climbed out. No one seemed to be hurt even though all the glass was broken and none of us been wearing seat belts. We started to walk the 2 miles back to our houses. It was dark, the kids were heavy and the other lady was starting to go into shock. The men now realizing we were late headed for home to find the car wrecked and no one in it. The eventually caught up to us half scared of what they were going to find. Once we arrived home and checked everyone out, I called my parents and told them what had happened. My dad asked me what time all of this had happened. I told him and he said that this was almost the exact time they had knelt for family prayer. My dad asked one of my brothers to pray but then changed his mind and prayed himself. He prayed specifically for my family to be protected. From that time forth, I have always trusted the protection that prayer gives to those close and far.