An Intersection of Emotions

Almost four months from losing my Mom and a beautiful red cardinal visited me. Last week as I drove to Mexico and lost myself in thought I approached an intersection, one that brought even more emotion. 

While running an every day errand of picking up milk and bread spiraled my memories to trips for medication, ginger ale, and such this summer. Then the thought of losing someone else close to me, shortly thereafter because a driver ran a stop sign, drained the color from my face.  I'm thankful my relative is a defensive driver, while the car was totaled, he was only bumped and bruised. Since then, each time any of us pass this intersection, our foot naturally lifts from the gas pedal and at least for me, I think, "What if?". More often than not, I fight a tear or two back.

Last week at this same intersection, a red cardinal flew at my car. Not only did it remind me of my Mom or act as a sign of remembrance, it snapped me back to reality. As I drove, looked ahead at the approaching intersection, and listened to my daughter tell about her day...the bright red flying towards the wind shield reminded me God protected the one I love at that very intersection and we are never alone. God is always with us and our loved ones are near and dear too. 

The LORD himself
​watches over you!
The LORD stands beside you as your
protective shade.
Psalm 121:5 NLT

Who is the FIRST person you think of when you see a cardinal? Why?