Every One of His Promises Fulfilled

Photo by Vicky Kaseorg, enhanced by John Ceccherelli

My last morning in Chincoteague, I awoke to grey skies. I wanted one last bike ride on the refuge with the wild ponies. We had to be out by 11 at the latest to reach my folks in NY in time for dinner. I checked the weather hourly report. Rain due at 11. Praise God from whom blessings flow! I immediately darted out on my bike.

 In no time, I was on the refuge and quickly found the wild ponies grazing in the distance. I biked for two hours circling on every bike path on the refuge, reluctant to leave. The only wildlife I had longed to see and hadn't was a bald eagle. But right before biking out of the refuge, I saw a large dark bird flying into the trees. It's tail was white, but I didn't see its head before it was gone. Given how gracious God has been to me on this trip, I suspect it was a Bald Eagle, and the bucket list was complete.

 When I returned to the hotel, sister Amy and I checked out, and found the original Misty of Chincoteague's hoofprints in front of the historic movie house. We snapped photos, and filled to the brim with joy, began our drive to NY and my folks. The rain started as we drove off the island.

 Amy had one more surprise. She had downloaded the audio book of Misty of Chincoteague which we listened to for most of the drive.

Which is why I was perhaps distracted....
"We missed the toll ticket lane," I explained to the toll collector, but it was at the southern end of the Turnpike, right before exit 31."
"I have to charge you $48. Did you get off and tell them at exit 31? "
"No, we called the number we saw for information..."
"They always tell you the wrong thing."
"Then you can't charge us the entire route fee if they are giving wrong info."
"I could lose my job...and fast. Why did you drive 100 miles before getting off?"
"We called the official number immediately. All we got was an automated system. Surely there is something you can do?"
"OK, I can give you a one time forgiveness, and record your license number. If you do it again, you will be fined."
"That will be great."

We drove on, listening to the story of Misty, and reliving each place we had explored by kayaks that glorious morning when we first saw the wild ponies on the shore by the Assateague lighthouse.

Headlines as we leave Assateague/Chincoteague: Great white shark, 20 footer, seen off Assateague.

Why God didn't send the shark to our tiny kayaks and instead sent us a glorious herd of ponies, I will never know. Sometimes He does send sharks. Sometimes He sends ponies you've dreamed your whole life of seeing. A friend of mine wrote me after reading my blog of our adventures and said, "May the wind always be at your back."

It isn't always at my back. It is often dead-on in my face. It is one of the great lessons of life that we should find joy even when we are struggling against the wind. But what an incredible blessing my Chincoteague trip was to endure no struggles, and feel the hand of God touching every event. A foretaste of Heaven.

Amy and Vicky in front of Misty of Chincoteague statue

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Does God speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? Numbers 23:19 (NIV)

In Jesus Christ every one of God’s promises is a “Yes.” For this reason it is through him that we say the “Amen,” to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 1:20