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Sunday, September 30, 2012

Stau-Postscript

Almost six hours after we first realized a Stau was blocking our progress to Bad Reichenhall, we drove off the autobahn and into a snail-like train of slowly moving cars going along a one-lane road to the place where we would re-enter the autobahn to continue our trip to visit with friends.  We had averaged one kilometer per hour for six straight hours.  We had walked, talked, sighed deeply, found a rest stop, and watched the people all around us function in an uncomfortable situation.

Ten minutes into the crawl off the autobahn, we recognized two things:  1)the trip back to the autobahn east would be slow and painful, and 2) we would be looking for a unknown house in a small town around 11 PM.  Seeing the entrance to the autobahn west, we took it without much further thought.  Home sounded good, driving around in the dark did not.  We arrived back at our apartment around midnight.  Our poor friends had called and left a message, so we emailed them to let them know that we would not be joining them this weekend.  Disappointment and regret both flooded over me.

In the hours since we have been back home, I have tried to process the whole mess.  I have learned some things about myself.

  • I am more patient now that I was in 2009 when our family got stuck in Newark Airport overnight.
  • Anger does not make anything better, even if I do think that the people who caused the Stau should have been put in jail.
  • God is ultimately in control of my life, even when things go a way I would not choose.
  • I tend to tuck myself into my shell for protection when life gets to tough.  I think I was numb for much of our ordeal in the Stau.
  • When I did pray during the ordeal, God answered me with peace.  I just didn't pray that much!
  • No matter where I get stuck, He never leaves me to despair. 
I've attached a couple of links to information about the situation into which we stumbled.  Makes for interesting reading.  And a glimpse into international life.  Nope, Toto, we are not in Kansas anymore!


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