Summer is here. For some families, that means camping, boating, fishing, and swimming.
For other families, that means traveling or visiting friends and family far and wide. Or perhaps it means sticking close to home and taking little ones to library programs, baseball games, or the park. For others, just reading on the porch step in the afternoons will suffice.
Whatever summer looks like, it’s a welcome break from the usual rigors of the school year.
A summer respite
For our family, summer means kayaking rivers and creeks around Wisconsin.
It’s a family pastime that never gets old, and it’s something we can all do together.
Recently we paddled the Baraboo River, gratefully taking in the wildlife, rapids, and sunny weather. It was a true summertime respite at the end of a long school year.
A family predicament
At the end of the river trip, we beached the kayaks and Daddy jumped on his bike to go fetch the van and trailer 2.5 miles away, where we had put in. About a minute later, he returned.
“My tire popped, “ he said.
With no other choice, Daddy started walking the 2.5 miles. He was dressed only in swim trunks and a shirt and sandals and literally only had car keys in his pocket. I insisted on giving him my phone so he could at least map his way back to the car or call the police if he ran into trouble.
Meanwhile, I turned back to my children and kayaks stuck on the riverbank in the middle of nowhere.
The sun would soon be setting, some of us were wet from the river run, and it was getting a little chilly. Plus my daughter was coming down with a sore throat.
We figured Daddy would be back to pick us up in about an hour and a half.
Surrender to Our Lady
Normally this type of uncertain situation would cause me to be anxious. But this time I placed it all into the hands of Our Lady in true surrender and had complete confidence that she’d take care of us.
“Let’s pray the Rosary,” I said, and we offered it up for Daddy to return safely and quickly to us.
We literally only got to the fourth Sorrowful Mystery, when Daddy pulled up with the van and trailer. He’d been gone only about 15 minutes.
Gratefully we ran to him and asked him how he’d reached us so quickly.
“I walked to the top of the hill, and the second car that went by stopped when he saw me,” he said. “He took me where I needed to go.”
Then Daddy smiled.
“Want to know what the driver’s name was?” he asked, pausing as we looked questioningly at him.
“Christian” was the answer.
I was not at all surprised.
“Of course,” I said, “It’s a hug from Our Lady. We’ve been praying the Rosary for you!”
Happily we loaded up the kayaks and climbed into the van to go home.
Truly trust her
We really trusted that Our Lady would simply take care of us. And she did, with a reassuring sign to boot.
I will never doubt the intercession of Our Lady through the Rosary again.
It was a beautiful way to start the summer.
Julianne Nornberg, mother of four children, is a teacher’s aide at St. John School in Waunakee.