Car-seat Caper

Car-Seat Caper

My eyes are always on the LORD,for he rescues me from the traps of my enemies.

Psalm 25:15

Struggling to get free, I chided myself. I bet I’m the only adult to ever get stuck in a child’s car seat! Visions of headlines reading “Firemen Rescue Grandma from Car Seat” danced before my eyes.

It had happened innocently enough. As I loaded my car that afternoon, I realized I had left my grandchild’s car seat in the garage. Grabbing it, I cleared a spot on the backseat, passenger side, and set it in place. Clutching the car’s seat belt with my left hand, I threaded it through the back of the child seat and securely snapped the buckle in place. But when I tried to remove my arm, my watch was stuck in the back of the car seat. For fifteen minutes I twisted and squirmed and tugged to get free, but to no avail.

The first ten minutes ticked by with my body hanging out of the car as I continued to scold myself for getting into such a ridiculous predicament. Finally, I saw a young man and his big dog walking by.

“Can you help me?” I called.

He looked my way but hesitated.

Again, I said, “Can you please help me?”

“What do you need?”

“I’m stuck in my grandchild’s car seat.”

He sauntered up but allowed his intimidating dog to trot ahead of him. Soon the dog and I were nose to nose. Maybe I should call 911 now!

Climbing in the other side of the car, it took the young man five minutes to untangle the watch and set me free.

He confessed, “At first I thought you might have a trap set for me.”

Laughing, I told him, “There was a trap all right, but I was the one caught in it.”

—Pam Whitley

Thank you, Lord, for rescuing me from the most unlikely traps, including the ones that the enemy sets. Please help me to remember that I can always call out to you for help, no matter what my predicament. I know you’ll be there to answer me. Amen.