Dave and Joyce Keel were stationed overseas in Naples, Italy. One weekend another couple joined them to camp on a Mediterranean beach further north than where they usually went. The other family, Al and Sonnie, were into snorkeling and had brought their gear along. "Joyce, you have to try it," Sonnie urged her. You'll love it."
"Now I am NOT a swimmer," Joyce says. "I can float (if my head is above the water), but once I go under, forget it. I sink like a rock." She reminded Sonnie of this, but her friends were adamant. They gave Joyce a crash course on the do's and don'ts and, despite her misgivings, she thought it sounded like fun. "Stay real close to us," Sonnie told her. "If you do run into trouble, we'll be right there to help." "Well...." Joyce already had her gear on, and it seemed relatively simple. Al had forgotten something in the car, but urged Joyce to go ahead anyway. He'd be right back, and would catch up with her. She did. "At the beginning, it was so fascinating," Joyce says. "I couldn't believe everything I was seeing. The sun was out, so I could see a long way off, and we were moving along the beach instead of going out in the sea. I was so enthralled that I forgot about staying with Sonnie and Dave. Then I began to notice that the waves were getting stronger, and the tide was coming in." Joyce looked up. She could barely see Sonnie and Dave. They had gotten far ahead of her,and she needed to catch up with them, right now! But the waves swamped her and filled the breathing tube in her mouth. "They had told me to blow the water out, but I couldn't get it out fast enough to take a breath in," Joyce says. "So like any novice, I pulled the tube off so I could get my head up, and breathe." But the waves were higher now, and the fins on her feet seemed to be pulling her down. Joyce gulped for air. "Help!" she screamed. Water cascaded over her and she went under. "They say you go down three times before you drown," Joyce says. "But I think I popped up four or five times." At one point she felt the bottom and she pushed off as hard as she could. But it was no use. The sea was huge, and she bounced helplessly along in its power, each wave pulling her under, again and again. Where was Dave? She screamed again, but her strength was fading. Suddenly, an arm came around her. Al! It must be, although she couldn't see. She was still flailing and trying to get her head above the water to take a breath. "Stop fighting me---I'm trying to help you!" the man shouted, and began to swim, pulling her along. His grip was strong and Joyce noticed he was wearing a wet suit. Had Al brought one along? She could hardly think... In a moment or two, she was lying, exhausted, on the beach, and her husband Dave, and Sonnie, were running towards her. "We saw you thrashing around and we knew you were in trouble," Dave told her, grasping her hand. "But we were so far ahead..." "It took us awhile to get to you," Sonnie explained, tears gathering. "How did you make it to shore?" Joyce looked at her, puzzled. "Why, Al saved me," she told Sonnie. "Al?" They both turned as Al came running up. He was completely dry. "I saw you struggling, but it was too late for me to go in," he explained to Joyce. "Dave and Sonnie were closer to you than I was...." "You didn't grab me?" Joyce asked him, bewildered. "But...." She looked around. The man in the wet suit had disappeared. She and her friends were in bathing suits, not wet suits. And one other odd thing....Her rescuer had spoken perfect English, not Italian like almost everyone they met did. An angel? "I have always wondered," Joyce says today. And why not? Isn't that just what an angel would do? <~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~><~> Copyright 2008 by Joan Wester Anderson. Published by Joan Wester Anderson, P.O. Box 127, Prospect Heights, IL 60070. For more stories of God's love, check the Archives at http://www.joanwanderson.com/archives.htm <*}}}>< <http://halfthekingdom.mofuse.mobi/>Half the Kingdom! on your Mobile <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/wordpress/>Half the Kingdom! Blog <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Half the Kingdom! Main Site <*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/by-the-by/>Half the Kingdom! By the by <*}}}>< Lord, may everything we do begin with Your inspiration and continue with Your help, so that all our prayers and works may begin in You and by You be happily ended. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Please note that I do not send or open attachments sent to this list. You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Catholics on Fire" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Catholics-on-Fire May the blessing of Jesus and our Blessed Mother be with you -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
