BY Jeannette Lyles Cox The Thanksgiving holiday never comes around without me thinking about the most special Thanksgiving of my life: Thanksgiving 1984.

My son, Sonny, was a senior attending boarding school near Nashville, Tennessee. Every six weeks or so students got “home leave.” Sonny decided that whenever he could he would use his home leave to drive to Louisville, Kentucky, to work with his uncle Walter, who was a framing contractor. Sonny wanted a newer car, and this way he could earn some fairly good money. The job was hard; Sonny was a laborer who did all the odd jobs.

That summer Sonny had purchased a 1973 Ford Pinto. The car ran well and was dependable; however, every teenager knew a yellow 1973 Pinto was not a “hot” car.

On Sonny’s Thanksgiving leave he drove the Pinto to work in Louisville. While he was gone I worried—as all mothers do—about him traveling those 264 miles in that 11-year-old car.

Before the Storm
Sonny worked Tuesday and Wednesday for his uncle. Wednesday evening a winter storm blew into the Louisville area, dumping lots of snow and ice. I didn’t think much about it until Thanksgiving Day. Thursday morning Sonny’s grandmother called and asked if Sonny had made it home safely.

I was suddenly frightened; I had no idea Sonny was going to drive home, especially with all that wind, ice, and snow. At 17 years old, Sonny didn’t have a lot of experience driving long distances, let alone in that kind of weather.

Throughout Thanksgiving Day my family and I offered up prayers to our heavenly Father to watch over our boy. Snow, ice, and wind continued throughout the day, and by the afternoon we hadn’t heard a word from Sonny. I couldn’t possibly eat any of the sumptuous feast we had prepared.

About 2:00 p.m. the telephone rang. It was Sonny! He related his experience:

Protected and Preserved
Sonny left Louisville late Wednesday evening. He drove through Lexington, then Berea, and other small towns. The wind swirled snow all around his car, and many patches of ice made driving treacherous. Because of the ice he drove slowly and carefully.

What Do You Think?     1. When have you, or someone you know, been spared from a dangerous situation? Recall it briefly. 2. Why do we often appreciate life and its blessings especially when we realize how close we are to losing them? 3. Does the angel of the Lord always deliver those who fear the Lord? Why or why not? 4. What three things are you most grateful for during this Thanksgiving season?

At one of these patches, Sonny said, his car did a 180-degree turn! He said it felt as though a strong man was on each bumper turning the car around. When his car came to a stop, he pulled over to the shoulder of the highway. He remembered how his father always prayed for “traveling mercies,” and right there Sonny bowed his head and offered a prayer of thanksgiving, as well as a request for help. When he opened his eyes, right in front of him was a sign that read “Manchester.”

Larry, Sonny’s roommate from academy, lived in Manchester. Sonny left the interstate and pulled into a service station, where he could use the telephone. Larry and his father soon arrived at the service station and took Sonny to their home, where he spent Thanksgiving with them.

My family and I? We spent Thanksgiving afternoon praising the Lord!

This prayer of deliverance became locked in my head for quite a while after Sonny’s experience: “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them” (Ps. 34:7). I know this prayer isn’t always answered in the ways we can appreciate, but it made Thanksgiving 1984 a day I’ll never forget.

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Jeannette Lyles Cox retired as an administrative assistant from Oak Ridge National Laboratory. She lives with her granddaughter in Coalfield, Tennessee. This article was published November 17, 2011.