“Stuck in the Mud,” Friend, July 2012, 26–27
Stuck in the Mud
Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered (Joel 2:32).
My dad looked like an angry mud monster. Our van and our moving truck were both stuck in the mud on a deserted road. Dad and Mom were trying to move them, but the mud was deep. Each time they tried to drive, the wheels spun and mud flew everywhere. Dad was getting more and more frustrated.
My brother and sisters and I stood away from the truck and van.
“Why is Daddy getting dirty?” my little sister Karen asked.
“He’s trying to get us out of the mud,” I said.
Mom tried driving the van again. The wheels spun, showering Dad with more mud. Splat!
“That’s enough. You can stop!” Dad yelled. Then he grumbled to himself.
It bothered me to see Dad upset. I could tell it was worrying Karen too.
“We’re really stuck, aren’t we?” Karen asked.
“Yes, we are,” I said.
Karen suddenly walked toward Dad. “Daddy, I have an idea,” she said.
“Not right now, honey,” he said. “Please stay out of the way.”
Mom walked past carrying a muddy blanket.
“Mom, I have an idea for Daddy,” Karen said.
“Daddy’s really busy right now,” Mom said as she shook the blanket to get the mud off of it.
“I have an idea of how we can get out of the mud,” Karen said.
“Oh, really?” I could tell Mom was only half listening.
Karen raised her voice to get Mom’s attention. “We can say a prayer.”
Mom looked at Karen. Then she said, “That’s a really good idea.”
Mom led Karen to where Dad was working in the mud. “Karen has a good idea,” she told him.
Dad looked frustrated but stood up. “OK,” he said. “What?”
“Why don’t we pray and ask Heavenly Father to help us get out of this mud?” Karen said.
Dad still looked grumpy, but he said, “All right, you can say a prayer for us.”
Mom gathered our family together, and we all bowed our heads.
“Heavenly Father, we are stuck,” Karen said. “Please bless Daddy to find a way to get us out of this mud. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”
I didn’t know what was going to happen, but I felt comforted by Karen’s prayer.
Then Dad got an idea. He climbed into the truck, grabbed a broomstick, and put it under the wheel of the van. Mom started the engine and drove the van right out of the mud! Then Dad put the broomstick under the wheel of the truck. Mom drove the truck right out of the mud too!
As everyone got ready to go, Dad changed into clean clothes. He looked a lot less like a mud monster, and he looked a lot happier too! Dad hugged Karen and said, “Thank you for your prayer.” Then he called to the rest of us. “Everyone, we need to thank Heavenly Father for getting us out of that mud. And this time I’d like to say the prayer.”
Illustration by Bryan Beach