Braking for a Female Deer
Driving on a rural highway on a sunny Friday in Washington, I was cruising along just enjoying the day the way I normally do: a glance here and a glance there, and trying to stay on the road. Then, immediately and without warning, there she was . . . WILD CREATURE IN FRONT OF ME! BRAKE HARD NOW TO GET DOWN FROM 48 OR 50 MPH, TO GIVE THE CREATURE ENOUGH ROOM! The beautiful and large female deer was mostly a picture of grace, but—bless her heart—she was spooked by the near encounter with my vehicle. She did not have her best footing on the pavement, but after a fast moment of indecision she collected her wits within split-seconds and trotted off the road to the other side. We did not meet literally, so she got off unscathed and I was strangely pleased to have been the one to go by when she decided to jump onto the road. It was a privilege (in retrospect) to brake hard—though there was a sedan behind me, and a truck behind him—to help ensure that the doe, with her powerful strides, could trot along without a scratch, being so beautiful and giving such radiant glory to the LORD God of Israel. (There was no tailgating going on, and the other drivers responded in kind.) Thanks be to the Lord Jesus, for His letting me see her in time. She was a real beauty.