Prattville, AL 2008

February 18, 2008 will be forever sketched in the history of Prattville when an EF-3 tornado ripped through our city.  The photo above shows a glimpse of the damage to our community, but also shows the miraculous sight of the relatively undamaged Daniel Pratt Elementary School in the background.

Schools in our area played a vital role in the recovery of our community when teachers & administrators embraced students who had been affected by the damage.  Educators and volunteers unified to make sure that our children felt safe and secure while at school.

The rampage of 2011 tornadoes has touched the hearts of all Alabamians.  Particularly, those who have suffered from this traumatic act of nature in the past have a heartfelt need to help.  We know from experience that parents will have an overwhelming list of things to do as they rebuild their lives.

Families For Him and Prattville Christian Academy have partnered together to create the  “Pack A Backpack” campaign.  “Pack A Backpack” is an initiative to provide school supplies to children who have been affected by the recent tornadoes.  It is our desire to glorify the Lord by caring for His children.

“If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”  Matthew 10:42

Jacob Take the Wheel

By  Jackie J. Copper

A few years ago Carrie Underwood had a hit with the song “Jesus Take the Wheel.” The lyrics concerned people who were at a crossroads in their lives and just felt out of control. They surrendered to a higher power and found a sense of peace.

Recently I heard a story that I call “Jacob Take the Wheel” and it too describes the power of God in our lives. The cast of characters in this event are a nine year old boy named Jacob and his mother named Anna. One day they were driving down Interstate 75 in the family truck from Macon to Perry. Jacob was in the front seat since they were in a truck and he was safely seat belted into the cab. His mother was driving and all seemed fine.

Out of the blue his mother had a seizure. Her body went rigid with her hands on the wheel and her foot on the gas pedal. She was completely out of it, something Jacob realized right away. He grabbed the wheel with his left hand and with his right hand picked up his mother’s cell phone.

He punched in “911” and when he got an answer he began to tell them what was happening. The operator tried to get a fix on where Jacob was so she asked him if he could see any mile markers. He told her what he saw. He also said he saw a highway patrolman on the side of the road and the operator told him to blow the horn, which he did. Either the highway patrolman was busy or didn’t take this as a sound of distress.

Now remember the whole time this is going on he has the cell phone in one hand and is steering with the other. His mother is unresponsive to his calls for her to wake up so he is virtually alone in the cab of this truck.  Alone, but not really alone.

Jacob steered the truck for fifteen miles down the interstate. He stayed on the phone with the 911 operator and did everything she suggested. After fifteen miles his mother stirred, woke up and stopped the truck. She had no recollection of anything that had gone on. She didn’t know that Jacob had taken the wheel until she was told.

Later people asked Jacob how he had known what to do in steering the truck. His answer was he steered it just like he did his go cart. He didn’t think he had done anything all that special. Jacob took the wheel and he did what he had to do. He was a hero in everyone’s mind as well he should have been.

In this case Anna did not scream out for Jacob to take the wheel. She wasn’t even aware when he did. But God knew and He was in that truck with Jacob as they sped down Interstate 75.

Maybe somehow Carrie Underwood will read this story, and maybe she will write a song about this heroic nine year old boy. I doubt she would title it “Jacob Take the Wheel” since that phrase has already been used. Still whatever she calls it, it will have to be a song that celebrates the glory of a son’s love for his mother and his desire to keep the truck heading in the right direction until she came back to him.

Jackie K Copper is an author, columnist and book and movie critic in central Georgia.  He writes for The Huffington Post.  www.jackiekcopper.com

Jacob is the son of my first cousin, Annalee.  The Lord is so good to protect His children.  Our family is  thankful that this situation did not end in tragedy.  Jacob was awarded the Georgia Young Heroes Award by the Governor of Georgia.  The following link shows the news coverage for this award:   http://budurl.com/jf46

“You idiot!” rang through the corridor of our church just as I rounded the corner of the pre-school hallway to quieten playful children. Dismay filled my soul since the voice of the culprit was my own sweet son! I hurried down the hallway (planning the discipline for the inappropriate behavior in my head) to find a group of children huddled around my little one. The gash on his forehead seemed to scream……stitches and ER! An innocent game of hallway tag by children who were waiting for the youth to finish their Wednesday night activities ended in blood, tears and one aggravated Mama.

My oldest son was the guilty party that crashed into his little brother. He has never been so eager to clean as he mopped up the blood on the tile floor. When I left for the ER, the remaining three children were given strict instructions to take baths, finish homework and go to bed. Grant received a warm reception at the ER and was very excited to have an adjustable bed with his personal TV and remote control. He was a champ as the doctor stitched the wound. We returned home shortly before ten o’clock.

When I arrived home, everyone was still awake….excited about the evening’s events……The kind of excitement that is hard to calm down, but bites the next morning when you can’t get everyone moving for school. The aggravated Mama surfaced again…..Finally, I got everyone into bed.

I then began the late night “Mommy chores”. As I entered the laundry room, I noticed a basket of clothes on the floor……the “good” clothes that I had left in the washer were now dry. My niece/babysitter told me before she left that Logan had washed clothes while I was gone to “help” me…..Logan doesn’t know how to wash….He dried my “good” clothes! Enraged by the rascal that had sent his brother to the ER and ruined my clothes, I went into his room to vent about the evening……itemizing each disaster in detail.

Later, I passed my office and noticed a little jar of money filled with coins and folded dollar bills. The attached note said, “I’m sorry. I hope you can use the money to buy more clothes.” Unconditional love……flashed through my mind. I didn’t want my child’s money, but the mere thought that he would give it made my heart swell with love.

Aren’t we all like this at times? We rush through life not being careful of the loved ones around us. Although we might not run over someone physically, we might run over someone emotionally. When we try to compensate in our own power, the things that we do with the best of intentions often ends in total disaster just like the ruined clothes. How many times have I been the child of God that didn’t use good common sense, who carelessly pursued my interests without considering the effect of my actions on others?

I won’t forget this memorable Wednesday evening. The accident radically changed my agenda for the evening. The ER Tour led to blessings from the Lord as I walked my children through the term “unconditional love”. Luckily, 4 stitches took care of Grant’s wound. More importantly, our family had a tangible lesson…..By God’s Grace….Our Wounds will Heal.