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A couple of summers ago, we got into our boat around 5pm to head down river to a restaurant with our two little girls and one of their friends. We would need to go through a lock at one point, but figured no problem, it was a beautiful day and we would have more than enough time to head back home while it was still light out. We also knew that it would still be early enough in the evening to get fuel in the boat for the ride back. On the ride down, we drove full throttle, thus consuming 3/4 of the tank by the time we got to the restaurant.

The restaurant was packed, we were starved, the little girls were miserable because they were hungry. We finally were seated and knew we'd have to eat very quickly and get out of there ASAP because the gas docks at the only marina on the way back would be closing.

Our food seemed to arrive hours later and the sun was on its way down. It was about 8:45 pm. We wolfed the food down, paid the bill and ran out to the boat to get going. A loud crack thundered overhead and rain began to pelt us. A storm appeared "from nowhere" and was blowing south, in the direction we were heading.

I had the girls get up under the tiny nose of the boat to stay dry while my husband and I had to both stand to navigate through the near darkness, through many narrow bends in the river and pelting rain. Oh, and the gas gauge was edging under 1/4 as we flew like the wind up river. The marina we sought was just ahead...

But by the time we got there, the gas docks had been shut down. My husband, daring creature he is, decided to continue home so that we'd at least be closer to home when we finally ran out of gas and would need to be towed. We were also still on the other side of the lock, which can turn into a time consuming ordeal waiting for your side to open to lock through.

I was terrified of being caught out on the river in the darkness and rain because of the heavy barge traffic. It was a dangerous situation. So I prayed. I prayed hard.

"Lord, we must get in front of this storm, and Lord, we are running out of gas. Lord, PLEASE, you've GOT to do something with this fuel situation!!"

A few minutes later, obsessing about the gas gauge, I had to look twice at the reading: it said 3/4. I tapped it with my finger and it still said 3/4 of a tank. I wept. And the rain stopped. Starry skies now overhead. We arrived at the lock...they saw us coming and the huge doors were opening for us by the time we reached it. Once out on the other side it was a short ride to our marina.

My husband dropped me and the girls off at our marina and as I stepped on the dock, I was sprinkled with rain....from a completely clear and starry sky. It was a nice sprinkle and I took it as a Message that I need not to have worried, the we would be taken care of. We headed up to my car which I had just filled up completely with gas that afternoon before boating. I turned the key and the gas gauge caught my eye:

It was down by half a tank.

t was a nice sprinkle and I took it as a Message that I need not to have worried, the we would be taken care of.

What an amazing story!!! Are you a professional writer? Your story is meticulous.

I live near the Erie canal. Sometimes in good weather, I'll take the bassets down to Lock 7, where they enjoy looking at the river, the fishermen and the boats. Watching boats move through the locks is quite an experience!

Love the ending of your story ... just love it! Thanks for sharing.