Day 304

Scripture: Ps 119:1-24; Ps 12, 13, 14; Genesis 4:1-16; Hebrews 2:11-18; John 1:29-42

Scripture standout: Ps 119: "¹² Lord, I give praise to you. 
      Teach me your orders.:

Ps 12: "⁵ The Lord says, "The weak are beaten down.
      Those who are in need groan.
   So I will stand up to help them.
      I will keep them safe from those who tell lies about them."
 ⁶ The words of the Lord are perfect.
      They are like silver made pure in a clay furnace.
      They are like silver made pure seven times over.
 ⁷ Lord, you will keep us safe."

His Deed/The Day: Today, I told two friends I am thankful for their friendship and how grateful I am they're alive and uninjured. These lifelong friends were driving to dinner last night and ended up in a horrible accident. A description of the incident is below. I can't help but notice how swiftly and gently God sent his angels to protect them. Truly, it is a tangible glimpse of God's provision and protection. Anyone who doesn't believe in angels is just not seeing things clearly:

Friends and Family,

Many of you are already aware that the kids and I were in a nasty wreck this evening.   Thankfully, no one was seriously injured.  I’m sure we’ll have some difficulty getting to bed tonight and will probably be sore in the morning.  Thanks to everyone for the immediate and overwhelming outpouring of love, sympathy, prayers, and offers of help.  It means a lot.  Many have asked to hear the story which is why I’m sending the email.  I prefer to tell it once as best I can and subsequently put it out of my mind.  Feel free to forward the story to whomever, but please no calls or emails tonight.  After another beer I’m turning the computer off and watching some mindless television.   Perhaps there is another Presidential debate on.

Just after 6pm we left home to go to dinner since Laddy was going to a church meeting at a neighbor’s home.  Traveling North on Roosevelt just past Verona a vehicle careened through a stop sign (my initial thought is that it was being pursued by police).  It slid through our lanes in front of us and further lost control as it turned through the median and then veered back into the northbound lanes striking my Expedition between the driver’s and rear door where Mary Katherine was seated.  The collision caused my car  to spin counter clockwise and roll.  It came to rest facing the opposite direction having rolled 270 degrees.  In the process we collided with another car and a third crashed into a roadside fence/wall whilst avoiding the crash.  Sadly, the piece of dung who caused all this drove through the same fence and fled the scene and has not been seen since.  Despite the horrific experience some good has come from this. I can’t be more proud of how the kids managed.  They stoically and deliberately exited the car through the upright driver’s window as directed with the aid of a good Samaritan.  Regretfully I was unable to locate him after the chaos to properly thank him for coming to our aid.  In addition to the aforementioned helpful stranger Bebe Stephens had the misfortune of rolling up on the accident mere seconds after we stopped rolling knowing exactly who was inside.  She was there with hugs for all of us and was a welcome site for sore eyes.  Kindly she took the kids home to Laddy so I could stay and deal with police.

Just a few observations and I hope they don’t come off as preaching.  Firstly, SUVs are an easy target for criticism, but I shutter to think what would’ve happened had we been in a “normal” car.  The combined impact speed of the initial collision must have been in excess of 60mph.  You can see from the attached picture how the frame stood tall.  For as long as we have kids and maybe longer we’ll be driving SUVs and whenever Geico is ready I’m buying another Expedition.  All airbags and window curtains deployed as designed.  Our only scratches were from exiting through the window. Secondly, I have been a habitual offender when it comes to promptly engaging my seat belt as I leave the house.  The accident took place 1.1 miles from there.  Without seatbelts a trip to the ER would’ve been inevitable, maybe worse.  Buckle up before leaving the driveway.

Take care, hug your loved ones, and drive safe.