Wrecked

Few things shake you up like being in a car accident. Fewer shake you up like being in what could have been a serious car accident with your pregnant sister and two young nieces, and everyone walks away without a single bump or bruise.

That’s how my son’s 5^th birthday party kicked off yesterday. Fun stuff, right? I was the driver. Go me! Not. Few things can make you feel guilt like knowing you put the lives of people you love most at risk.

Two things learned here.

One. Drive slowly on unfamiliar Mississippi roads. Especially in the rain. Curves sneak up on you here, and wet roads are not your friend when this happens.

Two. The Lord gives and He takes away. More than anything, I walk away with immense gratitude. If you saw the embankment we went down, you would be amazed. Apparently, the curve that sent my car flying into oblivion isn’t just any curve, it’s THE curve. It has a reputation for seriously injuring people. The wrecker and fire department worker said that usually, they are pulling bloodied people out of there—or worse.

Okay, so…why doesn’t the state do something about this? There is a dip in the road, that when wet, apparently sends people off the road several times a year. I don’t understand why nothing has been done to fix this but, I digress.

Not. A. Single. Bruise. We went down that steep embankment like butter on a hot stove, smooth as could be. Then, we landed in just the right spot to avoid all large trees. A spot that was about as wide as my vehicle. If we had to go off the road, it could not have went any better. Losing the family car is the worst part. The radiator came out, and there’s other damage. We’ll be looking into that today. That and the frightened kids. What a great memory to create with “Aunt M.”

I’m proud of my nephew though. He was riding in the car with his father behind us. He said when he knew what happened he “just started praying.” We had a good talk afterwards about how God is good…and how when he is old enough to drive…go slowly around these crazy South MS curves!

I’ve been thinking lately about how everything we have is Gods, and this makes that even more real to me. Everything I think is mine—even my kids and my own life—does not belong to me. Everything is God’s. Everything we take for granted is held up by His power and will. Every time we breathe, every smile of our children, every embrace from a loved one, every birthday…all things are here because He allows it—and He can take it all away in an instant.

I want to live better like someone who gets this. I want to live like someone who understands that all things belong to God. Including me. I want to live like someone who appreciates the blessing of life, and in Jesus, we have more. We have life abundant!