Almost Nearly Died

I can barely believe that it's been almost two weeks since my last post. I suppose it's a tad bit easier to believe when you consider the perfect storm of events that conspired to keep me from creative expression (blogging counts... I'm sure it does!) the past few days.

I'll start at the beginning. This week my boss, the senior pastor at the Church I work with, took a week for vacation/to attend General Conference. This brought me the opportunity to "hold down the fort." Normally, I'm the king at holding down forts. I've been making them since I was 3 years of age. But the normal tradition has been that a guest speaker was found to ease some of the speaking responsibility from me during an absence. No such apportions were made this particular time. So an extra 2 sermons for Sunday (and MC'ing the service) and 2 Bible studies were added to my weekly ministry responsibilities.

No big deal. I can handle that. After all, I am a healthy, young, energetic youth pastor trained for homiletic adventures. Piece of cake. Just a little more to add to the load. 

But Friday, in the middle of preparations for the weekend I had a brush with my own mortality.

On the return from a trip to Zephyrhills (a drive I've completed countless times before), I carted back several plastic crates of memorabilia from my High School days. I was forced to detour from my road, 98, as I neared my town of Lakeland because of a terrible accident. Once I managed to find my way back to the main road (they hadn't put detour signs up yet and I had to guess the right direction) I thought it was clear sailing back to my house. Maybe I'd make a small pit-stop at Walmart on the way back. 

That's when fate interceded. I came to a green light at an intersection I know well. At 98 and Banana, I pushed through at the speed limit - 55 and began to let my subconscious construct a shopping list for when I reached the shopping center. I remember the moment with absolute intensity - there was the green light, I thought there was clear sailing. Then absolute horror. A split second that seemed like a mini-eternity. My brain knew the right command, STOP! but there was no physiological way for my feet to hit the pedals in time and absolutely no way the laws of physics could be bent in a way that would allow me to avoid what was inevitable... Collision is imminent. No, the only thing I had time to do was take a deep breath and pray.

SMASH!

This is where my car landed after I ran into someone who decided they could make the left without knowing whether or not cars were coming.


The damage to my car was extensive. I knew it was totalled even before I got out to survey the damage.

Thank God the damage assessment of my own person was less catastrophic. I immediately knew I had sustained minor damage, but nothing life-threatening. My nose bled from the impact with the air bag, my knee was gashed deep from pushing the car's key with enough force to bend it nearly in half.

I was fortunate that was the furthest extent of my injuries.

The Jeep Liberty that I collided with was even more fortunate. The young lady driving had her young infant in the car with her. Both walked away without a scratch. 

God was most definitely there amidst the terrible accident. I knew that instantly. Crashing felt as soft as falling on a pillow. The aches and pains from the whiplash only stayed for a day or two. The car's totalled value was nearly equal to what the car was worth when I bought it. Insurance came through in DAYS to get me a new vehicle! His strength sustained me as I continued to carry the extra responsibilities entrusted to me throughout the week.

God is good. All the time. Even on the rainy, crappy days when your world falls apart. He's right there to help piece it back together.

Knowing that the outcome of this accident could have turned out very differently if any of the variables had been adjusted, I am praising God and thanking him for his protection and security.

That's all for now. Just thought I'd share!