She and Matthew were helping our volunteer fire department deliver soup bean dinners that they had sold as a fund raiser. I was pleased that they were giving their time to contribute to a noble cause, not expecting anything unusual to happen.
Erica had the cell phone we had given her last Christmas and used it to call home. On the other end of the line Lisa heard that there had been an accident. Erica said that she and Matthew were both OK but the car was "in the ditch". We do have ditches alongside many eastern Kentucky roads, and then we have DITCHES! What Erica was talking about, however, stretched the limits of what even we hillbillies would consider a ditch!
In this next picture you can see the road and the tree. Erica was actually driving toward the tree, the opposite direction the nose of the car is now pointing. She was looking over her shoulder at a trailor she thought might be the one they were supposed to drop off a dinner to when the passenger tire fell off the side of the road. She over corrected and wound up spinning out of control and leaving the road tail-end first, narrowly missing that tree.
It’s difficult to tell how steep the incline is in these photos, but the back tire was actually off the ground with the car delicately balancing, feeling like it was about ready to over-tun onto it’s top. They safely climbed out the open window on the passagener’s side and made the phone call.
This particular "ditch" required assistance from a wrecker to get my car out:
Amazingly, the only thing that was really damaged was the muffler! That’s one tough Ford Taurus.
Why, you might ask, would I be thankful for a wreck? This week of Thanksgiving I am counting my blessings, and it is sobering to think that our soon-to-be Thanksgiving celebration could have been dramatically different from what it will be. One or both of my two oldest children could have been spending this holiday in eternity! What if the car had hit that tree, or rolled over further down the hill, or if another vehicle had been at the same spot on the road at that time? I believe that there was Divine intervention during that moment, and the grace of God allowed no one to be harmed! There have been several instances over the years when Guardian Angels were involved with the protection of my family, and this was certainly one of them! I’m sure there have been many more that we do not even know about, but when we do notice such a blessing, it is easy to be thankful.
I’m also thankful for the calmness and peace He allowed Erica and Matthew to have in the midst of this accident. I’m thankful that neither were injured at all, and I’m thankful that the repair bill to the car was so minor. I’m thankful that this incident did not create an undue fear in Erica or Matthew about driving in the future, and I’m thankful that they are both such good drivers. I’m thankful that they were wearing seatbelts. I’m thankful that we got to meet some neighbors that we had not known previously (from the trailor).
A bit more than a month later Erica had her 18th birthday. She had wanted a car all her own for some time, and if we did the wish thing while blowing out the birthday candles, she may have wished for a Pontiac Grand Am the last couple of years:
This year she did not have to make such a wish because a few days earlier, we found this for her to drive:
It’s a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am, pretty close to what she had been dreaming of.
I know what some of you may be accusing me of, but I assure you, buying this car for her is in no way related to any thought of keeping my Ford Taurus safe!
I actually just wanted to bless her with a nice gift, just like my Heavenly Father enjoys giving good gifts to me.
May each one of you reading this experience a humble and thankful heart toward Him this Thanksgiving, and always!
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3 comments
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blessedx4 on November 24, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Grace be to God for allowing them to not be injured. Yes, it seems their Angel was working over time. I know this will be on your mind this Thanksgiving. Teen drivers do wonders for your prayer life. LOL!! I'm glad your car escaped injury also. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Blessings,
Tiffany
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Schatzi on November 27, 2009 at 9:30 pm
Praising God with you…I can see from the photos that this could have been far worse…. "Thank you dear Lord for protecting these precious children. Thank you for keeping them safe and calm during this time … we thank you for all the other times that you watch over them and they didn't even know it but you do … we praise you for your mercy, grace and protection over this family … in Jesus name Amen!"
Have a blessed weekend.
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Call of the Land on January 18, 2010 at 11:52 am
I thank God that no one was injured!
Connie
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