The Lord in Heaven has ways of reminding us to be thankful. Sometimes subtle, sometimes like a brick over the head, He uses these moments to catch our attention… to make us slow down and realize how frail we really are and how much we need Him.
I recently experienced one of the “brick over the head” variety. I survived a four-vehicle automobile crash involving a fatality and I came away that night in awe and wonder. As the lead vehicle of three, I experienced the first hit as an oncoming pickup truck crossed into our lane. I saw the truck and reacted fast enough to swerve toward the shoulder. The truck hit my side mirror and scraped along the driver side of my vehicle before hitting the truck behind me in a head-on collision. If I had not been paying as much attention and reacted as fast as I did, it is quite possible that the pickup would have hit the driver’s side of my vehicle. I truly believe that God was watching over me that night. Usually I listen to the radio while driving, but I had not turned it on that night, preferring a calmer commute home after a difficult day at work. Moreover, the incident happened in an area where a police officer usually sits on the roadside, waiting to catch speeding travelers unaware, so I had begun slowing down as I approached the area. I feel as though the Lord had prepared me to be extra cautious.
After calling 911 and seeing that the others involved in the crash were being attended to, I perched on the guardrail that night, waiting my turn to speak to the investigating officer. I began shaking as thoughts swirled in my head. I walked away without injury and the damage sustained by my vehicle is minor. It is still drivable, and after a week or so in the body shop, it will be good as new. However, it really could have been all over in the blink of an eye. God spared me; He must still have a purpose for me here and I must seek out that purpose. Of course, we all know that life is precious. We read feel-good stories in our email and attend sermons reminding us to have our hearts ready, but it seems that it had not really soaked in for me how close we all ride the line every day. We cannot even comprehend how many ways the Lord protects us from harm. I readily admit that I do not go to the Lord in prayers of gratitude and thankfulness enough. Truly, more often I remain silent when I perceive life to be okay and only find my prayer voice in times of sorrow or trouble. There are so many reasons to be thankful, though! Whether it is for the rain falling this morning or the sheer fact that I am still alive, I have cause to rejoice and celebrate life.
So, this month’s Character Development centers on being aware of all the reasons I have to be thankful. I wish I could say I have a grand idea in mind for journaling my moments of thankfulness. I DO have a blank journal book in which I have started listing things for which I am thankful. I hope to continue doing so through the month and beyond, but most importantly, I want to spend more time in prayer, giving thanks to the Lord for all He has done and continues to do in my life.
I recently experienced one of the “brick over the head” variety. I survived a four-vehicle automobile crash involving a fatality and I came away that night in awe and wonder. As the lead vehicle of three, I experienced the first hit as an oncoming pickup truck crossed into our lane. I saw the truck and reacted fast enough to swerve toward the shoulder. The truck hit my side mirror and scraped along the driver side of my vehicle before hitting the truck behind me in a head-on collision. If I had not been paying as much attention and reacted as fast as I did, it is quite possible that the pickup would have hit the driver’s side of my vehicle. I truly believe that God was watching over me that night. Usually I listen to the radio while driving, but I had not turned it on that night, preferring a calmer commute home after a difficult day at work. Moreover, the incident happened in an area where a police officer usually sits on the roadside, waiting to catch speeding travelers unaware, so I had begun slowing down as I approached the area. I feel as though the Lord had prepared me to be extra cautious.
After calling 911 and seeing that the others involved in the crash were being attended to, I perched on the guardrail that night, waiting my turn to speak to the investigating officer. I began shaking as thoughts swirled in my head. I walked away without injury and the damage sustained by my vehicle is minor. It is still drivable, and after a week or so in the body shop, it will be good as new. However, it really could have been all over in the blink of an eye. God spared me; He must still have a purpose for me here and I must seek out that purpose. Of course, we all know that life is precious. We read feel-good stories in our email and attend sermons reminding us to have our hearts ready, but it seems that it had not really soaked in for me how close we all ride the line every day. We cannot even comprehend how many ways the Lord protects us from harm. I readily admit that I do not go to the Lord in prayers of gratitude and thankfulness enough. Truly, more often I remain silent when I perceive life to be okay and only find my prayer voice in times of sorrow or trouble. There are so many reasons to be thankful, though! Whether it is for the rain falling this morning or the sheer fact that I am still alive, I have cause to rejoice and celebrate life.
So, this month’s Character Development centers on being aware of all the reasons I have to be thankful. I wish I could say I have a grand idea in mind for journaling my moments of thankfulness. I DO have a blank journal book in which I have started listing things for which I am thankful. I hope to continue doing so through the month and beyond, but most importantly, I want to spend more time in prayer, giving thanks to the Lord for all He has done and continues to do in my life.
