Near Miss

Last night, I chaperoned a dance for church youth in our area. I took Laine (to avoid the inevitable war between her and Johnny) and she and I baked cookies at the dance. We had a good time, and the dance was packed. Kelly invited her friend Franny, who is not a member of our church, and we stayed til the event was over.

After the closing prayer we headed home. We were stopped at the intersection of Barstow and First, waiting for the green light. It was about 11:15 pm, and the traffic was very light. The girls were singing and making a ruckus, and the light turned green. I stepped on the accelerator, and for some reason, my foot slid right off. I've been driving for almost 25 years, and that's never happened to me. I looked down, thinking "What the heck?" then looked back up quickly, and right in front of me, two inches from my bumper, a truck went past going 45 or 50, who had run the red light.

I knew instantly that our lives had been preserved by God. I failed to see the truck due to the obstruction of the vehicle beside me, and he failed to stop. If I had accelerated as planned, we would have been in the hospital or dead. Guardian angels at work! We all thanked God that we were safe, and I drove very slowly all the way home because I was shaking so badly. At first, my mind was filled with the near miss...trying to determine exactly what had happened. But afterward, I began to ponder what would have happened if we hadn't been protected, and it became a wake-up call. If I had died, had I properly prepared my children to be successful spiritually? Had I prepared them to be healthy, wise, responsible adults? Had I taught them right from wrong? And what of my own efforts...had I put first things first in my life?

I knew I was getting carried away when I began to wonder....Who would miss me if I was suddenly gone, other than my children? Would anyone come to my funeral?

Nevertheless, because of what happened last night, I am recommitted to being a better parent/family member, a better role model, a more thoughtful friend, a good citizen, and a better human being. I am determined to put forth more effort into drawing closer to God and my Savior, to being more like Jesus. I am so grateful for this life upon this earth. Despite my mistakes, my hard-headedness, and all the things I've done wrong, I know I want to be with him, and I know I can if I am humble, teachable, and give myself to loving others and God.

I'm grateful for the knowledge I have that I am a daughter of God. I'm grateful for the truths He has taught me, for His grace and his patience. I pray he helps me get it right!