The weekend before Christmas was a busy ministry weekend here at Grace Church. We had four identical worship services that weekend, the first one being on Saturday night. I had gone into my office for a few minutes to gather my thoughts after our early service that Sunday morning. The middle Sunday morning service had already begun and I was walking out the office door to head that way when I got stopped by a couple who informed me that my son and daughter had just been in an accident.
As you might recall, it was a wintry morning with snow, sleet and ice. Fortunately, the kids were driving our Buick Rendezvous and not our small Ford Escort, which is what they would normally drive. After seeing the damage done to the driver’s side of the Rendezvous, there was no doubt that had they been in the Escort, they would have most likely been seriously injured.
Once I got the news I immediately went back to my office and called my wife on her cell. She had already made it to the accident scene and was consoling Joy. I talked to Joy on the phone for just a moment and then had to high tail it into the auditorium, arriving just in time to preach that middle service. As soon as I was done preaching, I skipped the Ten Minute Party for guests after that service and went home to check to be sure that the kids were fine. Joy was there and I held her for a few minutes and then went back to church. Jonathan had already arrived back at church so I looked him up in the youth room to make sure he was fine and gave him a hug as well.
By this time, the third Sunday morning service had begun. I had just enough to time to go back to my office. There, with the lights out and no one around, I got on my knees and wept as I thanked God for His protection over my children that morning. Sensing massive release and the peace of God, I made my way back into the auditorium to preach our third Sunday morning service and fourth and final service of the weekend.
Joy and Jonathan are both good…still sore but good. The Buick is being fixed. We have a rental car. I realize that all the money I pay in insurance premiums are worth it. But most of all, I am reminded as we enter this New Year of 2009 of what is priceless…my salvation and my family. Nothing else matters.
As you might recall, it was a wintry morning with snow, sleet and ice. Fortunately, the kids were driving our Buick Rendezvous and not our small Ford Escort, which is what they would normally drive. After seeing the damage done to the driver’s side of the Rendezvous, there was no doubt that had they been in the Escort, they would have most likely been seriously injured.
Once I got the news I immediately went back to my office and called my wife on her cell. She had already made it to the accident scene and was consoling Joy. I talked to Joy on the phone for just a moment and then had to high tail it into the auditorium, arriving just in time to preach that middle service. As soon as I was done preaching, I skipped the Ten Minute Party for guests after that service and went home to check to be sure that the kids were fine. Joy was there and I held her for a few minutes and then went back to church. Jonathan had already arrived back at church so I looked him up in the youth room to make sure he was fine and gave him a hug as well.
By this time, the third Sunday morning service had begun. I had just enough to time to go back to my office. There, with the lights out and no one around, I got on my knees and wept as I thanked God for His protection over my children that morning. Sensing massive release and the peace of God, I made my way back into the auditorium to preach our third Sunday morning service and fourth and final service of the weekend.
Joy and Jonathan are both good…still sore but good. The Buick is being fixed. We have a rental car. I realize that all the money I pay in insurance premiums are worth it. But most of all, I am reminded as we enter this New Year of 2009 of what is priceless…my salvation and my family. Nothing else matters.
A special thanks to the many caring church folk who were driving by and ministered to my kids. A special thanks to Mrs Hoffman who was the first one there and called the police and guided my kids in what to do. A special thanks to Rich and Cindy Wilson and Craig and Sherry Peters for stopping and caring. And a very special thanks to Rick Bernhardt for picking up my wife and taking her to the scene of the accident, helping to get our vehicle back home, and for using his humor to help my kids through the trauma.
But most of all, special thanks to my Heavenly Father who was in control of the whole situation and who loves my kids far more than their mom or I ever could!
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