Things Happen

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew 6:34)

With the exception of those who will depart in the Rapture,[1] no one gets out of this world alive. By the same token, no one leaves this world trouble-free.[2] Everyone alive has either experienced trouble, is currently experiencing trouble or will experience trouble in the future. No one is immune.

Wednesday of this past week started out like any other morning. June and I got ready for work, had our morning prayer time together, and gave each other a parting kiss to launch the day. June usually leaves the house first, and I get the joy of giving the dog pack their dental chews and putting them out for the day. Then I follow my well-worn path toward ICR where I serve.

Wednesday was a nice day. The sunny blue skies belied the crispness of the morning air. Traffic presented the usual challenges, but it moved rather smoothly along the city streets in spite of the number of cars all jockeying for position to shave a few seconds off their commute. After several years of driving this route, my blood pressure and heart rate maintain a steady level. I just go with the flow! I fancy myself a good candidate for the NASCAR circuit. 🙂

My route takes me three miles west on Arapaho Road before jumping on the ever treacherous Central Expressway (US 75). Sometimes I take a slight detour and turn south when I get to Greenville Avenue, but this day my Garman™ GPS indicated that traffic on Central Expressway was only “Yellow,” not the usual “Red.” Carmen (the Garman™) generally gives me a pretty accurate report of highway traffic conditions, so I decided to take my chances on Central Expressway. (Actually, “expressway” is a misnomer. There is nothing “express” about Central!)

At this point, I must confess. Those of us who have the Spirit of the Living God within us have a better Navigator than any ol’ man-made GPS. That Navigator, the Holy Spirit, speaks to us if we will just pay attention. That morning, as I was approaching the intersection of Arapaho Road and Greenville Avenue, the Holy Spirit told me, “Take a left on Greenville.” However, Carmen told me traffic was good on Central. To whom did I listen? You probably guessed it; I listened to Carmen.

Traffic on Central moved at a moderate rate – between 30-40 mph – but it was flowing and not “hosed” as usual. I had no trouble slipping into the main flow of traffic. I traveled about ¼ of a mile past the Beltline Road overpass. A silver Volvo™ SUV set the pace ahead of me. A red Ford Explorer™ followed a little too closely. As we approached the Spring Valley Road exit, the Volvo™ ahead of me slowed for the car ahead. I followed at a safe distance (the two-second rule), but the brake lights queued me to brake and maintain a safe distance. Suddenly I heard that familiar horrific sound of crunching metal, and the next second my head snapped like the crack of Indiana Jones’ whip. The impact drove my “Edgy” (2017 Ford Edge™) into the back of the Volvo™. However, because I already had my foot on the brake, the impact forced me to break harder so I only “bumped” the Volvo™. The Volvo™ sustained no “visible” damage from Edgy’s front bumper.

What a way to start the day! Every effect has a cause, and this cause was a nice gentleman in his mid to late 80s. He confessed that he became distracted when he attempted to adjust his sun visor to block the bothersome sunlight (which I had enjoyed up until then). He failed to see the Ford Explorer™ braking (because I was braking) in front of him, and he hit the Explorer™ at full speed (30-40 mph). Needless to say, his 2002 Buick Le Sabre™ is a total loss. The airbags on his car deployed saving him and his wife from serious injury. Thankfully, no one sustained any serious injuries. I’m sore, and the jolt put my back and neck out of alignment, but two months of physical therapy will take care of that.

 I could be upset and angry with the old gentleman that brought all this trouble on me and two other drivers. My Edgy just has a little over 16,000 miles on it, and it has to go in for bodywork. Then there is all the hassle of dealing with the insurance companies, body shop, and the car rental place. Then to top it off, I’m looking at two months of physical therapy to get my spinal column back in alignment. I could be upset, but I’m not. Things happen. The old gentleman, even though the whole thing was his fault, probably lost the only car he has. He is probably on a fixed income, and because of the age of the car, he probably only carried liability insurance on it. That will not help him replace his car. Thankfully, neither he nor his sweet little wife were injured. She happily commented to me that she was surprised her pacemaker did not stop on her. The lady in the Explorer™ probably suffered a worse whiplash that my own. The impact to her vehicle was full-force. The impact crumpled the gas tank on her car. Thankfully it did not burst and catch fire. The frontend that met Edgy’s backend hit hard enough to burst the radiator. Her car may be totaled as well. I am sure the lady in the Volvo™ is annoyed that her bumper was scratched, and she will have to deal with having her car checked out. Everyone involved has troubles.

My leading verse says, “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matthew 6:34). The Greek word that the KJV translates as “evil” is kakia. Its primary meaning in the passive sense is “trouble.” I do not know what will come all of this, but I take Jesus’ words to heart. “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself (Matthew 6:34). Along with that, I trust my “life verse,” which says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). I do not know where the others involved in the wreck stand with God, but I know that I am one “called according to His purpose” because I belong to Him. Therefore, this “evil” will “work together for good,” and I do not need to fret about it. Things happen.

I look forward to seeing how God will use it for good. Perhaps this writing is just the start! 🙂

Notes:

[1]  1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17

[2]  John 16:33