All I Can Say is “Thank You”

“I will praise You, Lord, with all my heart. I will tell all the miracles You have done. I will be happy because of You; God Most High, I will sing praises to Your name.” Psalm 9:1-2 (NCV) 

November 17, 2022: “Mom, I flipped. I had to be cut out!” 

Suddenly the phone seemed like a stranger in my hand. My mind tried to register what “flipped” meant. “I had to be cut out.” quickly rose as a lump in my throat. “Where are you? Your dad and I are on our way.”  As I looked at the phone in disbelief, I felt a strange calmness. Too calm. Heading to the location, Newberry Road in Jonesville by the Circle K, I did not even speed. However, I did call her back to confirm if what I heard was real. Car accident. Flipped over. Cut out. No answer. “I just talked to her,” I pondered. She said she was standing on the grass by Circle K. My mind wanted to wander to the dark side; but still, I felt calm. Enroute, I prayed aloud and called Silent Unity for prayers. We arrived about 20 minutes later. I saw them loading her smashed Nissan Versa on the wrecker.  

 Angel was standing on the grass by Circle K. No visible injuries. No blood. I hugged her as if seeing her for the first time. The officers looked at her, her car and shook their heads. I held my daughter.  

I learned she was hit on the passenger’s side, her car flipped over on the driver’s side and landed upside down on the left turning lane median. She remembered seeing the car head towards her, thinking “I got no place to go.” Next thing she remembered was being upside down; held tightly by her seatbelt, thinking “I can’t get out.” Within seconds, she heard her car door open. There stood a nurse and a surgeon from Shands. They cut her out of her seatbelt. A sleeping bag kept in the back seat for her dog, Rise, landed on her lap and fell out as the door opened. She crawled out on the sleeping bag, protecting her knees from the glass. Lots of onlookers helped, prayed, and consoled her. She looked up and saw a friend. She collapsed in her arms crying.  

I was thankful her vehicle was right side up when we arrived. Her car was so smashed, I did not think I could handle seeing it overturned. That night, I thought, “I want a total picture of what God saved Angel from.” I posted a request on Instagram and Facebook. Levi, a dear friend, posted a Facebook request asking witnesses with pictures to contact her. No response. Then, Saturday, two days later, at a Friendsgiving at our *framily, Mark’s and Jennifer’s house, something amazing happened. I overheard Angel telling a guest about her accident. “That was you? My son and I saw that.” Listening in, I asked, “did you take pictures?” “My son did,” he replied. Within minutes he contacted his son and had the pictures. Gazing at the pictures, I felt sick to my stomach. Sharing the pictures, I felt unhinged. Then, that calmness again. Like mom said, “Nothing but the Lord.”

Now, I realize why I was so calm. God had already taken care of Angel’s needs before Larry, and I arrived. Highway Patrols, Police Officers, angelic strangers, and a good friend. My framily, Mark, put it beautifully. Well, “dang,” he said, “she had a nurse and a surgeon cut her out of her seatbelt, she had a sleeping bag there to protect her as she crawled out and she had a special friend to hug her, that’s pretty amazing.” Tears streaming down my face, I agreed “you are so right. “Yes, it is…Yes, He is.” 

 “Nothing but the Lord” continues as we navigate through the aftermath. One by one, the help and healing Angel needs has been above and beyond. 

Dear God, thank You so much for protecting and saving my child. Words cannot express how thankful I feel. Guide, lead, protect her all the days of her life.  I can’t help but think about other accident victims and their families who did not have this outcome. God, please hold them close and comfort them.  I praise and honor You, in the name of Jesus. Thank You. Amen!  

 *Framily – people who are not related but are very close friends and are very important to you; family. (Buzzword, Macmillan Dictionary, 2008)