02:37pm to 02:49pm
04:35pm to 04:45pm
I knew it had to be around 2:50pm. These are the times Allstate Drivewise gave me to choose between when my vehicle accident happened on August 10, 2024.
I opened my eyes to find myself laying on my left side. In fact, my 2008 Hyundai Veracruz SE was laying on the driver’s side. I opened my eyes and saw the front windshield shattered. All the items that resided in the center console was now outside the driver’s side open window. As I gathered my thoughts and situation, I saw my left hand stuck between a floor mat and the driver’s side door. Removing my hand was possible but the rubber was stopping it from becoming free. I used my right hand to remove the last two fingers from between the mat and door. In looking closer I recognized that the mat outside the vehicle was previously laying on the passenger side floor.
As I looked around the interior, everything in the back seat and cargo area was now laying on the same side of the car as I. There was water all over the passenger side seat. I saw the once full water bottle lodged in the passenger wheel well. I hadn’t peed my pants through all of this, yet my fancy water bottle couldn’t keep it together. My feet were tangled up in the driver’s side floor mat, and somewhere my cell phone that was once on the passenger’s seat was now missing. I figured it was thrown outside the vehicle with everything else.
Soon I heard footsteps outside and someone ask, “Are you okay?” I realized that there was no blood or open lacerations on my head or body that I could tell. Mainly I was shaken and in some deal of pain. I replied that I was okay. Another voice outside asked the same question and whether or not I could move. I unbuckled my seat belt and slumped over to my left side onto the inside driver’s door. I turned the engine off. The guys outside my vehicle asked if there was a way I could exit safely. The vehicle was turned back on, and I opened the sunroof.
It was awesome to see the four guys who had become good Samaritans to assist me at my accident. I said that I would try to get out via the sunroof. I thought that it would be easier to get a camel through a needle since I have some weight. One of the guys told me to “suck it in” to which I just laughed. Nope, not that day. I then sat back onto the console and looked up. I told the guys I was going to try to exit via the passenger side front door. They all agreed it was possible. One voiced that I should be careful as the vehicle could rock back and into the deeper part of the ditch.
I climbed the interior of the that Hyundai like a rock wall losing my one of my shoes in the process. Once on “top” of my sideways car, I turned myself around and sat on the edge of the roof/open door. One of the guys had the passenger door held open. So gentlemanly. They said to drop down and onto the pavement. As I did my momentum of jumping from the “top” of the vehicle shook it enough that the passenger’s door fell out of the Samaritan’s hands and onto my right hand. It was only the rubber trim, yet I couldn’t pull it out. Once again, another Samaritan climbed in enough to open the door so that I was finally free. I stumbled over to the side of the road and laid down.
The Samaritans were already calling 911, and soon the paramedics arrived with the Sheriff Deputies soon thereafter. The paramedics asked me the same thing as the Samaritans and even felt around my head. They helped me to my feet and into the ambulance to continue checking me out. One of the Deputies climbed in as well to get my information. The paramedics finished and asked if I wanted to be transported to the hospital. I replied no since they said I was visibly okay. I was still shaken and had a headache, but not any whiplash. The prescription was two Tylenol and to call someone in the morning. The Deputy finished and returned my insurance cards.
A local towing company took the Falcon (like the Millenium Falcon from Star Wars) to their lot. I collected my worldly possessions on the road prior to the paramedics driving me to the golf course where I was attempting to meet with coworkers for a tournament. My cell phone was underneath the driver’s side floor mat. According to the accident report I was oversteering when my vehicle went off the road. Thus, it caused me to hit an embankment and go airborne for ten feet before landing on the post of the next mailbox. The mailbox was fine.
While sitting there in the clubhouse, I was so shaken up that I began to tremble and cry until it was out of my system. My head hurt, my fingers hurt, and definitely my right hand felt like it would be better cut off. My brother showed up and took me home to clean up and go to bed. I was still so shaken up that I took Monday off work. I still had to get the accident report and collect the things in my vehicle at the towing company. Lastly, I needed to get a rental car. All the above was completed.
Once back home I sat down at my dining room table and just cried. I cried to the Lord asking for forgiveness in case this was discipline. He and I have been at the same spot several times with discipline instead of simple trust. John Newton once said, “I have reasons to praise him for my trials, for, most probably, I should have been ruined without them.” This was love shown to me. What?! Love shown through an accident that destroys your vehicle? Yes, love. It wasn’t my vehicle that flew those ten feet. It was God’s. And if he wants to use my Hyundai as a Matchbox car then so be it. He gave it to me anyway.
James 1:2-3 tells us; “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produce perseverance.” Not that my faith is listed in the book of Hebrews 11, but I aspire to belong to that group of brothers and sisters. Just enough for a grain of mustard seed is sufficient according to Jesus. Yet I continue to ask my Lord to increase my faith as the Centurian implored. So, a flying Falcon is used to put faith to the test. May it ever be so, my Lord. You provided the Hyundai, so you will continue your faithfulness for the next vehicle. While I wait, I know the rules provided by my Lord. Don’t make any moves, listen and be quiet, eyes on him, praise him through everything, and most importantly lean ever more into him throughout the process.
The process isn’t always rainbows and gumdrops, sin is ever at my door. Yet my Lord will never let me go. The process is refinement thus producing perseverance. Steadfastness. Unmovable. Persistence. Resoluteness. Stayability. Endurance. Patience. Whoop, there it is kids. Patience is produced via trials and testing. The one fruit of the Spirit that is ever elusive to my non-patient soul. May it be to me, Lord, as you have planned.
Grace and peace, James
*Scripture from ESV, Crossway Publishers, 2001
*Allstate, Drivewise, and the Allstate Mobile App are registered trademarks of Allstate Insurance Company, 2024
*Hyundai is a registered trademark of Hyundai Motor Company, 2024
*Matchbox is a registered trademark of Mattel Toy Company, 2024
*Star Wars and the Millenium Falcon are registered trademarks of Lucas Film LTD and The Walt Disney Company, 2024