Scary! (not a Halloween post)

We had quite a scare this morning. Here is what happened...

Steven takes Ellie and Luke to school every morning (Tues, Wed, & Thurs) on his way to work. This morning we were running a little late (as usual). I was helping them get out the door with Andrew on my hip. Steven had already turned the car on, and Ellie and Luke were buckled in the back. I walked back to the garage and realized the door was locked. I ran back to get Steven so I wouldn't be locked out of the house. He hopped out of the car and came to unlock the door. He was in the garage, I was standing on the driveway and I turned to see the car rolling off the driveway into the yard. I, of course, start screaming my head off "HURRY!!" -I think that is what I kept screaming. (kind of a blur) Steven makes a mad dash for the car, which at this point is past the yard, going downhill into the extreme weeded area, and quickly headed for the steep drop off which leads into a ravine-type thing (I guess that's what it's called-but I think you get the picture). Somehow-or because God sent His angels-Steven was able to get into the driver's seat and put his foot on the brake. Here are the pictures so you can get a better idea:

The driveway where the car started.


Where it ended up and where Steven was able to jump in.

This is how far the car was from the drop off.
The car might have been stopped by a tree? Not really sure.

Looking down the hill.

Looking back up towards the house.

So, there is Steven's ugly brown thing that I mentioned recently in a post. It's old, so when Steven pulled the keys out without putting the car in park, it let him, unlike a newer car.

So, from the time I saw the car moving until Steven was able to get in and stop it, the time that elapsed was probably about 5 seconds. It felt like 5 minutes (or longer). Ellie and Luke were definitely screaming and traumatized for a little while. But after we calmed down and they calmed down and I hugged and kissed their faces A LOT and stopped to thank the Lord for His grace and mercy(and haven't stopped all day long), I took them to school. They were eager to tell their friends and teachers about how daddy's car went "into the woods".

Steven stayed home to take care of getting the car out of the weeds/woods. I was sad Luke had to miss out on this. It was like a real-life Mater.


The tow guy (is that what they're called?) asked me if Steven was in trouble. You may be asking the same question. I couldn't get mad at him because...a very similar thing happened to me about two years ago. I think it was before my bloglife began, but I do have pictures. Wanna see?

No, this is not our house, this was our neighbor's house when we were living in a rental house. I managed to run the car into the side of their house. Thankfully, they go to our church and were very gracious about it, even though they had just painted the siding. I was not in the car, I was running beside it, trying to jump in-unsuccessfully, I might add. Are you wondering how this happened? I will swallow my pride and tell you. I was checking the mail and a spider jumped into my lap. I jumped out of the car. It went through the ditch, through a bush and into the house. Now you know why I had to keep my mouth shut today.

All day we have been saying, what if, what if? It could have been so much worse. It makes me wonder how many things God withholds from us during a day's time. Who knows why He allowed this to happen and did not allow something much worse to happen. Why did He choose to be merciful towards us? We don't know the mind of God, but we are so grateful tonight that He protected our family.

I don't want to be too dramatic, but Steven went to the visitation tonight for a man that has just passed away. And what he said when he got home is so very true. This life ends. It is fleeting. O Lord, may we lives our lives for the eternal, with our eyes fixed on the hope that is in Christ!

"Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." James 4:14