Angels Watching Over Me

Do you remember that song from the 80's by Amy Grant? This part of the song keeps playing in my head: 


God only knows the times my life was threatened just today.

A reckless car ran out of gas before it ran my way.
Near misses all around me, accidents unknown,
Though I never see with human eyes the hands that lead me home.
But I know they're all around me all day and through the night.
When the enemy is closing in, I know sometimes they fight
To keep my feet from falling, I'll never turn away.
If you're asking what's protecting me then you're gonna hear me say:

Got His angels watching over me, every move I make,
Angles watching over me!
Angels watching over me, every step I take,
Angels watching over me....

Friday afternoon, I picked up Hannah early from the District Track Meet.  My Freshman daughter made it to the Varsity Finals in discus and I made it just in time to see her throw.  Before we left, her coach told us that she placed 5th or 6th.  I was proud of her, as always. 

We made our way quickly to the Matthew West and Casting Crowns concert...which was amazing.  It was the perfect start to our weekend.  On the drive home, my baby girl and I had fun talking about the week's events and our favorite songs at the concert.  We stopped to get some lemonade from Chick Fillet-A and then made the drive home.

About 25 miles from home, on the interstate going 75 miles per hour, the truck in front of us slammed on his brakes and veered into the inside lane.  As the truck moved to the inside lane, I watched in horror to see a car driving in reverse headed straight for us!

I remember thinking the car was going extremely fast and in the outside lane, just like us.  I too slammed on my breaks, steered towards the inside lane while trying to avoid the truck that was right in front of us, and trying to avoid the car going in reverse who had now steered its car and was coming straight at us.

I remember grabbing Hannah's arm, stepping on the break with all my might, and steering my car towards the median and bracing for the impact I knew was inevitable.  I thought that I was screaming, "No! No! No!" at the top of my lungs, but Hannah later told me that I didn't scream at all....I must have been screaming on the inside!  In the split seconds that followed, I saw Hannah's precious life flash before my eyes as I noticed a semi truck quickly approaching us from behind. 

Somehow, in all of God's mercy and grace, God caused the truck that was in front of us to get out of our way, the car that was going full blast in reverse turned back into the right hand lane, and the semi directly behind us now was able to stop before crashing into us.  What should have caused serious damage...or worse I fear, didn't happen.  God saw it all and took care of us as only He could! 

I had the shakes as I pulled back into the middle lane and looked in my rear view mirror to see so many cars swerving into the bar ditches and median trying to avoid the speeding car that was driving in reverse.  My phone had hit the floorboard as we had slammed on the breaks, but we were able to dial 911 using Hannah's phone.  The phone rang 15 times before they answered!  The dispatcher on the other side wanted the make, model, and license plate of the car...seriously?!  It was pitch black and all of this happened at 75 miles per hour.  I was just thankful to have avoided it all by the grace of God.  No, I didn't know the make or the model or even the license plate.  I only knew the mile marker.  Hopefully, they were able to stop the driver before any serious damages were done. 

Hannah was so brave the whole time and she tells me that I was too.  I didn't feel so brave when I got home and was shaking and dry heaving over the very thought of what could have happened.  It sickens me to even write about it now! 

I'm thankful for how God so graciously took care of us and reminded once again to not take life for granted.  Each day is a gift....and each new day is filled with new mercies and His great faithfulness. 
"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22.