4/1/2012
New Truck, new boat, trailer, iPhone 4s, lowrance elite 5 dsi & c510x, bundle of rods and reels, tackle galore, to name a few "things"...cool material items to have, but nothing beats going to bed tonight with my wife next to me, unscathed.
It was a wonderful day today....just in general.... All the way around. It stared out with a nice early morning grabbing my bass gear and heading to North Gwinnett Church to lead worship playing bass with some great people. Had a rocking time and God was felt there today, there was a baptism as well. I was even able to learn a new song today that was awesome to play and sing harmony to...Furious by Jeremy Riddle, check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyT9W5C1L-4&feature=youtube_gdata_player
After playing at service I headed back to the house calling my beautiful bride to make sure she would be ready to go when I arrived as we had planned a fun, relaxing day on Lake Lanier. Trailered our new boat up with our new truck and put everything in its place (many of those items listed above), stopped at Publix for some subs, oh yeah...that's the good stuff, and we were on our way. We arrived at East Bank Park and there was a park ranger there with a sign stating "park full" and I noticed a few boats had just left, he allowed us in and to stay if there was room and there was (still busy though), Sweet! God is good! The little things count too, right!?
We got on the lake and weâre off, not too fast though as I was still taking it easy for my sweetheart because she was just getting used to riding in a boat. Met up with a buddy of mine in sunset cove which was indeed packed out! We received bountiful complements about the condition of our new (2000 year model) boat and about how nice it had been kept up. It's funny; God enabled me to purchase the boat from someone that takes great care of their items just as I do. We then ventured on to pick up my brother and his sweet wife to go "boating" and just to hang out with each other. We spent several hours with them and it was SO MUCH FUN!!! I was even able to cast a few lines and snag a little spotted bass, good stuff! I was so proud to show my big brother my boat and take him out. Showing him the new electronics I just put on last weekend and showed him everything was in perfect working condition....even the speedometer started working again after I fixed the pilot hole last weekend.
We dropped them off and headed back in, got the boat out of the water, cleaned her off, strapped her down and we headed back to the house. I left the windows down from when I put the boat up as it turning out to be just as beautiful of an evening as it was all day. "Honey" My wife stated, âI had the wind blowing on me all day", to which I responded with rolling up her window and adjusting the others so it did not blow her hair all around..... I love her so much, very hard to explain or tell others. We truly are best friends.
I had purchased a new roller for the boat trailer and was going to put it on today when the boat was in the water as our other roller was cracking and having trouble, basically started showing its age a little. That guy was on tight and I didn't grab both tool boxes I needed to actually swap them out. So we didn't get it on there, with the windows down, I heard the boat bumping around a little differently than I would have liked and stopped to tighten up the wench. Better. We got out onto Hwy 20 and I heard another noise I had though, pulled off on the side of the road and checked everything again, ready to roll... Pulled back out and came to the stop light at Nelson brogdon blvd. (hwy 20) and peachtree industrial blvd in the right lane... Cutting up with the wife and talking about the wonderful day we had at the stop light.
Green light.
I give it the normal gas and as I pull just halfway through the intersection...I see headlights coming in hot after I pass the first 2 lanes of cars. I gun it instead of slamming the brakes because when I looked to my right, they were right by my best friend.
We were hit. More noise than I can describe just occurred, but here it goes.
I look to my bride and see God prevailed. I look in the passenger mirror; it's my back corner panel after the tire and some tailgate....then a whole lot of trailer and some boat⦠so much that my attention switched to the rear view mirror.
Airborne.
The force of the impact breaks the 2 back straps holding the boat on along with the 3 straps up front knocking off our locked trailer to the hitch as well (chains held). I then look in the driver side mirror to see our boat soaring into the night light, landing, and then continuing to skid across the HWY towards the median. I look back at the rear view, then the passenger to notice that I do not see this vehicle. "WHAT IS HAPPENING, HONEY ARE YOU OK?!" I yelled and we started coming to a complete stop. As I am looking at the passenger mirror, it passes, quickly...."they are not stopping", I thought to myself.
My brain goes into over drive like a sponge soaking up water.
Maroon/burgundy early 2000's ford explorer, rims...they still are not stopping, I continued to think to myself....front left tire wobbling horribly, is it smoking?, tag...I must get the tag. They canât make it far, can they? I focus even more, it's like my eyes had a zoom function. ADV1522, ADV1522, I continued repeating until Nikki realized what I was yelling. "are you ok?" "yes" she states, "my phone, where is it? I don't see itâ¦write down that tag number".
Hit and run.
We get out. I'm shaking, we hug. People rush over, "is everyone ok" shouted by several bystanders getting out of their vehicles to check. Many started driving again... LITERALLY WEAVING THROUGH THE WRECKAGE FROM A MOVIE SCENE, INSANE! Multiple citizens stayed to testify witness. Again, God is so good.
What matters.
I did get upset, but I did not get raging mad. I was more overwhelmed with joy that my wife and I were unharmed, so blessed. I could have easily started with "why God" but it never crossed my mind, I could only express my thankfulness for his hedge of protection provided over the both of us. Could it be that I just conversed with a friend today about Job out of the bible? Can't say.
This is what I can say.
My wife and I practice being good stewards of our money and other items God has decided to bless us with and allow us to have. Always reminding ourselves that these are material items and although they may be nice to have, not to get attached to them so much that you would ask "why God" if something were to happen to them. I can also say it does stink, and may be a pain to deal with the insurance company and police reports etc., which we are thankful to have, these are just material items to us and they can always be replaced.
God is good.
I found my iPhone... On the HWY, in one piece (technically), with multiple screen fractures (ouch!) the cops came, wrote our report, called the wreckers for us, said we did good getting the tag but canât promise us anything of course. Items were moved to a wreckage center. We headed home. My wife finally started getting emotional when we were on our way. "Itâs ok sweetheart", I said, "we're ok'. I parked at the house; we got out, and just held each other, her sobbing, wetting my shoulder. "I love you so much" we uttered to each other simultaneously. A good 5 minutes went by. We unpacked all the items we could salvage and set them in the garage. The whole time I'm thinking, "Thank you Lord, you are too good to us".
Blessed be his glorious name.
side note: I wrote about this the night it happened as I could not sleep, now I'm no writer, so I am sure there are imperfections...I really only told our family as I am still working out details and they have note found the guy yet...
New Truck, new boat, trailer, iPhone 4s, lowrance elite 5 dsi & c510x, bundle of rods and reels, tackle galore, to name a few "things"...cool material items to have, but nothing beats going to bed tonight with my wife next to me, unscathed.
It was a wonderful day today....just in general.... All the way around. It stared out with a nice early morning grabbing my bass gear and heading to North Gwinnett Church to lead worship playing bass with some great people. Had a rocking time and God was felt there today, there was a baptism as well. I was even able to learn a new song today that was awesome to play and sing harmony to...Furious by Jeremy Riddle, check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyT9W5C1L-4&feature=youtube_gdata_player
After playing at service I headed back to the house calling my beautiful bride to make sure she would be ready to go when I arrived as we had planned a fun, relaxing day on Lake Lanier. Trailered our new boat up with our new truck and put everything in its place (many of those items listed above), stopped at Publix for some subs, oh yeah...that's the good stuff, and we were on our way. We arrived at East Bank Park and there was a park ranger there with a sign stating "park full" and I noticed a few boats had just left, he allowed us in and to stay if there was room and there was (still busy though), Sweet! God is good! The little things count too, right!?
We got on the lake and weâre off, not too fast though as I was still taking it easy for my sweetheart because she was just getting used to riding in a boat. Met up with a buddy of mine in sunset cove which was indeed packed out! We received bountiful complements about the condition of our new (2000 year model) boat and about how nice it had been kept up. It's funny; God enabled me to purchase the boat from someone that takes great care of their items just as I do. We then ventured on to pick up my brother and his sweet wife to go "boating" and just to hang out with each other. We spent several hours with them and it was SO MUCH FUN!!! I was even able to cast a few lines and snag a little spotted bass, good stuff! I was so proud to show my big brother my boat and take him out. Showing him the new electronics I just put on last weekend and showed him everything was in perfect working condition....even the speedometer started working again after I fixed the pilot hole last weekend.
We dropped them off and headed back in, got the boat out of the water, cleaned her off, strapped her down and we headed back to the house. I left the windows down from when I put the boat up as it turning out to be just as beautiful of an evening as it was all day. "Honey" My wife stated, âI had the wind blowing on me all day", to which I responded with rolling up her window and adjusting the others so it did not blow her hair all around..... I love her so much, very hard to explain or tell others. We truly are best friends.
I had purchased a new roller for the boat trailer and was going to put it on today when the boat was in the water as our other roller was cracking and having trouble, basically started showing its age a little. That guy was on tight and I didn't grab both tool boxes I needed to actually swap them out. So we didn't get it on there, with the windows down, I heard the boat bumping around a little differently than I would have liked and stopped to tighten up the wench. Better. We got out onto Hwy 20 and I heard another noise I had though, pulled off on the side of the road and checked everything again, ready to roll... Pulled back out and came to the stop light at Nelson brogdon blvd. (hwy 20) and peachtree industrial blvd in the right lane... Cutting up with the wife and talking about the wonderful day we had at the stop light.
Green light.
I give it the normal gas and as I pull just halfway through the intersection...I see headlights coming in hot after I pass the first 2 lanes of cars. I gun it instead of slamming the brakes because when I looked to my right, they were right by my best friend.
We were hit. More noise than I can describe just occurred, but here it goes.
I look to my bride and see God prevailed. I look in the passenger mirror; it's my back corner panel after the tire and some tailgate....then a whole lot of trailer and some boat⦠so much that my attention switched to the rear view mirror.
Airborne.
The force of the impact breaks the 2 back straps holding the boat on along with the 3 straps up front knocking off our locked trailer to the hitch as well (chains held). I then look in the driver side mirror to see our boat soaring into the night light, landing, and then continuing to skid across the HWY towards the median. I look back at the rear view, then the passenger to notice that I do not see this vehicle. "WHAT IS HAPPENING, HONEY ARE YOU OK?!" I yelled and we started coming to a complete stop. As I am looking at the passenger mirror, it passes, quickly...."they are not stopping", I thought to myself.
My brain goes into over drive like a sponge soaking up water.
Maroon/burgundy early 2000's ford explorer, rims...they still are not stopping, I continued to think to myself....front left tire wobbling horribly, is it smoking?, tag...I must get the tag. They canât make it far, can they? I focus even more, it's like my eyes had a zoom function. ADV1522, ADV1522, I continued repeating until Nikki realized what I was yelling. "are you ok?" "yes" she states, "my phone, where is it? I don't see itâ¦write down that tag number".
Hit and run.
We get out. I'm shaking, we hug. People rush over, "is everyone ok" shouted by several bystanders getting out of their vehicles to check. Many started driving again... LITERALLY WEAVING THROUGH THE WRECKAGE FROM A MOVIE SCENE, INSANE! Multiple citizens stayed to testify witness. Again, God is so good.
What matters.
I did get upset, but I did not get raging mad. I was more overwhelmed with joy that my wife and I were unharmed, so blessed. I could have easily started with "why God" but it never crossed my mind, I could only express my thankfulness for his hedge of protection provided over the both of us. Could it be that I just conversed with a friend today about Job out of the bible? Can't say.
This is what I can say.
My wife and I practice being good stewards of our money and other items God has decided to bless us with and allow us to have. Always reminding ourselves that these are material items and although they may be nice to have, not to get attached to them so much that you would ask "why God" if something were to happen to them. I can also say it does stink, and may be a pain to deal with the insurance company and police reports etc., which we are thankful to have, these are just material items to us and they can always be replaced.
God is good.
I found my iPhone... On the HWY, in one piece (technically), with multiple screen fractures (ouch!) the cops came, wrote our report, called the wreckers for us, said we did good getting the tag but canât promise us anything of course. Items were moved to a wreckage center. We headed home. My wife finally started getting emotional when we were on our way. "Itâs ok sweetheart", I said, "we're ok'. I parked at the house; we got out, and just held each other, her sobbing, wetting my shoulder. "I love you so much" we uttered to each other simultaneously. A good 5 minutes went by. We unpacked all the items we could salvage and set them in the garage. The whole time I'm thinking, "Thank you Lord, you are too good to us".
Blessed be his glorious name.
side note: I wrote about this the night it happened as I could not sleep, now I'm no writer, so I am sure there are imperfections...I really only told our family as I am still working out details and they have note found the guy yet...
