I am going to die in the next 10 seconds...

This thought crossed my mind as I was sliding toward the cross street. It was a wintry, icy night, as I left my house to head the 7 miles to the church to play in the basketball league. I was excited that the league was starting back up, but not so excited that our first game was at 9:30 p.m. That's past my bedtime. I'm not good for much of anything at that late hour! But, for basketball, I made an exception, and I was still excited.

Every time there is any snow on the ground, or ice, or it's raining, or if the forecast calls for any inclement weather (over the next week), I make it my excuse to use the suburan, although it is gas guzzling fiend. I feel safer in it (especially in bad weather) and I just like driving it. I love having my first four-wheel drive vehicle, but I sometimes forget that ice is still ice, big 4 wheel drive car or not.

I was driving fairly slowly down my side street, figuring I would take my time getting there, because I could tell it was icy. But as I saw a couple cars pull onto our street, and I tried to apply the brake, a long ways before the stop sign and cross road, I began to slide. Pumping did nothing, and I knew right away that there was no stopping this car. I could have possibly pulled it into the ditch on my right; but instead I keep trying to stop it as I slid, with no dry ground in sight.

In my mind, I imagined what I figured was inevitable: I would go out into the intersection and get broadsided on the drivers side; and that would be it...atleast for my time here on earth. I tensed up (which I realize is not a good thing to do); and I began to pray (that is a good thing to do). As I slid past the stop sign into the crossroad, I looked left, relieved there was no car in sight (I was surprised as well); then to my right, and again, no cars (very rare). In the middle of the crossroad, I hit a dry patch, the tires took hold, and I was able to turn right, even though I needed to go left. That's o.k. The fact that I was still living, and the bonus that the car was still without a scratch, made me not care so much that I was headed the wrong direction!

Once I turned around, and headed back past my street, I then saw a stream of cars, probably 7 in a row racing past me. I continued praising God: "Lord, those cars could have been here a minute ago; and I would have been with you. Thank you for saving my life." I then spent the rest of the trip to church talking to God about the brevity of life, how grateful I was for the time I had; and how committed I was to using whatever days He had left for me, for His glory.

As I am sure we all have had, I have also had past "near death" experiences. I realize that it is also possible that I could have been hit and still survived; but I also know the possibility that I would not have. But, this was the most recent one for me; and it is in moments like this, that everything seems to become crystal clear: what is truly important and what is temporal; time I have wasted, and times in which I have invested in people; what I need to focus on in the future, and what I shouldn't take so seriously.

I think I grew a little bit more in those 10 seconds; and I pray it will result in a more dedicated life with the breath I have left.

Thanks again God.