Our head pastor and his wife were in a horrible wreck the Saturday before Palm Sunday. They were both badly injured. Today was his first day back preaching. He was standing in the pulpit wearing a neck brace. His wife has yet to come back to church (her recovery has been slow due to the severity of her injuries). He stood up there and described what happened. He was napping as they were driving back from seeing family just a few hours north of Mobile. His wife was driving down I-65. The next thing he knows, he's awakened by his wife saying, "Oh God, I have just run off the road." From other accounts, they have figured out that they flipped 5 times before coming to a halt upside down about 5 miles outside of Greenville. He only remembers bits of what happened b/c he lost consciousness. But at one point, they woke him up in the ambulance and told him to say goodbye to his wife and tell her that he loved her b/c she was being air lifted to Mobile.
He went on to say that it's been really hard and to thank those that have been so kind and talked to him the couple of Sundays that he came to church (without his wife) to just participate in the services. He said that it's really hard to go through something like this and then come home. (He and his wife have been staying with their daughter, son-in-law, and new grandbaby.) I can't imagine what it's been like for their family. All I have to say is that it's a miracle that they're both alive (considering the crash and injuries). You know, for someone to just be celebrating a new baby in the family and then be struck by tragedy is just awful. However, he (and his family) have been able to get through it - with the help of many, I'm sure. I guess it just goes to show you that no matter how miserable you are or how hard things get, God sends people and messages for you. Whether they're messages of love or a reality check, He's got it covered.
Another thing that our pastor said today - bad things happen quickly. It's the good things that take a while - like finishing school or building a life with someone. I just thought that was very true. You never see the bad things coming. They just hit and move on - like the damage in T-town due to the tornadoes or a car wreck that changes your life. But, good things - like recovery and the help of friends - those take time. Just as healing.
