Accident (not accidental) blessings

Yesterday morning Pete left to take our car in to get the air conditioner fixed. The mechanic had ordered a part they needed from Saturn, which had come in, and so they were ready to fix the car.

A little while later, I got a call from Pete in which he said that just after leaving the mechanic's shop, he was in an accident. My first concerns were whether or not Pete was ok, and then if everyone else was, and how the the car was, where he needed me to pick him up, etc. But then, after hanging up the phone, I thought, "You have GOT to be kidding me! We just spent hundreds of dollars getting the air conditioner fixed, and now the car might be totaled!"

However, once I picked Pete up and got the rest of the story, I heard that this in fact was not the case. And in fact, that was just one aspect of the blessings we've received through all this. Here's the list so far....

1.) When Pete got to the mechanic's shop, they discovered Saturn had sent the wrong part. So the car never got fixed! Thank you Saturn -- and God!

2.) Pete is fine. I didn't realize how bad the accident was until I saw the car. Both the front and back are completely smashed. A pick-up truck plowed into Pete, who was stopped at red light, and pushed Pete's car into the one front of it, which pushed that car into the one in front of it. All of the people ended up being fine, although the woman in front of Pete was in apparent shock, and an ambulance came for her.

3.) The person who caused the accident had auto insurance.

4.) Right after it happened, our friend Bob, who is a police officer, happened to be driving by (off-duty) on his way to the beach. So he stopped and stayed with Pete, giving him a lot of good advice and help.

5.) Later, while Pete was waiting for me to pick him up at a Taco Bell across the street, in walked a friend of ours from church! Then, some of Pete's students came in, on their way to the Beach Project mission for the summer. I know he was thankful to have friendly people to talk to while he was catching his breath. All of this happened in Monroe, not exactly a small town, nor where we live... so I think it's cool that all these familiar people just happened upon him when he needed it!

It's clear that God's hand was protecting Pete in all this, and it's been another good reminder that even when "bad" things happen, He's right there in the midst, allowing nothing to happen that He's not a part of. I needed to hear that this week.