Back from a wonderful weekend in Buffalo, time well spent with fellow brothers and sister: Raymond, Theresa and Alice. It was a great time of fellowship, testimony sharing, and just plain getting to know one another.
As I remembered from my backpacking trip last October, just when you think you have learned everything you can learn from an experience, God usually has something more in stored for you.
As we left Buffalo this morning, we reflected on what we gained from this retreat. We all learn more about ourselves and each other. One thing I realized is that over the last week of busyness, I did not spent adequate quiet time with God, and hence I felt distanced from Him. My journals were shallow and my heart was not in a meditative mood.
But what God had planned for us on our way home literally shock all that up. What happened, in my mind, was nothing short of a miracle. This just proves that God is constantly watching over us. We could of easily took the drive to and from Buffalo for granted, but before we set out on the road we made sure we committed out safety to the Lord.
And when we left Buffalo, the road conditions were almost ideal. Rain covered the roads, washed away most of the snow and ice that accumulated over the last two weeks. After the long 1 1 /2 hours drive, we were near the church, travelling north on the Hwy 404. We were all excited to be back at church soon, which is only about 5 minutes away. In a distance I noticed several police cars with the lights flashing, so while I was on the fast lane, I slowed down my car to the 100km/hr speed limit. Then all of a sudden, without warning, all 4 wheels slipped on the road. Immediately, I knew we were in trouble.
I am not sure about Theresa, Alice and Raymond, but time seem to slow down. I fought to keep my car in my lane, but soon I knew it was impossible. So as I looked into the rear view mirror to check the traffic behind me, my worst fears came true. Behind me, in all 4 lanes, there were cars, at least 2 - 3 rows deep. Beside me on my right, was a mini van that somehow have passed us as I fought to keep the car in my lane. When I knew it was impossible to keep the car in my lane, I focused on steering the car to the right so that we wouldn't hit the center median travelling at 100km/hr. We skidded across all four lanes of the highway, no longer needed to check my mirrors as the broad-side of my car was not facing on coming traffic.
Immediately, memories of Cindy Lam came into mind. So this was what she experienced before being called back to heaven. And I began praying of the occupants of my vehicle. I braced for the impact that never came as I tried to skid across the four lanes as quickly as possible to avoid the traffic behind me and hopefully slow down on the shoulder. As I near the shoulders, due to the compensation in steering, the tail of the car began to swing 180° toward the right side of the highway.
My next worry, the ditch pass the shoulder. But that worry was soon dissolved as we came under the John St. overpass. That means no ditch to worry about and the tail of my car continue to swing towards the concrete barrier under the bridge and brush against it. And we bounced off the bridge and all of a sudden I was in the right most lane, facing the right direction of the highway, with all the traffic still behind me. I attempted to give it gas move let the momentum carry the car forward again but by now because I was in the wrong gear we continue to spin and ended up facing all the on coming traffic, on the right most two lanes, car stalled. Amazingly, all the traffic behind me stopped.
I quickly restarted the car, drove to the shoulder, made sure everyone was okay and got out to check the damages. I was dumbfound when I walk to the back of my car and saw not even a scratch on my car. The only thing remained that reminded us of what happened was the smell of burning rubber from the tires.
Immediately, while we were still sitting on the shoulders, mom and Angie called my cell phone to warn me how slippery the roads are in Richmond Hill. I know they have been praying for us and God have prompted them to call at that time. On the remaining short drive to church, we saw two accidents on the side of the highway, car flipped up-side-down and torn in half.
I believe what happened was nothing short of a miracle. To skid across 4 lanes of a busy highway, bounce off a concrete barrier and then stalled facing the wrong direction of the highway, the only way to explain this was because of God's grace. His protection.
My deepest worries were for the occupants of my car: Theresa, Alice and Raymond. God could have called me back to his side today, but that was not His plan apparently. There was nothing I could have done to prevent to spun out. It was truly an wake up call from God. And by his grace, I am alive to give an account to this miracle.
Truly, I am living on borrowed time. Though shaken up, I know God is reminding me to make the most out of the time He has given me.
As I remembered from my backpacking trip last October, just when you think you have learned everything you can learn from an experience, God usually has something more in stored for you.
As we left Buffalo this morning, we reflected on what we gained from this retreat. We all learn more about ourselves and each other. One thing I realized is that over the last week of busyness, I did not spent adequate quiet time with God, and hence I felt distanced from Him. My journals were shallow and my heart was not in a meditative mood.
But what God had planned for us on our way home literally shock all that up. What happened, in my mind, was nothing short of a miracle. This just proves that God is constantly watching over us. We could of easily took the drive to and from Buffalo for granted, but before we set out on the road we made sure we committed out safety to the Lord.
And when we left Buffalo, the road conditions were almost ideal. Rain covered the roads, washed away most of the snow and ice that accumulated over the last two weeks. After the long 1 1 /2 hours drive, we were near the church, travelling north on the Hwy 404. We were all excited to be back at church soon, which is only about 5 minutes away. In a distance I noticed several police cars with the lights flashing, so while I was on the fast lane, I slowed down my car to the 100km/hr speed limit. Then all of a sudden, without warning, all 4 wheels slipped on the road. Immediately, I knew we were in trouble.
I am not sure about Theresa, Alice and Raymond, but time seem to slow down. I fought to keep my car in my lane, but soon I knew it was impossible. So as I looked into the rear view mirror to check the traffic behind me, my worst fears came true. Behind me, in all 4 lanes, there were cars, at least 2 - 3 rows deep. Beside me on my right, was a mini van that somehow have passed us as I fought to keep the car in my lane. When I knew it was impossible to keep the car in my lane, I focused on steering the car to the right so that we wouldn't hit the center median travelling at 100km/hr. We skidded across all four lanes of the highway, no longer needed to check my mirrors as the broad-side of my car was not facing on coming traffic.
Immediately, memories of Cindy Lam came into mind. So this was what she experienced before being called back to heaven. And I began praying of the occupants of my vehicle. I braced for the impact that never came as I tried to skid across the four lanes as quickly as possible to avoid the traffic behind me and hopefully slow down on the shoulder. As I near the shoulders, due to the compensation in steering, the tail of the car began to swing 180° toward the right side of the highway.
My next worry, the ditch pass the shoulder. But that worry was soon dissolved as we came under the John St. overpass. That means no ditch to worry about and the tail of my car continue to swing towards the concrete barrier under the bridge and brush against it. And we bounced off the bridge and all of a sudden I was in the right most lane, facing the right direction of the highway, with all the traffic still behind me. I attempted to give it gas move let the momentum carry the car forward again but by now because I was in the wrong gear we continue to spin and ended up facing all the on coming traffic, on the right most two lanes, car stalled. Amazingly, all the traffic behind me stopped.
I quickly restarted the car, drove to the shoulder, made sure everyone was okay and got out to check the damages. I was dumbfound when I walk to the back of my car and saw not even a scratch on my car. The only thing remained that reminded us of what happened was the smell of burning rubber from the tires.
Immediately, while we were still sitting on the shoulders, mom and Angie called my cell phone to warn me how slippery the roads are in Richmond Hill. I know they have been praying for us and God have prompted them to call at that time. On the remaining short drive to church, we saw two accidents on the side of the highway, car flipped up-side-down and torn in half.
I believe what happened was nothing short of a miracle. To skid across 4 lanes of a busy highway, bounce off a concrete barrier and then stalled facing the wrong direction of the highway, the only way to explain this was because of God's grace. His protection.
My deepest worries were for the occupants of my car: Theresa, Alice and Raymond. God could have called me back to his side today, but that was not His plan apparently. There was nothing I could have done to prevent to spun out. It was truly an wake up call from God. And by his grace, I am alive to give an account to this miracle.
Truly, I am living on borrowed time. Though shaken up, I know God is reminding me to make the most out of the time He has given me.
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