Prayers please

You know those phone calls that start "It's ok and I'm alright, but..."

No one was hurt, but Jeff was in a bad accident tonight - a car filled with teenage boys (evidently from Central Casting on their way to make that movie about misfits who look like trouble but are actually decent kids under the tatoos and bad hair) turned left in front of him and pretty much totalled the van. Nice men (also with hearts of gold - direct quote "Well, I have handicapped people at my church, so I just wanted to help him.") pulled remarkably undamaged Jeff and somewhat mangled (but still working!) wheelchair out of the van. Nice Men put Jeff and chair back together and then hung out to make sure he was ok until I got there.

Our neighbor saw the accident and came to get me, so Eli and I went to the scene, a couple of miles away, and waited while they cleaned up. Poor Eli - it was a little overwhelming, but he did so great. Then the three of us took the bus home.

Which is the first day of the rest of our lives for a while, because Jeff can't really get around in other people's cars. He rides this big electric scooter than doesnt do anything like fold. And it's going to be a couple of months at least to either get a new van outfitted so Jeff can drive it (if the insurance company totals it), or to fix it at the auto body shop where everybody knows our name.

So we're resisting the urge to get all bent out of shape about the major inconvenience it causes us to have to take the bus anywhere we want to go as a family. We're remembering that things mostly work out for us, and expecting that this will too, and anyway we LIKE the bus and we believe in it. It's just something to get used to again, and getting used to things you didn't choose - meh! - who needs that?

Please pray for Jeff who is so sore and feeling lousy, even though in this "fault" state, he is not at fault. And for me, and for the migraine, the medicine for which Jeff was bringing home in the van, and which was lost in the accident. And for Eli, that his dreams won't be too dark tonight. And for all of us with mixed up hearts tonight - grief and gratitude and fear and shock and joy, but mostly mostly mostly gratitude. Thanks and Amen.