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Thursday, January 27, 2011

We're Under a Car Curse


Really? My kids have now totaled three cars in less than three years? When you hear the expression "the car was totaled" don't you envision a REALLY crunched car? I am here to tell you that just a fender-bender can force our family to have to claim a loss and start over.

A few nights ago my middle two who go to the same college and three extra friends were headed across the state to visit due to the break between Jan-term and 2nd semester. I got a phone call saying they’d spun out and hit the guard rail after stopping for gas. The Audi wasn’t safe to drive so they’d be spending the night at a local hotel. They called their Dad first, not me. Should I take that personally?

I headed over the Snoqualmie Pass yesterday to pick them up, see the damage, and determine what we’d do about the car. Well… even though they were only going about 15 mph, enough damage was done to the front end and under the hood that it would cost more to get it repaired than the car was worth. It has been a money pit from day one. Enough is enough and the car is now on Craig’s list for parts (long story, but the same thing has happened to two other used cars our teens have accidentally crashed…)

You might think I’ve raised a bunch of reckless drivers- well, perhaps one of them is. (I’ll call him Earl to protect his identity.) Really, my kids just figure out a way to make me wish my husband had bought collision insurance!

I prayed really hard before they left Spokane that they’d have a safe drive through the pass since it can be quite snowy and dangerous. I guess I should have prayed for the entire trip to be safe and the car to be safe; the wreck happened before they even got to the pass. Do you ever think maybe your prayers aren't specific enough?

As I marveled at God's creation yesterday on my drive over the mountains, I was reminded that each time my children have been in an accident (3 times!) God has kept them from physical harm. “He will rescue you again and again so that no evil can touch you.” Job 5:19

Granted, the car is crunched, our budget is crunched, immediate plans are changed and the parental unit is quite frustrated. But then we remember that God has protected our kids and no one got hurt. In the end, that’s what matters most.

Do you think that “Earl” will learn from this? Perhaps my daughter was right when she said the Carvers are under a “car curse”. Does anyone have a buy one, get two cars free deal? We were already looking before this happened...

In His Grip, Jane

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