I knew in all likelihood that I was going to get one of those calls some day... a call from one of my girls who had been in an accident. The chances were even higher since we live in an ever on-and-off snowy, icy, slushy Midwest winter state.
"Mom?! I rolled my car and I'm so scared!" wailed Olivia over the phone on a warm but extremely snowy night. My heart sank into my stomach like every mom who has ever gotten such a call. "Call 911! I'm coming!" was all I managed to get out as I ran upstairs to wake up Brad and bolted for the door.
How did this happen? An hour ago there was no snow on the roads? Olivia had just left work and was trying to make it home. I called Olivia back and tried to calm her down as we plowed our way through the snow eight miles down the road to where we found her car on its side. Some kind people helped Olivia climb out of the "top" of her car (which was the passenger side door) and she tried to warm up in the cop car as she waited for us. I could hear through my end of the phone how the officer was kind, calm, and reassuring to Olivia. We were almost there. It was a blur of snow, headlights, and strobes lights as we approached.
Olivia is still very scared to drive in the snow, and we will be working on that again next winter, I'm sure. It reminds me that this world is a scary place. Bad things happen to us, and around us, all the time. Sometimes it feels so out of control and it's no wonder we feel anxiety. Still, I am reminded again that when I watched my girls drive off for the first time I had to let go of my anxiety and worry. I had to trust that God cares for them more than I do. He knows that they will encounter bad things in this world, but He also promises that He has it all figured out. "In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! For I have overcome the world." John 16:33
