life's analogies/parables

the streets were getting bad. there was black ice forming from a misty rain, some sleet. the temp was no higher than 25 degrees. husband called. are you okay? yes, i'm fine. i'll be careful. oh, he's such a worry-wart. my own personal jewish mama, he is. almost home. approaching the last traffic light to turn right onto my street. the light must've been red because the lexus was stopped (he told me later). all i know is i tried to slow down and i couldn't. my brakes didn't work. i thought: this is the first time my brakes have not worked. i knew i was going to hit that car. i tried to veer to the left of him so i'd at least hit the side not his rear as i sailed past him and the light, pumping my brakes to no avail until 30 or 40 feet past the light my rav came to a stop, the brakes finally doing their job. car off, flashers on, i went to check on the person i'd hit. he was digging out of his air bag that had deployed so i must've hit him hard, he was after all sitting still at the light. he said "i'm fine. no, it wasn't your brakes. you hit ice. it's very icy here. are you okay? we're both fine. it was the ice, it was an accident. you didn't mean to do it. let's get out of the street. i've already called 911." he was very kind throughout the whole incident. thank you, Lord.

God speaks to us, teaches us in stories, in parables, in analogies. what's the story here? what's He saying here? speculating, as it's only the morning after the wreck with not much time to ponder, my initial thought is: appeciate my husband's cautious, loving concern, no more poo-pooing of that. he knows things i don't know. i'm not such a smarty pants. 

looking deeper tho, my thoughts remind me of how we were sitting at the stop lite of life four years ago and were slammed by suffering in april 05, fall 05, then again in april 06, each time involving our children.  and we're not out of the proverbial woods yet with other dates i won't name here. (yes, we are ready for them to cease and are praying to that end.) i promise you, we were sitting at the light, minding our own business and life slammed into us. God providentially ordaineth suffering (the lexus driver may not realize my slamming into him was ordaineth by our God in the grand scheme of things). one day i'll have permission to share these particular slammings in blog fashion. in the meantime, please know that we have plenty of support from those who know all details and have listened, counseled and held our hands thru every bit of it. there is wisdom in a multitude of counselors and we have taken stock in that scripture! (proverbs 15:22)

Westminster Confession of Faith, 1647

III, I

God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass;

V, I

God the Creator of all things doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by His most wise and holy providence, according to His infallible foreknowledge, in the free and immutable counsel of His own will, to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.