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Car Crash – What could have been!!!!!

Today started off as a pretty normal day! Got up at 6am as usual, had shower, breakfast and then sat down at my desk to work. All fine so far. I had an appointment to attend at 2pm and my day was scheduled to allow me to make that appointment 😉

Just after 9am I went down to have a coffee with Mary my good wife. She has been a bit under the weather this last week after a touch of food poisoning. In any case we were just sitting and discussing the day ahead etc……

Then my mobile phone rings which is usually work related. Conversation at my end goes something like this!!

“Hello!, (pause) OK where are you?, (pause) Are you OK?,

“OK then – phone the police and get them to attend” (pause) I am on my way see you soon – just phone me if you need to”!!!!!

By this point Mary is very concerned – she fears that Philip our son has had an accident with the car – he is travelling to University with his friend!!!!!!

I explain – “Philip is OK, He has been involved in a road traffic accident but OK! His friend who was travelling with him is OK too!!!!”

These words are not really any source of consolation! But I get my things together and head off to the scene of the accident.

When I get there about 15 mins later, the traffic is tailed back. I cannot see the scene – I worry about what I was going to find!!!!

Eventually, I get to the scene and I see the car – it has spun and skidded off the road then accross a pavement and down a 45 degree slope – about a 15 feet drop in all, and rolled 5 – 7 times before coming to a stop facing the main road.

See below!!!!!!!


Further investigation reveals that there is not a single undamaged panel on the car!!!! In fact its remarkable that the occupants were able to walk out of the car without significant injuries!


There was another car involved which had actually hit my sons ( wifes actually) car from behind causing him to spin and leave the road etc etc…….

Subject to insurance assessment I think its likely that the car is a write off!!!! Not good!!!!

As for Philip – well he has a very sore shoulder but seems to be OK otherwise – nothing broken for sure!!!! He will not be driving for a few days me thinks!

His parents – well we are relieved considering what could have been!!!!!! This crash makes the front page in the evening paper along with another accident where a motor cyclist was killed!!!!

One medic at the scene asks – “can Philip buy me a lottery ticket this weekend”???? His luck is clearly in!!!!! The professionals speculate that in other similar crashes – the occupants often sustain serious injury!!!!!

I feel that God was looking after him on this occassion and kept him and his passenger safe…. the other driver was also unscathed and claimed that he did not realise that he hit another car…..

So we give thanks that no serious injuries were sustained.

What could have been!!!!!!

View from drivers side ;-(

First Winter

When I awoke this morning – I went to my desk and this is the view that greeted me.


Overnight we have there has been some snow fall – about 1 – 1.5 inches I estimate so winter has arrived and to think that just last week we were on a holiday cruse on the Adriatic where the weather was nice and warm (25 degrees). But this is typical Scottish winter weather – I expect that the snow will not lye for very long on this occasion but it is a sign of things to come as the winter months proceed.

Memories – James Stephen Buchan

Today I am reminded that it is now 3 years to the day since my Dad passed away! Time seems to fly – but these three years have been quite challenging in many ways!

At the time I was working on the SSDN Intranet project – now known as Glow and was spending a lot of time down south in the Glasgow and Edinburgh areas. I recall being at a meeting in Stirling and getting the call that Dads health had deteriorated and that I should come home as soon as possible. This I did of course and he slipped away about 12.30am the following morning. We knew it would not be long but it is always a difficult thing to cope with when the moment of final parting comes.

My dad carried a short poem in his wallet which he often passed to people who were going through difficult times in their lives. He was a Christian and had a very strong faith! I won’t say much more about him but here are the words of the poem.

He Maketh No Mistake

My Father’s way may twist and turn,
My heart may throb and ache,
But in my soul I’m glad I know,
He maketh no mistake.

My cherished plans may go astray,
My hopes may fade away,
But still I’ll trust my Lord to lead
For He doth know the way.

Tho’ night be dark and it may seem
That day will never break;
I’ll pin my faith, my all in Him,
He maketh no mistake.

There’s so much now I cannot see,
My eyesight’s far too dim;
But come what may, I’ll simply trust
And leave it all to Him.

For by and by the mist will lift
And plain it all He’ll make,
Through all the way, tho’ dark to me,
He made not one mistake.

A. M. Overton

It is always difficult for us who are left behind because of our sense of loss, but at we can now take comfort from the fact that my Mam and Dad are now both at rest and together in the presence of God – which is the fulfilment of their shared faith.

A song my Mother would have sung

As I was making preparations for my Mothers funeral – I was caused to reflect on the past and many memories came flooding back to me. One was the sound of my Mam and Dad singing together as they sometime did when I was much younger. They would choose songs that they could sing which were based on their personal experience. The following lyric is the one that came most readily to my mind! I can actually hear them sing this together in my mind despite the fact that it is between 35 and 40 years since I heard them do this live. This is a song of encouragement for Christians who are going through difficult times.

God Hath Not Promised

V1
God hath not promised, sky’s always blue,
Flower strewn pathways, all our life through.
God had not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

Chs
But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest from the labour, light for the way.
Grace for each trial, help from above.
Unfailing kindness, undying love.

V2
God hath not promised, “We shall not know”,
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe.
He hath not told us, we shall not bear,
Many a burden, many a care.

V3
God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift easy travel needing no guide.
Never a mountain rocky and steep,
never a river, turbed and deep.