Little Wife Crashes

After her escape from Big Man, Little Wife filled her days with job hunting, volunteer work, apartment searching and driving her children to school and their activities, trying to keep life for the children as normal as possible, all things considered.  There was so much to consider and many life details to be worked out.

 They stayed for a few days with Little Wife’s oldest daughter until the roommate returned.  Then Little Wife asked her former husband, Freddie, if their sons could stay with him for a while.  She and her youngest daughter, Belle, stayed with friends mostly, couch-surfing.  Sometimes they slept in the car.  Sometimes Little Wife couldn’t find any other solution.  Though it was a very difficult time, God always kept them safe.  It seemed that they had truly escaped from Big Man.

Finally the school year came to a close.  Little Wife wanted to treat young Belle to her favorite after school snack to celebrate the last day of school.  “How about chicken nuggets and fries?” and Little Wife smiled when Belle’s eyes lit up.  “Okay here we go!” 

She drove and talked happily and sang along with the car radio.  The sun had suddenly gone behind a cloud, but their moods were wonderfully cheerful and carefree.  For a little while they forgot that they were homeless.  For a little while they were just a mother and a daughter going to McDonald’s.  

When they were just a block away from their destination, the clouds opened up and the rain poured down.  Little Wife signaled for a left turn and didn’t see the oncoming car.  And it was too late.

CRASH!!!

Little Wife couldn’t believe her eyes.  Deeply in shock and stunned by the suddenness of the crash, she quickly asked little Belle, “Are you alright, honey?  Omigosh, I’m so sorry, are you alright?”

Steam was coming out of the front end of Little Wife’s car.  She quickly got out and pulled Belle with her.  The other car was stuck to her car, bumper to bumper, fender to fender, locked up tight in the middle of the intersection.

“Oh no, oh no, what have I done?  What will happen to us now?”  Little Wife cried loudly as they stood in the rain.  “Are you okay, honey?  Are you sure?”  Then Little Wife went to check on the driver of the other car, noting that the SUV was a Ford Escape and its airbag had deployed.  The driver was standing on the front seat with her whole body stretching out the top of the sunroof.

“What’s wrong with you?  You crashed into my brand new Escape!  We just bought it yesterday!  You crashed into us.  What’s wrong with you?”  The woman was angry and shouting at the top of her lungs.

“I’m so sorry.  I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”  Little Wife looked up into the stormy sky and the rain fell down on her.  She whispered, “Jesus, help me.”

The police came, the firetrucks came, the paramedics came.  Little Wife just stood on the sidewalk watching it all happen in front of her, like an innocent bystander, but she knew she was not an innocent bystander.  She knew she was the cause of all the trouble, all the backed up traffic, all the shouting. It was all her fault.  She could hear the voice of Big Man in her head saying, “It’s all your fault, Little Wife.  This is all your fault.  It’s always your fault.”  She looked down at the puddles on the ground and closed her eyes in shame.

And then she heard the REAL voice of Big Man!  

“Little Wife!  What did you do?  You crashed the car and it’s all your fault!  Now what are you going to do?  Good thing I got here just in time to help you and give you a ride back home. Come on, let’s just get in the car and figure this out together.  I’ll talk to the police and call a tow truck.”

“NOOOOOOOO,” Little Wife was almost screaming. Her eyes opened wide in fear.  She spun around to see Big Man standing just six feet away from her.  “Noooo, go away.  I don’t need you.  Go away and leave me alone!  Get away from me, Big Man!”

Little Wife ran towards the police car, as fast as she could with her hand holding tightly to Belle.  “Please, please help me!” she cried.  “He’s trying to hurt me!  Please let me stand here by you til he leaves. I’m so afraid.”

As she stood in the flooded street and watched from the safety of the police, Big Man shook his head, shot her a furious glance and then walked to his car.  He turned around and shouted, “I’m not done with you yet, Little Wife!”

But Little Wife knew in her heart that she was finally done with him.

“Thank you Jesus,” she prayed.  “Thank you for keeping us safe from every hurt, harm and danger.  You are good.  Your Word is good.  Your Word is true.  You will help us today. And tomorrow.  And everyday.”

*****

Chaplain’s Note:  Jesus will never leave you.  He will never forsake you.  He loves you.  If you’ve trusted Jesus to forgive your sins, you are His precious child.  He will never walk away from you, leaving you to your own devices and fears.  He speaks, “Peace, be still” to the wind and waves in our days.  Whether we are on the run from a big man, sleeping in our car, crashing our car or some other terrible disaster, God is with us.  Turn to Him today with your troubles and find relief.  Turn to Him for comfort in the storm.  Turn to Him and believe in His amazing grace.  Turn to Him and find hope.  Turn to Him and see that He is able to save to the uttermost those who put their faith in Jesus Christ, Savior and Lord.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.”  Isaiah 43:2