Blessed

As the year ends, people are looking back on 2008 and thinking what went well and what they are thankful for. Today I am thankful to be alive.

I was in a really bad car wreck this afternoon going down to El Dorado to spend New Year's with Micah. I got up this morning and cleaned out my car, which those of you who know me well, know that that was a HUGE undertaking. I washed my car, vacummed it, and was super excited about going down there. Well, God had other plans for me.

Anytime I get on the highway, I always say a little prayer that God will watch over me and protect me no matter what and to help me get to my destination safely. He did that in a way. I made it back to Conway safely this evening, had my faith restored in the kindness in strangers, and just am so thankful that he was protecting me.

I"m okay and the other person is okay. It happened on a stretch of highway where they are changing the two lane into four lanes and a wreck pretty much happens there daily. I saw the other person at the hospital later this afternoon and since he hit his head, they are going to keep him overnight for observation, but I think he will be all right. Say an extra prayer for him, also.

I was in East End, which is about 20 miles north of Sheridan. I didn't know anyone and if it were not for this angel named Jana, I don't know what I would have done. Both my airbags deployed, my front bumper was about halfway under my hood, my windshield cracked, everything in the back ended up in the front, and Bonnie, who rides up on my shoulder, had fallen down onto my chest. I know that that is not the safest place for her at all, but the vet that examined her told me that it probably saved her life because she would have been squashed or thrown in the car or her carrier would have be thrown. I am all right except for lots of bruises on my stomach and chest. ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEATBELT!!!! I have a bruise line where my seatbelt was and if I had not been wearing it, who knows what would have happened.

I did go to the hospital and got some chest x-rays, but they were all clear. I did not go until I knew my dog was all right, which is not very smart, but it's how I was thinking. This angel, Jana, stopped to check on me and stayed with me when she realized that everyone close to me was way out of town. She held Bonnie when I talked to the police, she found me a vet and drove me there, and then she drove me to Baptist to the E.R. She is also a teacher and was like, "We teachers have to take care of each other". Just a wonderful, wonderful saint. It really gives you hope for the world and reminds you what is important in life. I only hope that one day I can help someone else just as much as she helped. This little girl who was with Jana told my friend Jamie when she got to the hospital that Santa was really great to her this Christmas and Jesus was really great to her friend Jennifer (me) just now. She was so happy that they were there to be saviors for me. This lady will forever be on my Christmas card list and you can be darn sure that she is going to be getting a sweet thank-you and something special that I will make for her. It also goes to show how much strangers can teach each other and how that little girl learned that you can really touch someone's life. She loved Bonnie by the way and kept wanting to hold her.

All is well and remember that God is good, all the time! Say an extra prayer of thanks to your guardian angel tonight!