The Day I Hit a UPS Truck

Technically it hit me, but only because I was in the way. 

Last Saturday’s date brings back memories.

 











I’ll never forget April 7th thirteen years ago. We’d been struggling from a job and church change.  Keith’s new job paid less than the old one and Baby #7’s arrival had stretched our budget thin.

Our savings were depleted.

On Monday our accountant said we owed $500 in taxes.

On Tuesday the furnace died.

On Wednesday, April 7, 1999, I wanted to take the kids, then nine months to thirteen years, on a Planetarium field trip ninety miles away. 

When Keith said we couldn’t afford to go, the kids and I emptied piggy banks, redeemed pop cans, and scrounged up money for gas.

After a fun field trip, and a picnic in the park on a gorgeous spring day, we headed home.

We were blissfully minding our own business when a UPS truck crossed the intersection and crashed into the side of my van.

Everything happened fast. Squealing brakes. Smashed metal. Shattered glass. Children crying.

Lani’s carseat, baby and all, flew from the back row and landed sideways between the front seats. Landing sideways protected her from the broken glass that showered her carseat.

Kiah’s door took the brunt of the impact and she hit her head on the seat in front of her. Still clueless about what had just happened, I was thankful that everyone appeared to be okay.

The UPS driver sat in his truck in the middle of the road. Maybe it’s company accident policy or maybe he was mad, but it bothered me that he didn’t get out to see if we were okay.

Rescue personnel finally arrived. I was astonished to learn that I had run a stop sign. The accident was my fault!!

Kiah’s head injury concerned the ER doctor. Brain swelling on her CT scan necessitated an airlift to Sioux Falls.

I had a difficult choice.  Either go with Kiah and leave my six kids, including the baby, with total strangers at a hospital far from home. Or let Kiah, who might be seriously injured, fly without me and call someone to meet her at the hospital.

Since the other kids were okay and Kiah wasn’t, I went with her. Keith drove down to get the kids—1½  hours both ways.

After a twenty minute flight, Kiah checked into a Sioux Falls emergency room. Head injuries can deteriorate fast so they weren’t taking chances. After a few tests, they said we wouldn’t know much until the next day.

That night I laid on the hospital floor in the dark room besides Kiah’s bed and wallowed in misery. Talk about rock bottom.

No savings.

$500 tax bill.

Dead furnace

Wrecked van that collision insurance wouldn’t replace

Kiah’s possible head injury.

My first ever ticket. 
Embarrassment - Do you know anyone else who's collided with a UPS truck?

I wanted to sink through the floor. The future looked bleak. The accident and impact kept looping through my head. I finally drifted off to a fitful sleep.

April 8 - God’s Delivers, Not UPS

God met us in the deep hole I’d helped dig.  

The next day Kiah’s swelling subsided and she only had a concussion.

Our accountant said that he’d made a mistake and we didn’t owe any taxes.

Keith’s co-workers chipped in to buy us a new furnace. Keith’s boss, Dan, sold the furnace at cost.

Dan loaned us an old white station wagon until we could replace our van.

A friend gave us $2500 towards another van.

Dan called the local car dealership and said, “Keith needs a van.”

Rollie, the car salesman said, “A mini-van?”

Dan said, “Nah. You got anything bigger?”

Rollie said, “Funny you should ask, but something came in this morning. We’ve only had five big vans come in during all the years I’ve worked here.”

Dan said, “Can you cut him a deal?”

Rollie needed to cover his costs so sold us a big blue (my favorite color even) Ford eleven-seater passenger van for $2600. Our wrecked van only had eight seatbelts so whenever we traveled together, Andrew sat unbelted on the floor.  The “new” van even had room for friends.

Money trickled in. We received a $100 dollar check in the mail two days after the accident from a friend two states away. She apologized for not sending a gift for Lani’s birth and said to use the money however we wanted.

She hadn’t given our other children gifts, so why Lani? And why then? Lani’s birth was nine months before. The envelope was postmarked April 7, the day of the accident! Before we had a need, God was already moving to meet it.

The next day we found an anonymous envelope in the mailbox with $200. An anonymous donor left $200 for us at a nearby church.

I regretted insisting on the field trip. The whole mess would have been avoided if I’d only listened to my husband. I felt terrible about wrecking the van. I felt horrible that my mistake endangered my children. It could easily have been worse.

I don’t know why God allowed those bad things to happen if he was just going to turn around and fix everything. Seems like it would be easier to not let those things happen in the first place than to have to fix them afterwards. 

But if I hadn’t crashed and hit rock bottom, I would have missed the awesome experience of seeing God meet our needs.  How could I properly appreciate the provision if I didn’t have a need?

God doesn’t always meet needs in such a spectacular fashion but this time He did. We encountered hard times but He carried us through. 

To this day, when we pass a UPS truck on the road, I’ll say, “Aaahhhh!!!” in a loud wobbly voice.  Though they know the story, my youngest three daughters don’t remember the accident.

But I do.

And I’ll never forget the time I learned the hard way about Jehovah-Jireh, My Provider. 

And my God shall supply all your need 

according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

--Philippians 4:19--

I'm linking up today with Jennifer at Getting Down With Jesus