I shouldn’t be here.  Yet again!

In a post last November (11/2), I shared how I was nearly killed, or at least severely injured, while simply walking in the woods.  The post was titled “Dead Man Walking.”

Well, it almost happened again.  This time, on the Monday of Holy Week.  Different circumstances and different place … though it also entailed a heavy log.  However, the potential deadly result seems even more likely this time around.

Here’s what happened. 

The previous owner of our house had left lengthy logs (4-6 feet) behind the storage shed.  He did a lot of work with wood and apparently planned to repurpose those logs.  But clearly, he never got around to it. 

The logs were beginning to rot.  They were becoming homes to varmints, pests and critters.  I wanted them gone.  Since I was heading over to my dad’s woods that day, I thought I would simply load the logs into the back of my truck and dump them off in the woods.

All of the logs but one were fairly easily handled, despite their thickness and length.  I was able to maneuver them onto a cart, transport them to the driveway, and then roll them up a ramp into the truck bed. 

But one was hardwood.  It was about 4 feet long, 16 inches wide, and brutally heavy.  It was not so easily handled.

The event happened so fast it was over in an instant. 

While positioning the log for transport, it was temporarily on end.  Meanwhile, my feet slipped on the muddy downslope of the huge maple tree roots beside our storage shed.  My feet slid backwards as I tumbled onto my belly. 

Meanwhile, the log tipped over towards me!  The top end grazed the right side of my face – tearing off my glasses in the process. 

It occurred so suddenly that it took a moment for me to process what had just transpired.  But as I did process things – with the huge log resting beside my head – I realized what had just happened … and what had just NOT happened. 

Had that log fallen even just inches more to the left, I would almost certainly been killed.  As it was, it was close enough to rip my glasses off and scrape my forehead.  And as I reflect back, I recognize that just the slightest glancing blow from that heavy log was enough to give me what I believe was a minor concussion.  (I had a nagging headache for several days.)

I still shudder to think of the potential ramifications. 

My parents were expecting me that day.  I never would have showed up.  They would have been concerned and tried to reach me, with no success.

My wife would have come home from work and wondered why my truck was still there.  (She knew I was planning to see my folks.)  She would have come looking for me and eventually found me.

My congregations would have lost their pastor before all the special church services that week, and would have had to scramble for a fill in for a somber Easter Sunday.

And there would have been an extra service that week for people to attend – a funeral.

But once again, God in his goodness intervened.  He had preserved my life one more time.

I picked myself back up and checked to see if I was bleeding.  (Only minimally.)  I located my glasses.  (They were off to the side, with the right arm broken off.)  I searched several minutes before finally locating the missing piece. (I marveled again that I was alive, and also that my nose wasn’t broken with the damage done to the glasses.)

Thankfully, I was able to superglue the arm back onto the glasses.  (Praise be to God, it’s still holding!)  I was also able to get the beast of a log into the back of my truck, and offload it in the woodlot.

While in the woods that day, I did little of the work I had intended to do.  Instead, I soaked up the view of the trees and the sound of the birds, I texted my immediate family about what had happened, and I spent a lot of time in prayer, praise and thanks to our gracious and good God.

Here’s what I realized yet again that afternoon:  (This is as true for you as it is for me.)

• God is always watching over his people.

(Genesis 28:15)  I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go …  I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

• No harm will befall his people unless God wills it.

(Psalm 121:7-8)  The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

• If God does allow harm, it is for a loving reason.

(Romans 8:28)  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

• God’s people will not die until the exact moment and in the exact manner that God determines.

(Job 14:5)  A person’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.

• When it is our time to go, because of Jesus we are going to be with God.

(Ecclesiastes 12:7)  … The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

(Revelation 7:14)  “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

• Every day is a new personal gift from God.

(Lamentations 3:22-23)  Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

• We are wise if we constantly reevaluate our personal priorities, and appreciate God’s greatest gifts. (a Savior, faith in that Savior, forgiveness, family, talents, life, etc.)

(James 1:17)  Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights …

• While God allows us to live here on earth, we want to live for him and his people!

(Philippians 1:21-24)  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose?  I do not know!  I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 

• The more we live, the more we learn.

(Proverbs 2:6)  For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.

I know full well that I am not the only one who has survivor stories to tell.  We are all dead people walking – preserved lovingly and sometimes miraculously – by our Lord.  And we all will be until the time we are no longer living here on earth, but are living instead in heaven with our Savior.

How awesome is our God!