Always be Joyful? Moto Accident

          After Kelsi had Meldoy, our daily routine changed a bit. As most of you know, I ride a bike to school, with two child seats on it for Abby and Lily. Before, I would ride my bike in the morning, and then we would all have lunch at school. We would return home at the end of the day (4:00 PM)--Two trips a day. A friend mentioned that she felt she was playing the numbers, and expected to eventually get hit while riding her bike. I completely agree with that. Recently, I doubled my chances of getting hit, because I now ride to school in the morning, come home for lunch, then go back to school at one, and then return at four-and our new house is a little bit further away. I am enjoying the exercise and the time on the bike. 

         The other day, I wrote a new memory verse song for the kids at School of the Nations (we will have a a memory verse song album out eventually). I introduced it, and it was catchy. It is based on Philippians 4:4 "Always be joyful because you belong to the Lord. I will say it again. Be joyful." I made a point to the kids that even when bad things happen to us, we can still be joyful, because joy and hope are based not on our emotions or things that happen around us, but on the truth of God's word and His promises. So it is the afternoon, I have already brought the girls home from pre-school and lunch--they are safe at home taking a nap. I get on my bike and start singing, "Always be joyful because you belong to the Lord! I will say it again, I will say it again! Be JOYFUL! Be Joyful, my friend! And when you're sad, you should pray, and when you're glad, sing songs of praise. And know that, one day He will come back, and all wrongs will be right again!" BAM! At this point, as I am thinking and meditating on how God works in all situations and that I don't have to worry or lose hope, because He can use any situation for my benefit, I get hit by a moto flying down the road, while the rest of traffic was completely stopped. I being on a bike am able to weave in and out of the stopped cars, and so is this moto. As I am crossing the street, he side swiped my back tire, after passing a stopped car. I saw him coming in my peripheral, and braced myself. Because I did not have the girls with me, I ditched my bike and let it slide out from under me, and then I slid for a couple feet. As I am standing up and dragging my bike out of traffic (the back tire was completely bent), I just began praising God and saying, "Thank you God that the girls were not with me." I ended up with a few scrapes and a sore ankle, but I am already fully recovered. And I now am even more careful on my bike than before. I am also reminded that we have a choice in bad times to either praise God for being good, or to lay our burdens on Him in prayer. Did God hit me with that moto? No, of course not. He allowed it, to grow my faith and maybe, just maybe, it was my fault that I got hit. In the manual for riding a bike in Phnom Penh, it says to get off your bike to cross busy streets, and I ignored that commandment, so of course, I faced the consequence. Is it God's fault when we are hurt after we disobey Him? In either case, we all have a choice, when bad thigns happen to either pray or praise God for the good in the situation. In my case, I chose to sing songs of praise, but if you are in a place in which that is difficult, the Bible is clear on what to do: "Is anyone sad among you, let him pray" - James 5:13. Lay it on God and take up the joy that His promises never fail, and one day, all things will be made right again. 

        And that is the story of how I got hit by a moto for the first time... I am sure that it will probably happen again, so please continue to pray for the protection of my girls and our family, as we navigate the craziness that is the Cambodian roadway :)

BecauseHeLives,

Micah.