Earth, meet Stephan's face. Stephan's face, the earth.

My husband has not joined a fight club, nor has he taken up bmx-ing or some other hazardous sport/activity. He just went bike-riding through the park on what turned out to be a rather defective bike. Long story short- after the front tire ran away from him in mid-jump, Stephan hit the earth hard, cleverly taking the majority of the fall with his face. This was the end result:

It was even prettier before he left for work this morning.

I tell the epic tale of Stephan's face plant because it is a tale of God's ever-watchful care. When I say Stephan landed on his face, I literally mean his face. There was no shoulder hitting first, then quickly rolling to his face. The order of collision was cheekbone and jawline immediately followed by neck and shoulder. Where are you seeing God's protection in this, Colette? Good question, reader, and the answer is simple. Stephan's alive. He walked away from a helmet-less accident that could have broken his neck or at the very least his collar bone. So said the paramedic that was jogging past as Stephan's bike fell apart. The worst injury he's going to have to content with is a sore, blessedly unbroken face.
   This exercise in dangerous exercising and the results thereof reminds me once again how blessed I am. Often I find myself grumbling in my head about this discomfort or that annoyance that I may be enduring at the time and I have to stop myself and say, "Self, stop! Look at your life! Why the h-e-double-hockey-sticks are you complaining?" Even if God chooses to take away all the unnecessary comforts He has bestowed upon us, let me praise His name, for He has given me His Holy Spirit. And, He saved Stephan from living out the rest of his life as a paraplegic, at the same time giving him a pretty sweet scar and a story to tell our sons when they grow older and want to ride their bike without helmets.

  "Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content."
1 Timothy 6:6-8