(Note: OK, so it's not a photo of what really happened. But what kind of daughter would run through mud to her Dad and tell him to STOP TRYING TO GET THE CAR OUT because she needed a picture of it for her blog first?)

"Goodbye, and thanks for inviting us!" I waved at the family hosting the ginormous children's party we were attending as I stepped out the gate of their ginormous house. I was immediately surrounded by a ginormous amount of white odorous smoke.

"Uncle, what is that smell?" I asked a family friend standing close by.

"That is the smell of burnt rubber."

"Burnt rubber?"

"Yes, from the lining of your Dad's tires."

"My Dad's car is making this smoke?" I was slightly horrified. My Dad loves his cars.

"His car fell into a ditch when he left his parking space. Some men just went to help pull it out." Behind him, I saw my Mom and sister talking worriedly as we waited for Dad to get the car out of this mess.

"What car did you bring?" my Uncle abruptly asked.

"What? Oh. The white SUV."

"Well, it's good he didn't bring his convertible!" He chuckled at the thought.

I later found out there was a wide --- and deep --- gap spanning the whole unpaved road. It was partially covered by rough pieces of metal and a lot of mud. Apparently, my Father drove over the uncovered places.

"I just thank God," my Dad said as we drove home. "My convertible would have gotten banged up. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision not to bring it. I mean, I was standing in front of it with the keys when I suddenly thought to drive this other one."

Coincidence? Maybe. But something William Temple said comes to mind. When I pray, coincidences happen, and when I don't pray, they don't. I definitely agree.

(Note: OK, so it's not a photo of what really happened. But what kind of daughter would run through mud to her Dad and tell him to STOP TRYING TO GET THE CAR OUT because she needed a picture of it for her blog first?)

"Goodbye, and thanks for inviting us!" I waved at the family hosting the ginormous children's party we were attending as I stepped out the gate of their ginormous house. I was immediately surrounded by a ginormous amount of white odorous smoke.

"Uncle, what is that smell?" I asked a family friend standing close by.

"That is the smell of burnt rubber."

"Burnt rubber?"

"Yes, from the lining of your Dad's tires."

"My Dad's car is making this smoke?" I was slightly horrified. My Dad loves his cars.

"His car fell into a ditch when he left his parking space. Some men just went to help pull it out." Behind him, I saw my Mom and sister talking worriedly as we waited for Dad to get the car out of this mess.

"What car did you bring?" my Uncle abruptly asked.

"What? Oh. The white SUV."

"Well, it's good he didn't bring his convertible!" He chuckled at the thought.

I later found out there was a wide --- and deep --- gap spanning the whole unpaved road. It was partially covered by rough pieces of metal and a lot of mud. Apparently, my Father drove over the uncovered places.

"I just thank God," my Dad said as we drove home. "My convertible would have gotten banged up. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision not to bring it. I mean, I was standing in front of it with the keys when I suddenly thought to drive this other one."

Coincidence? Maybe. But something William Temple said comes to mind. When I pray, coincidences happen, and when I don't pray, they don't. I definitely agree.