AN ADAGE A DAY â—½ ENCOURAGEMENT
A Brush with Death
by Carole Gilbert
I recently had a brush with death. We had so much rain my husband was having a hard time keeping up with the mowing of our five acres. So, one afternoon we were both working outside and I offered to help mow. After all, we have two riding mowers. I had used them before but still wasn’t overly experienced. But I was determined to help.
As I was mowing along the fence, the roll bar on the lawn mower above me caught the top of a tree limb and it was stuck in the bar. The limb broke but was still attached to the tree. So, the top of the limb was caught in the bar and the bottom was hanging on to the tree with me in between. And the limb was getting tighter across my neck. I couldn’t stop the mower from rolling forward because the top of the limb had that part of the handle blocked. That's when I had a brush with death. I know that’s what it was because of all the things that quickly flashed into my mind.
In that split second, I realized I couldn’t get to my phone for help. My mind flashed to my family and how my husband would find me. Then, in the other half of that split second, I knew what to do!
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“Heavenly Father God, HELP! Get me out of this PLEASE!
Whatever or however you want! I need YOU!”
Without even thinking, my body started sliding down in the lawn mower seat all the way to where I was lying flat in the seat. My head tilted backwards to allow the limb to brush across it, taking my cap and partially my glasses. My right arm was pushing up on the limb to get it off my neck. I know it was God and His strength pushing the limb. My left arm was still trying to bring the lawn mower to a stop. The limb slowly passed over. I have no doubt; our great Heavenly Father saved my life that day!
I then was able to stop, and I sat there looking at the limb. It felt like I was bleeding from my forehead and neck where the limb scraped across until I was free. I got the limb off the mower and went to look for my husband. He was mowing in the other pasture and never saw any of it. I hollered at him and asked if I was bleeding. But he was too far away to tell. I went to my house to tend to my wounds, but there basically was none. I couldn’t believe it. The limb scraping across me had really hurt, but I only had a slight scratch on my neck and nothing on my forehead. And the scratch on my neck was completely gone the next morning. I ask you, who do we call on first in times of desperation, or of hurt or need? I thought of my phone, but I had no time to call anyone. There was only one I needed anyway.
This idiom, brush with death, means exactly what it says. It describes a time when someone has a close situation with a life-threatening experience. It started in the mid-20th century, although the word brush used in this way dates back to the 1400’s.
Actually, we all have a brush with death until we decide to follow Jesus. That's what Jesus meant by His words He spoke to Martha in John 11:25-26.
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“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die,
yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”
I hope you never have a brush with death. But if you do, I hope you already know, as they ask in the movies, “Who you gonna call?”