apparently i am destined to never win the batting title

i have been trying for quite some time to get to the batting cage. it's no fun to go alone, though, and since i know my sister and nieces want to go, i've been trying to go with them. try #1 - it was closed. try #2 - work/school schedules colided. but then yesterday i was all excited because it was finally going to work out.

try #3 - i got rear-ended as i waited at the light to turn into the batting cage parking lot. a car ran into the car behind me which then ran into me.
we pulled into the parking lot and waited for the cop. my only thought was, 'oh for pete's sake - i'm this close! can't i just go bat until the cop comes?' apparently, though, the other women were thinking other things. the woman in the first car was feeling horrible and also feeling very scared that they were going to haul her off to jail for driving without insurance. the woman in the middle car was thinking of ways to sue the butt off the first woman. (when the first lady asked her if she was ok, her response was 'we'll let my lawyer determine that.' charming woman.)

i felt very bad for the first woman. she was so scared to begin with, and i'm sure the other woman made it that much worse. she asked me if i would go talk with the second woman for her. i tried, but she had no interest in saying a word to anybody. and then it seemed like it took forever for the cop to get there. i'm sure a fender bender with no one hurt (yet - the second woman was talking with her lawyer as we were waiting there, so i'm sure by now she's quite injured) wasn't at the top of the priority list, though. so we had to wait.
as we were waiting, i noticed a Jesus bumper sticker on the first woman's car. later, when she again said she didn't know what to do, i told her that i had said a prayer for her. she suddenly lit up with hope, and asked 'are you a Christian?'
'yes.'
'i am, too!'

she then went back to worrying, but i think she felt it reassuring to have a sister there with her. obviously, me being a Christian didn't change the fact that she didn't have insurance and that the second woman was sue-happy, but i think it did help to know that she wasn't alone.
the cop finally came and checked everything out. (and, random side note, he kind of looked like my cousin.) he talked with the second woman first and sent her on her way, then came and told me that he was just going to give the first woman a ticket for not having insurance. she had been standing by my car, and as she then started toward her own car to talk to the cop, i gave her a hug and told her that God has the situation figured out.

i really don't mind that it happened. no, i don't like that there's a crack in my bumper. no, i don't like that now i have to deal with insurance stuff. no, i really don't like that the second woman is going to go after the first woman for all she can. and no, i don't like that i missed my time at the batting cage. but i feel like it was a ministry opportunity that God put in my path, and that for once i actually saw it and took advantage of it. the first woman needed someone there who was kind and gracious, and i feel like for once, that was me.