Yesterday Cathy and I took her dad to the doctor and
returned home on our usual route, down Highway Church Road as we have done
countless times in visits to her parents’ home over the years. Who knows how many times she has commented on
how fast the people drive down this road as they seem to ignore the speed limit. The road tops a hill where Highway
Pentecostal Holiness Church sits to the right when you are traveling east, as we
do on our way home. The peak of the hill
is the only place where you cannot see oncoming traffic until they are upon
you. Often we have been startled to meet
a car speeding over the hill arriving at the peak of the Highway Church
hill. We passed this point around 5:20
pm yesterday (that is significant).
Cathy’s father had remarked about the 5 pm traffic as we took him home. If you have not become bored with these facts
and quit reading already, hang on, I share this non-exciting account of our
journey home yesterday for a reason.
This morning I read in the paper where a fatal head on
collision occurred on Highway Church Road at 5:22 pm yesterday. A woman and her child were heading east, only
a couple of minutes behind Cathy and me. I told you the time of 5:20 was significant. She topped the same hill that often hides
oncoming traffic to meet a speeding car in her lane. She died instantly. Her son is in the hospital and should survive
but his life will never be the same.
As I read about this automobile accident my heart went out to
those involved. I was also immediately
reminded that Cathy and I had passed that same spot only a few minutes
earlier. Only a couple of minutes and what
a world of difference; one family will grieve the loss of a wife & mother
for the rest of their days while we made it home to another ‘uneventful’
evening. One rarely knows how a minute
or two can make such a difference in life or death. Life can turn in an instant. My mother died in mid-sentence talking with
my dad at age 68. She was healthier at
68 than I am at 64. My own life was
miraculously preserved 17 years ago.
Our doctor told Cathy, “You don’t know
how close you came to waking one morning to find that Bill died in his
sleep. His situation is usually discovered
in the autopsy as we wonder why someone his age died so suddenly.’ For more
on that event go to the article I wrote on Monday, February 21, 2011 entitled, “Ten
Years Later”. The point, once again, is
to remember that each breath could be the last.
In fact one breath will indeed be the last, we just never know
when. Therefore make each breath
count. Use it to say good, kind and
loving things. You may not get another
chance.
Before I retired I often made the point in sermons and
funerals about how life is precious, fragile and fleeting. Each one of us is a unique creation of
God. There has never been anyone like us
in the past and will never be in the future.
That is why each life, each individual, is irreplaceable. We must never take any life for granted. It can never be replaces. We must remember to love one another with
grace that allows each one to reach their full potential in this life. This is the only chance we get to walk in
this world.
Again, in my years as a minister, I was with many people and
families in times of death. The saddest
situations involved a life ending with regret. It is tragic how often one will
know they are on their death bead and express sorrow for things not done or not
done as well as they could have been.
The best way to avoid regret is to take care of those things now. Forgive immediately, forget quickly, do
whatever it takes to live in peace with others, live without fear, and chase
your dream with passion.
The experiences mentioned above are my daily reminders that
every day is a precious, fragile and fleeting gift from God. I already knew that but waking this morning to
discover that we were only moments ahead of a fatal accident made me go back
and have a greater appreciation for another ordinary evening yesterday. Tonight Cathy and I will probably do what we
normally do most nights. We will have
dinner, sit outside and watch the birds until sundown then read and try to stay
awake until 9:30. I know it is does not
sound thrilling but there will come a day when, whatever you do with your time,
it all comes to an end. I used John
10:10 as my text the first time I preached in a church. Jesus said, “The thief comes only to steal
and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Make Him proud of how you live the life He
gave you and fulfill His purpose in coming.
Live abundantly!
