Subscription Lists
Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life
by Tom Kelley
It might not necessarily be fun, but it is always interesting to watch something happen that really need not happen, but it happens anyway. I got rear-ended yesterday. Truly. Hit from behind by another motor vehicle. This is the third time I have had this happen to me. All three have been easily seen as they were about to happen. I have watched all three in my rearview mirror. It is a hopeless feeling. You can see it coming and there is not a thing you can do to keep it from happening.
I had some business to take care of in Berea and decided to go a little early and take my dear wife to lunch. I had just pulled up at a traffic signal at an intersection on the northern loop of the bypass in Richmond, Kentucky. As I looked in my rearview mirror I could see the compact car coming at a rather high rate of speed for someone who was approaching and intersection with a red light and a car sitting in the same lane at that light. When I realized that there was no way the car was going to get stopped in time I slid my gear shift lever into the neutral position and took my foot off the break pedal.
Bam!!! It felt like he hit me doing about twenty miles an hour. It was quite a jolt. My car rolled forward as it was struck and I applied my breaks to keep it from going too far into the intersection. As I did a quick assessment of all my body parts and knew that they were all okay, it was time to see what damage was done to my rear bumper. The young man driving the car that hit me was out of his car now and we both looked in complete awe at our respective bumpers. Go figure. There was no damage.
After being assured that neither of us were injured I cajoled the young man about making sure that he kept his concentration where it needed to be; on the road in front of him. I warned him that someday his carelessness might cost someone their life. My last words as we parted company were, "Please, be careful." Um-hmm. Be careful. How many times I have heard those same words from my dad or mom, even my wife and kids. Odd thing is, I have even read them in the Bible.
"I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:1-3 Paul is kind of saying, "Be careful how you live. Watch that your life does not collide with a brother or sister in Christ and cause damage to the bond of peace that is between you." Um-hmm. Be careful.
Rate it:
...He was the Minister of the Minorsville Christian Church located near Stamping Ground, KY.
...Becky and Tom have three children; John, single and in worship ministry in Nicholasville, Kentucky; Sean, married (Jennifer, elementary school teacher) with twins (Grace and Patrick, b.d. 10/31/04) and regional director of Papa John's Pizza in Central KY; Kara, married (Vince Taylor, prison guard) and working with Hospice East in Winchester, KY.
...Tom went to be with the Lord on November 13, 2009 after a lengthy battle with cancer. If you have been touched by Tom's writings please send an email to Tom's son at jkelley@catalystchristian.net
Receive the newest devotional each week in your inbox by joining the "Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life" subscription list. Enter your email address below, click "Go!" and we will send you a confirmation email. Follow the instructions in the email to confirm your addition to this list.