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Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life
by Tom Kelley
On December 3 of this year, Caleb Tony was returning home early in the morning. He was cutting across Sebree Road to Long Lick Road and his home in rural Scott County, Kentucky. As he got into a curve he felt his right front wheel catch the side of the pavement and then drop onto the deep shoulder of the road. He tried to steer his Ford pickup back onto the road but could not. He ran into the fence line between Sebree Road and the shallow creek which runs along side of it. His pickup tore out about fifty feet of fence before it started careening toward the creek and the possibility of flipping over.
For the next few seconds, Caleb Tony fought the wheel of his pickup, keeping the truck from flipping into the branch. He steered it to a stop almost back onto the roadway just through another section of fencing. As he turned off the ignition to his truck he realized that he was unhurt, although quite shaken from his quick, yet wild ride. As he looked back at the tracks that his truck had left in the bank of the creek, he saw a rock just inches from where the right front wheel had traveled. Had he hit that rock his truck could have been thrown completely out of control and he could have been injured or even killed.
He walked away from his wrecked F-150 dazed and shaken, but alive. Sound familiar? I am not talking about a wreck you might have endured; I am talking about life. Ever have one of those events which, due to circumstances, pulled you into something that you couldn't get out of? You fought hard to make sure that it didn't get any worse, but you were caught in the situation and simply had to make the best of it. Finally, you came to a jarring stop. You were dazed and shaken in your soul, but you were still holding on to your faith. Time to climb out of the wreckage of the experience and get back on track.
Life is an all-out assault. It is a battle ground between God and Satan on the field of our souls. Sometimes Satan is able to pull us into things and sometimes we get stuck. If we give up, Satan wins and we go crashing into the brink. If we trust God and fight hard in faith, we take a shot, but we survive to fight another day. We have to crawl out of the wreckage and realize what has happened, then praise God that he has blessed us with this victory. But this begs the question. Could we have avoided the trouble altogether? Did it have to happen?
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world." 1 Peter 5:8,9 Our job is to keep this vehicle we call life on the road. Our faith helps us to avoid dropping off onto the shoulder and pending doom. Know where the side of the road is and stay on the path of righteousness. But remember, even if something does happen, God is there to help if you will allow Him to do so. Others have survived accidents before you with God's help. You can, too.
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...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
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