I was in a very slow moving line at a store yesterday. Long, slow lines don’t normally bother me much. I’m pretty laid back and relaxed most of the time. In fact, I rather enjoy the opportunity to engage someone near me in conversation.

There was a mother/daughter combo in line right behind me. The cute little six year old girl had a big grin on her face. Then she started whistling. I’m not talking about whistling a tune, mind you. I’m talking about whistling the same exact sound, in short bursts, over and over and over and over!

After about fifteen minutes of the whistling, I confess that I wanted to take out a roll of duct tape, unwind a ten foot length, and apply said tape across her mouth over and over and over! It seemed like I not only could not get away from the sound trapped as I was between two registers, but I couldn’t shut the sound out of my brain. Over and over and over and over!

When I finally finished my business and got back into Tonka, I began trying to figure out what exactly it was that made this experience such a big event to me! A few catch phrases popped into my head. First came, “That was the straw that broke the camel’s back.” Next, I thought about how a dripping faucet can eventually drive one nuts. In fact, one very old form of torture centered around putting a person in a darkened, silent room, and forcing them to listen to water dripping slowly, rhythmically and methodically.

When I finally got near a piece of paper, I began listing all the little straws, drips, unresolved items that may have led me to the point of wanting to duct tape this nice little girl! (g)

My Tonka truck was damaged in an accident a few weeks ago and I haven’t been able to get three straight days in which to get it repaired. The laser printer for my printer has been in the shop for just about three weeks and no one has been able to figure out the problem. Repairing would be less expensive than replacing it, but how long can one go without a printer? On July 5th, I was kicked in the head at Sea World by a horse whacking a huge beach ball. They’ve been extremely reluctant to even cover a rudimentary medical checkup to find out why I’ve had lots of bad headaches and a stiff neck since that moment.

Some of my counseling cases appear to be headed for the dumpster, largely due to the unwillingness of some of my counselees to apply themselves to finding and implementing a solution. My wife, Pat, needs some extensive dental work done and we’re having a hard time finding the right dentist.

Someone felt a need to acquire the lid to one of our trash cans. Another person is dumping grass clippings over the fence into an easement space we’ve spent a lot of time and not a small amount of money cleaning out and keeping clean.

I understand that none of these things, by themselves, are grounds for giving up on life or the Lord! (g) However, it was quite revealing to me to actually look at a list (mercifully, I didn’t list everything that’s gone backwards in the last few weeks) of current challenges.

Am I getting any empathy out there in reader land? (g) What drives you over the edge? How do you cope? Please send me your responses by using the “Leave a Reply” box below!

– WOW, Jerry, you sure brought back my husband’s and my biking days. Same situation, too. Someone pulled out in front of us. They were uninsured and drunk!. I’ll never forget that. I think it’s unreal, though, that you were hit by a motorcycle after being hit while ON one like you had been. The Lord certainly does work his mysteries, doesn’t He?!!!! Excellent story as usual!

– I’m glad it wasn’t worse for you. A couple of weeks ago, a neighbor was killed and a teenager was killed in Leesburg. All in the same week, both on motorcycles, and in both instances, the cars ran into them or turned right in front of them. It was not their fault. My neighbor, who was killed, was only 41. Motorcycles are fun, but they can be deadly.

– I believe you will bring this man to the Lord. I am currently witnessing to a coworker who lost his wife a year ago this September. He is an only child, has no children or family anymore. He wasn’t raised in any religious faith, is very lonely and he’s asking questions. I am providing him with the information that so many need. If it weren’t for my Lord and Savior, I would have been a “basket case” in similar circumstances.

– Motorcycles? As riders of a 1987 Honda Aspencade (1200), we know all about opening doors for witness. While your experiences were punctuated with accidents, ours (so far, — thank you, Lord!) have been punctuated with opportunities. It seems that the big bikes draw people to it like ants to a picnic. We usually take the bike on vacation as opposed to a camper, airplane, or Greyhound, etc. It is amazing how many people with whom we come in contact along the way who have come by to admire our bike.

Yes, it is an older bike but it was dressed to the hilt when we bought it so we are quite proud of and grateful for it. My husband (quite possibly one of God’s finest pieces of work, but I tend to be biased!) never passes up the opportunity to use these chance meetings as a tool for witnessing. While the Lord gave us the bike to enjoy, He also gave it to us as a tool to share the gospel and we try to take advantage of both gifts whenever possible. I have no problem in believing that if Jesus had walked the earth 2000 years later, He would have ditched the donkey and grabbed a HONDA!!!! (g)

– I can certainly relate to “paying now” for past acts. I was an avid volleyball player for many years. It was nothing for me to “sacrifice” my body for a point. Now, am I ever paying for it – aches and pains that greet me every morning when I arise. Part of me wishes I had been more moderate in my play, but it was either all or nothing, and, oh, well. I must say that if I had ever had the opportunity to ride a motorcycle, I probably would have. Now today, the only way that I would get on a bike, would if we were traveling on a deserted country road. Too many crazy drivers out there.

– Jerry, this story reminds me of the morning I turned right instead of left coming out of our subdivision on my way to work. It delayed me two to three minutes getting on I-71 headed to where I was employed. When I got to the I-70 and I-71 split, a semi had lost a load of steel on the freeway just ahead of me. I have always thanked God for His protection. I knew it was His protection. I always said a little prayer before driving anywhere (and still do). Since I had been going the same route for about 14 years at that time, there would have been no other reason for me to turn the wrong direction.

– An excellent article. I didn’t know that you’d been in two “bike” accidents…and now the third. It seemed like that guy was just asking for someone to direct him to God. grin… Sometimes God opens people’s hearts in “near” tragedies, close calls or even in tragedies.

It is always an encouragement when I see you witnessing for the Lord. It spurs me to “keep on keeping on” even when things may happen for our intended harm or when we have discouraging days.

– Don’t the ironies of life often support the notion of God’s sovereignty? When I ran from God’s call, I went to college to pursue my interests, which were history and political science. For more than 20 years it seemed those were wasted years, but then I was hired at a Christian school because they were desperate for a history teacher, and I had taken the courses needed to teach the classes that were open. God never wastes. He finds a way to turn every thing to good if we are working toward His purposes.

I’m not at all surprised that He should turn the tables on you in the way He did. Just think. He possibly saved a life just by having your truck in the right place at the right time! Amazing!

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