Please Fasten Your Seatbelt

On occasion it is good to reflect upon the good things God gives us.  It is even good to repeat something if it was very special.  About fifteen years ago I told the following story which occurred about thirty years ago.  It is time for a repeat.

I was the pastor in Des Moines.  My wife and sons had gone to her parents’ farm in central Wisconsin.  I remained behind to conduct Wednesday night prayer meeting and I was to meet them the next day.  As I was locking the church one of my elders who knew I was going to drive that night caught me at the door and prayed for me to have a safe journey.  Thanks Dennis.

Several hours later I was driving east across Minnesota and had not seen another car for a long time.  As my eyes started to droop, my brain, which must have already been asleep, started to connive. I told myself I could safely take a nap if I would center the car over the white line that divided the two lanes heading east.  That would give me plenty of zig zag space.  I could drift back and forth and when I arrived at a bridge about a mile ahead I could wake up and recenter the car.  Ever so carefully I lined up the car and then put my head back on the seat as I began my insane plan.  But wait a minute.  A red light on the dash started to flash at me.  I was irritated as I reached up and pounded on the dash so it would go out.  It did.  I leaned back again.  The light flashed again.

“Seat belt.”  “Seat belt.”  As I reached up to once again pound on the dash, reality dawned on me and the light went out.  I stopped the car and got out and walked awhile.

The seat belt light never again randomly came on.  Never.

Written by Roger Bothwell on July 8, 2010

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574

Rogerbothwell.org