My wife and
I endured/enjoyed long distance dating for a few years before our marriage. I
lived in Kentucky and she was living in central Illinois.
We discovered one had better really like someone if he or she is willing to
drive several hours just to spend a few hours together. We became huge fans of
the Waffle House… not because of the food but because it was open 24 hours a
day and the employees didn’t seem to mind if we took up booth space long after
we had finished our meals. Over time we fell deeply in love and met some really
interesting people.
It was
during one of those long drives that I experienced a miracle. I understand that
one man’s miracle is another man’s coincidence. But I was there and it looked
like a miracle to me.
I was
driving a 1980 something Honda Civic. It got great gas mileage so it was my car
of choice back then. I had very little money back then. By that, I mean I was living
well below the official poverty level. On one trip to Illinois, with the wind
to my back, I got a little over 50 miles to the gallon. Good gas mileage was a
high priority and always on my mind. And my pursuit of good gas mileage was why
I met my angel.
It was a
clear, cool Saturday morning and I was on my way to Brownsburg, Indiana, to
meet my honey. In my never ending quest of better mileage I was drafting a
semi. For those of you for whom that statement made no sense let me explain. Of
course, a semi is an 18 wheeled tractor trailer truck. Drafting is a technique
developed by race car drivers to conserve gasoline during a race. Official
definition: Drafting or slipstreaming is a technique
where two vehicles or other moving objects are caused to align in a close group
reducing the overall effect of drag due to exploiting the lead
object's slipstream. Especially when high speeds are involved, as in motor
racing and cycling, drafting can significantly reduce average energy
expenditure required to maintain a certain speed and can also slightly reduce
the energy expenditure of the lead vehicle or object. In order to reduce drag,
I was neatly tucked up under the backend of an 18 wheeler. We were about 4 feet
apart and doing about 70 MPH.
After
enjoying a few miles of his help, I noticed a set of blue lights flashing in my
rearview mirror. It was an Indian State Trooper in an unmarked car seeking to
engage me in conversation. So I dutifully pulled over. At that time I was still
working on the Oldham County (KY) Police Department and was aware of how a
traffic stop worked.
I was
surprised when the trooper approaching the car was not in uniform… he was
wearing plain clothes and as he introduced himself I saw from the badge clipped
on his belt that he was a Lieutenant with the Indiana State Police. I was
surprised because I knew that ranking officers don’t usually work traffic
stops. He was on his way to do something else but had felt he had to pull me
over. I was intrigued.
He
approached my window, introduced himself and asked the magic question: “Do you
know why I pulled me over?” I didn’t have a clue and told him so. He smiled and
asked me if I knew what drafting was. I confessed that I did and, yes, I knew I
was drafting. He said, “I understand why you are doing it but it is very
dangerous. I must insist that you stop immediately.” That was it. No ticket. No
warning. He just walked back to his car and pulled out. I wish I had gotten his
name. And what makes me think he was an angel? Allow me to finish the story.
I, too,
pulled back on to the interstate to complete my journey. About five miles up
the road the traffic began to back up and finally came to a standstill. It had
all of the signs of a bad accident. We continued to inch forward and I finally
had my turn to view the cause for the delay. It seems that a semi was pulling
an oversized trailer that was too tall for the overpass. It was wedged tightly
under the bridge. As I pulled past the wreck I realized that it was the same
truck I had been drafting. A strange feeling came over me as I realized that if
that trooper (angel) had not pulled me over my car (and I) would be neatly
crushed under the truck. He saved my life.
I believe
with all that is within me that God sent that trooper to save my life.
Bill McConnell is the Interim Minister at Norwood Christian Church in Cincinnati,
Ohio, and is a Church Transformation consultant and a Christian Leadership
Coach. He is a frequent speaker at Church Transformation events. His latest
book on church transformation is DEVELOPING A SIGNIFICANT CHURCH and is
available at Westbow
Press.
He can be contacted @ bill45053@gmail.com. Connect with him on Facebook @ William T.
McConnell or on
Twitter @billmc45053 or visit his Amazon Author Page @ Amazon
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