Chapter Two
Bumper Cars
It Wasn't A Joy Ride 'Til It Was Over
Blessing In A Drive Through
Mowing Grass On The Western Kentucky Parkway
Copyright 1995 Come On Now, Angels Aren't Really Encamped
About Me, Are They?
- First Printing 1995
Second Printing 1996
Copyright 1998 Angels Encamped About Me, Too!
My old friend Randy and I were excited about making a trip into Pennsylvania,
to a truck driving school just south of Lancaster. I was to test drive for
them with the thought of learning to handle the 'big rigs'. It was a dreary
and rainy morning in 1981, and we were running a little late. I was pushing
my Oldsmobile over the wet roads, the wipers keeping a monotonous rhythm.
I was driving hurriedly down a road on which I had driven only a few times.
I was not really familiar with it or the many hazardous turns. This road
(route 77) ran northeast through the Blue Ridge Mountains. It twisted
and turned, and had many hills and valleys. It was truly a moountain road
in every sense and was not very wide.
The car, being large and heavy, seemed to be holding to the road beautifully.
I was pleased with its performance.
As we were rounding a slight, but long bend to the left, I noticed that the
rain was getting rather heavy. I reminded myself of a very sharp (90
degree)
turn to the right which should be about a mile or two ahead. I recall that
it was on a bit of a down grade so I knew that I would have to slow down
drastically to negotiate it.
I knew that on my right there would be a drop-off with guardrails. On the
left side the ground sloped up the mountain. There were trees on both sides
of the road which were only a few feet from the shoulder. The roadway and
shoulders combined were only about twenty feet wide.
By the time we came out of our present curve the rain was pouring so hard
that we couldn't see much more that thirty feet in front of us. I slowed
down to about twenty miles per hour. As I left off the gas, I found myself
looking at the sharp turn I had only moments before thought about.
Quickly, I attempted to firmly press the brake while slightly pumping the
peddle so that the car wouldn't skid. I knew that if this car would start
skidding, nothing was going to stop it until it was finished. Unless of
course it met with a tree.
Suddenly, this two tons of automobile began skidding to the left. I tried
to stop the slide by turning my wheels to the left but there was no noticeable
help. Also, I was on a downhill grade and had gained speed.
In conditions like this, God provides what I call a 'Mental Slowdown" where
things seem to happen in slow motion. The phenomenon gives us the opportunity
to think and react properly in a traumatic situation. My first thought was
"Dear Jesus, Help Me! Keep your hand upon us!"
As I was sliding, I could look out the windshield and see trees passing by
to the right. We were sliding sideways but I was feeling unusually calm and
peaceful.
When the car came to a stop, Randy and I looked out the windshield and saw
the curve through which we had just come.
We realized instantly that the hand of God was involved. Randy immediately
said, "Thank You, Jesus!" I asked Randy if he wanted to do it again.....
He didn't.
He protected Randy, me and even the car completely. He even gave me peace
throughout the entire ordeal.
After I managed to get the car turned around and we continued on our way,
we thought of what could have happened:
-
1. If the car continued straight, with the increase in speed, we would
have hit the trees ahead of us at a speed of about 40-45 miles per hour.
2. There were no laws at this time requiring one to wear seat-belts and, of
course, we didn't.
3. We also, thought of the possibility of hitting the guardrails which could
throw me into a much worse slide and spin the car around or even the remote
possibility of being forced over the guardrails and down the side of the
mountain.
None of these things did happen though. God's hand was most definitely
involved in aiding that car around the 90 degree curve. There is no other
explanation logical or otherwise. Praise God!
It was about 12:30 a.m. There was no moon and everything was black. We were
returning from a short trip with my close friend Randy and his wife Barb,
who was sitting by the door.
For some reason I decided not to travel I-70 west, which would have been a
much better road to be on at that time of night. We were just west of
Frederick, MD. driving toward Hagerstown, MD. on US-40.
This road passes through the Blue Ridge Mountains but doesn't wind or curve.
It is like a roller coaster. It goes first up then down, then up angain and
down again till you get through the mountains to the Cumberland Valley.
Each time we would go over the crest of a mountain, we would naturally gain
a little speed even though we would apply the brakes.
As we rode along, we talked about all sorts of things, but mostly the Lord,
and discussed our trip and how we would be able to relax when we finally
reached our homes.
We had just gotten over the ridge of one mountain and were picking up speed
when out from the right there suddenly appeared a yellow Volkswagon Beetle.
It had no lights on and we couldn't see it until we were close enough for our
headlights to lighten it. We were probably traveling about sixty miles-per-hour
at this point.
By then it was too late, but my 'instinct for survival' took over. I swerved
to the left with minute hopes of getting around it though we all knew that
we were far too close to miss it.
Several moments later we were in the valley starting up the next mountain.
Randy and I thanked the Lord for keeping us alive. Randy and I were
saying how we couldn't believe that we were not killed in a colision.
After a few moments passed, Randy noticed that Barb was tense and and
breathing hard. When he asked her if she was OK, she simply answered in a
shakey voice, "We didn't miss it." When Randy asked Barb what she meant, she
again told us that we didn't miss it.
Randy comforted her for a few minutes until she had regained her calm. What
she told us then was magnificent.
She told us how even though we had swerved,we absolutely did not miss
the other automobile. She said that when we reached the point of impact, our
headlight was shining at the rear wheel of the Volkswagon. This was an overlap
of about three feet.
Just as she said before, we didn't miss it! God allowed our vehicle to pass
right through the other car. There is no other explanation for this.
Several years later, I was relating this account to a minister friend and
his wife. By the time I had finished the testimony, he and his wife
were just looking at each other.
When I inquired as to whether something was wrong, they told me of their
own story. It seems that while they were serving as missionaries in the
Philippines, they had a similar situation happen to them. They told their
story where they had passed through two large trucks which were coming
toward them and had no place to go.
Scientifically (proven science, not speculation or conjecture), this
can happen. When God created all things He allowed empty space between the
molecules, even in steel and iron. Since He can do this, He also can line
up all the ,molecules in a specific order so that two solid objects can
literally pass through each other. He can allow the molecules of one object
to pass through the air space of another.
He caused an iron axe head to float (2 Kings 6:5,6) and caused a mule
to speak (Numbers 22:22-35), so there should be absolutely no doubt
that he can cause two things to pass through each other. God does work in
mysterious way and this indeed is mysterious, therefore, it would not be a
very difficult task for Him to do since He created it all in the first
place. Glory be to God!
In spring of 1994, my son, Joe, was wanting to go visiting in Maryland. He
informed me that his friend *Shannon would be willing to ride along and help
with the driving.
This way I wouldn't become so weary traveling two-thousand miles round trip,
and at my age I don't physically take these trips as well as I did in my 20's
After considering the proposition, I thought that nothing could go wrong
since it is spring and there will be no snow as in my trip several months
earlier. Also, I had nothing important on my schedule, so I agreed to do it
for him.
The trip to Maryland was lots of fun with the three of us laughing, singing,
and joking with one another. There was no problems with any of us getting
drowsy because of all the hilarity on the way.
As we arrived in Hagerstown, I found that I was indeed exhausted after being
on the road for nineteen hours with only a few short breaks allowing us to
stretch.
We were in Maryland for several days and returned with Joe's friend *Terry,
who was going to spend a couple weeks with us in Arkansas. I felt it a shame
that Joe's eastern friend couldn't drive since the rest of us were not
totally rested but started home, never-the-less.
What made this trip a disaster, was this return trip.
While we were traveling through West Virginia and across Kentucky the others
had gotten sleep, therefore I allowed Shannon to begin driving at Elizabethtown
and down the Western Kentucky Parkway to I-24 where I would take over again.
This way I would have an opportunity to get some much needed sleep. Needless
to say, I rested back in the passenger's seat. Facing the door I fell into a
deep sleep after only a few miles.
Later, as I was awakening I opened one eye and noticed that Shannon was
pulling off the highway and onto the shoulder. I figured that fatigue had
set in and I was needed to take over. I had no idea where we were, but as
I closed my eyes again I told myself that when we got stopped I would get
out, figure out where we were and then take over.
After a few moments, I realized that something was not right. We were not
stopping and the ride was getting rather bumpy. I lifted my head and looked
ahead. To my horror we were going into the grass adjacent and parrallel to
the highway and directly ahead of us was a bridge abutment.
WHAT!
Knowing that the car had been put on cruise control and was not going to
stop on its own, I considered that I didn't want my car or my body to become
part of a bridge in Kentucky. Though I think Kentucky is a beautiful place
I didn't want to become a ground in part of it.
I reached around and grabbed the sterring wheel and pushed it to the left.
Our driver, in turn, pulled to the right.
"This is not," I thought, "the time to be suicidal."
I remember seeing a reflectoron a stake in front of us. You know, the kind
that the roads department puts on an iron post along the road so you can
see if you can spear your car. The reflector will then allow you to reflect
backon the situation. I pushed as hard as I could, but all seemed useless.
I became desperate seeing our car speeding directly toward the end of the
bridge and called out in my mind, "Jesus!!" Immediately, the car swerved
abruptly to the left narrowly missing the stake, and by the Grace of God,
I guided the car down the shoulder of the road.
By this time Shannon had awakened and applied the brake stopping the car. We
found ourselves well within one hundred feet of the bridge. That is by far
too close for me after whizzing down the Interstate apparently unguided at
sixty-five miles per hour.
There was no damage except to our wits and a collection of various and
sundry grasses and weeds under the car.
After gathering our composure, which we had splattered, we found ourselves
only several miles from I-24.
We discussed the situation and found that Shannon had apparently fallen
asleep and didn't remember driving any od the last 75 miles. "Just before
awakening," Shannon told us, "I dreamed that I was driving up the hill at
the house and tried to turn into my driveway (which incidentally, turns
to the right), and my kids were runningtoward me. I couldn't get the
car to go into the driveway. Then I heard someone call to me, and I
awakened." Shannon thought that the voice sounded like one of thechildren.
I called to Jesus in my mind, but we heard no one call to Shannon.
I believe that when I called out to Jesus, He ordered angels to awaken
Shannon, or He called Himself. Personally, I believe that an angel called
and awakened Shannon.
Of course, I finished the driving myself. We did find that we could
have joy even in this situation. Jokingly, we told Shannon that in Kentucky,
they don't allow citizens to mow along the Interstates with a Pontiac Grand
Am.
*Permission was not able to be obtained that we might use their correct names.
JTMi HomePage
Testimonies
Angels Encamped About Me, Too!
Chapter One - Motorcycle Madness
Chapter Two - Bumper Cars
Chapter Three - Behind A Badge, But Under The Blood
Chapter Four - God Does A Body Good
Chapter Five - Other Sundry and Wonderful Things
Chapter Six - Weather or Not
Chapter Seven - Whooooo Acts Like A Devil
Calender of Events
Email:
Jots 'n' Tittles Ministries
