TWO PEOPLE DRIVING ONE CAR

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It was mid-afternoon, and Jean and I were on our way home from church, (or some other place long since forgotten.) She was driving our old green 1980 something Oldsmobile; a somewhat larger and heavier vehicle than one generally sees on the road today. We were traveling at 50 MPH, or more, and as we neared an intersecting road on our right, which was marked with a stop sign, a small blue car pulled into our pathway.

I could plainly see a man and woman in the front seat, and a little boy and girl in the back seat. I will never forget those precious little human beings as they sat there, eyes wide open, peering helplessly out the window, as our car swiftly approached them.  Less than 50 feet separated our two vehicles, and Jean proceeded to lock up the brakes. An accident was inevitable. As with so many traumatic events, time seemed to slow down. (Interestingly enough, I have read that this syndrome occurs because the brain is processing more information than usual in a miniscule amount of time.)

It was obvious that my wife had every intention of plowing headlong into the smaller car, (and no doubt, all the occupants of that vehicle would have been seriously injured or killed.) And though we were driving a much larger automobile, we also would not have been spared, since foolishly we weren’t wearing our seatbelts.

Suddenly, I just KNEW what I had to do.

I reached over with my left hand, took the steering wheel from Jean, and began steering it in a direction that would take us around the rear of the small vehicle. Amazingly, we cleared the back bumper of the little car by a foot. Both my wife and I found ourselves leaning hard in the direction of our passenger window. (As a result of that event, I can easily relate to the G-forces astronauts endure as they reach maximum acceleration.)

But our wild ride was only beginning. Our ungainly old car began a 180 degree slide. Suddenly, the back end was where the front end was just seconds before. Now we were sliding backwards. As the car lost momentum, we neared a wooden fence to our left which paralleled the side of a house. We finally slid to a stop in a grassy area, a few feet from the fence, very shaken, but not a scratch on either of us. 

As we ended our unexpected journey, I saw the little car as it turned left into the opposite lane of the four lane highway. The man didn’t even have the courtesy to stop and inquire about our well-being. The decent thing to have done, the only thing to have done, would have been to stop, especially since he had pulled in front of us, and caused a near fatal accident.

However, while this traumatic event was in the process of happening to us, another car pulled up to the stop sign. Having seen the spectacle falling together around him, I have no doubt that the driver watched in awe. The motorist asked if we were okay, and after we assured him we were, he drove away.

Only God. Only God. Nothing less than an abject miracle. The two occupants of our car and the four occupants of the other car might easily have died that day. And the spot which Jean fills in the audience tonight would be vacant, or filled by another, and I would be just as invisible now, and you would not be listening to the sound of my voice, nor been exposed to my obvious charm, or handsome face.

And I have no doubt He gave His angels charge over us that day, and when we needed a miracle, well, He gave us one. And I have no doubt, any one of you could step behind this podium and share something equally wonderful and amazing that our Lord has done in your own lives.

by Bill McDonald, PhD

GONE TOO SOON

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A couple of months ago a lovely young lady named Chelsea D., 27, was driving along a road in central Florida, not more than a quarter mile from my home, when an intoxicated 21 year old semi-truck driver slammed into her vehicle; killing her instantly.

I don't understand such an event. I simply don't. Nor do I understand the loss of several of my high school classmates in vehicular accidents just before, or just after graduation. 

Why are countless young people in our society denied long, successful and fulfilled lives? I didn't know Chelsea. She must have been very special, as family and friends have erected a beautiful make-shift memorial for her at the site of the accident. A couple of hand-crafted sunflowers, a circular wooden cutout with her name and dates. And a solar light.

I didn't know Chelsea, but I knew Beth. Beth was a year behind me in school, was a member of my choral group there, and was a minister's daughter. I don't recall saying a word to her, nor her me, but I realized her potential, and I knew she was surrounded by friends. Beth was taken from us when, after a date, her boyfriend turned into a rain swollen ditch, rather than the entrance to her subdivision. It had apparently been raining, and his vision was obscured.

It is extraordinarily perplexing, disappointing, and devastating. Personally perplexing since I have experienced numerous instances when I was a cat's whisker away from death, only to be saved from what seemed to be a certain fate. Four examples, all involving my personal automobile immediately come to mind. And there were others.

I came across a maxim in the last couple of years which purports to explain such a dynamic.

"When someone dies 'before their time,' it is obvious that God was done with them here. They had completed everything they were designed to do."

Well, while this is as close to a plausible answer as I have heard, it is simply not enough. It leaves us unfulfilled and searching for answers. And it leaves me with only one possible conclusion.

We are going to just have to wait 'til we stand before the Creator, when all the books will be opened, and all the questions will be answered.

by Bill McDonald, PhD

MEETING CORNELIA

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Sometime in the mid to late 80’s, I pulled my UPS truck up to the back door of a sports shop at the Winter Haven Mall in order to make a delivery there. As I exited, and pushed my hand cart up to that rear portal, a late model sedan pulled up beside me, and a middle-aged lady exited the vehicle.

At this point, I don’t recall our conversation, but to be sure the woman informed me that she was none other than Cornelia Ellis Wallace, the ex-wife of the former governor, and presidential candidate, Alabama’s George Wallace. It seems she was well-acquainted with the owner of the store, and had stopped by to see him.

 Cornelia attracted national attention on May 15, 1972 when she threw herself over her husband, George, after his having been shot four times during an assassination attempt in Maryland. At that time, Governor Wallace was promoting his bid for his party’s presidential nomination. Who can forget that poignant video segment which was highlighted on all the national news broadcasts?

Mrs. Wallace ran for governor of the State of Alabama in 1978, but did little active campaigning and finished last among thirteen candidates for the Democratic nomination.

As it fell together, one of my counseling clients attended the same church Ms. Wallace attended, and several years after I first met her, my client procured Ms. Wallace’ autograph for me. She succumbed to cancer in 2009.

My chance meeting and brief conversation with the illustrious Cornelia Wallace, at the back door of a mall sports shop, is among the most memorable of my life.

by Bill McDonald, PhD

 

ATTICUS

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Mary Badham portrayed the ten or twelve year old tom boyish daughter of a southern lawyer, "Atticus Finch," portrayed by Gregory Peck in the movie, "To Kill a Mockingbird."

As the movie falls together, Atticus is called upon to defend "Tom Robinson," (Brock Peters), an innocent black man, who has been accused of raping a young white woman.

Atticus is the single father of two children, "Scout" and "Jem." Among his most outstanding traits are empathy and consistency. He is moral, conscientious, and wise.

I have always loved this movie. Atticus seems to be an ideal father. He is strict when strictness is called for, understanding when understanding is what his children need most, and determined, above all things, to choose the right when choosing the wrong would be so much easier.

Atticus possessed the special wherewithal to stand alone when his standing alone was not only unpopular in his "neck of the woods," but could be downright dangerous, (as Scout was to find in her confrontation with the supposed victim's father).

Mary Badham, who is still with us today, remained in touch with Gregory Peck throughout the remainder of his life. And she did something some might think a bit strange. She continued to call the gifted actor by the name of "Atticus." 

"He was the epitome of his movie character, Atticus. He possessed all the traits of my 'To Kill a Mockingbird' father. I could not help but continue to call him by that name."

As a matter of fact, in one interview Ms. Badham slips, (and apparently doesn't realize it), and actually begins a sentence with, "And Atticus said..." (referring not to the movie character, but to Peck, himself).

What a precious relationship the two shared together. What a wonderfully good man the actor seemed to be.

by Bill McDonald, PhD