My Dad had a love of cars from a young age.  He was driving his own vehicles, on the road, from 12 years and up.

Now these vehicles were usually, only half a body, a front seat and just a flat bed behind.

Two stories that caused him to roar in laughter, when he shared them.

He had 6 younger siblings, they had been a couple miles down the road at a neighbours, gathering and loading hay on his flat bed.

He drove them home, all the kids sitting on top of the hay,  he says he turned into the driveway a little too fast. 

The hay and the kids all ended up in the middle of the road.  No one hurt, but his Dad wouldn’t let him drive for a couple of weeks.

One other time, the vehicle he drove had a gravity fed gas line.  He never had more than a gallon at a time and often less.

To go up hill, since the gas tank was under the front seat, he would have to drive in reverse.

He had a friend in the passenger seat, as he whipped it around to go up the hill backwards, his friend fell out, and was run over by the back wheel.

He was not hurt, Dad said the back end wasn’t heavy enough to do any damage. His friend never let him live it down.

On a serious note:

Latter on, when he was around 18, he and a friend were in a street legal car, full body, even registered and licenced.

When he had a terrible accident in which his friend was killed.   An event, that you never forgive or forget.

I know the guilt and pain he carried, I don’t know if he ever experienced the forgiveness of Christ. The lifting of the burden off his soul.

He believed, as a good Catholic believes, he knew who Jesus was, he knew the gospel.

He never did know or understand, he could have a personal relationship.

I was never able to make him or anyone in my family understand.

I prayed when I first got saved, fervently, effectually, I was the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

I believe I heard the Lord say: ENOUGH BILL, I HEARD YOU…

I rest on that belief. I trust I will see him and the rest of my family I prayed for. Amen