Monday, June 13, 2005

Something happened today

This afternoon while going to lunch with a friend, we witnessed the tail end of a fatal car/pedestrian accident. Apparently a man from the building over from where my friend works crossed Hwy183 to get something to eat and on his way back to work stepped out into the street without looking and was hit by two cars one after the other.

We saw him lying in the street without knowing exactly what happened. It wasn't until I was dropping her off an hour later that we found out what had happened, that he had stepped out into the street and was initially hit by a pickup truck driven by an 18year old who didn't have a driver's license then hit again by someone driving an SUV. It wasn't until a couple of hours later that my friend called me and told me that she had heard on the radio that the gentleman, his name was Wayne, did not survive his injuries.

Then this evening I have been chatting with my brother in California, talking about my woes and how hard things have been for me lately when it dawned on me. I've heard it before, heard it being used as a cliche', even said it myself..."no one is promised tomorrow..." but never before had that phrase rocked so deeply in my core. Wayne had no idea this morning as he was getting ready for work that he would be dead before 1pm.

Did he have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Did he know that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life? Did his loved ones? Will they see each other again in eternity?

All of these thoughts tumbled in my head as my conversation concluded with my brother and I was thankful for the knowledge that I know I will see my family again on the other side. But then I started thinking...will I see ALL of them? Will I see those who I have called my friends?

That thought lead to this email. I'm not really sure why I'm typing it, but I felt the overwhelming need to do so. To share with you my experience today and how it effected me and how it effects all of us as Christians.

There are those of you who I know on a personal & work level and those I know by association. Family, both intimate & external, by blood and in Christ. I am not passing judgement on anyone, just offering the same gift that was offered to me while I was a student at Huston - Tillotson by my friend & classmate Willie to someone out there who might not know Jesus as the pardon of their sins.