That Little Red Car

I mentioned my car that I owned back in the 1970’s in a recent article.  That was the first  car that I went to the lot and bought.  It was a 1973 Ford Pinto.  It had a red paint job with a white vinyl roof and black dash and carpet, with white bucket seats!

Not MY Car, but one a LOT like it!

I loved that car.  It was lots of fun to drive, and thanks to my Uncle. . . it was a real head turner.

When I graduated from High School, just a few weeks later, I headed off to work with Missionaries in Africa.  Before I left, I dropped off my car with my Uncle who taught at a Trade School in Body Mechanics.  I had him put a “Metal Flake” red paint job, and top it off with a thick lacquer coat.  (He put 17 coats of lacquer on that car, and it looked amazing!)

People couldn’t help touching that car.  The red metal flake was about the size of glitter, so that car sparkled when the sun hit it!

I had all sorts of chrome trim on the car, and even under the hood.  I had really “pimped my ride” long before that term became a TV show.  HA

At any rate, I truly loved that car.  It was fun to drive, and a joy to have people look at it.

Then. . . one day, I was driving home and was stopped to make a left hand turn when I looked up in my rear view and saw a Plymouth Fury bearing down on me at a high rate of speed.  I didn’t have time to do anything up HOLD ON! ! ! 

BAM! ! ! ! !

He hit me and promptly knocked me about 30 yards down the road.

Now bear in mind, this is the FORD PINTO!  A car FAMOUS for igniting in a rear collision!  

The gas tank DID rupture, but no fire!   (Thank you SO MUCH LORD!)

And in one fell swoop. . . my car was destroyed.  :-(

Needless to say, that was a major disappointment.

But there was a silver lining!  The insurance settlement I got went right to the bank. . . and several months later, when Colleen and I got married, that insurance money paid for our wedding and honeymoon.

Romans 8:28 says;

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

I have to tell you, that on the day the car was wrecked, I was truly depressed.  Now don’t get me wrong, I was GLAD I was alive and unhurt, but I was sad to see my “first car” destroyed.

It wasn’t until later that I realized that losing that car played a big part in my wedding, and my sweet wife.  I’d trade EVERY car for the sweet wife that God has blessed me with!

And the point is, that even though I was sad at first. . . God worked it for good.  (Incidently, when we got married, SHE had an even BETTER CAR!  A 1972 Cutlass!  And I wish we still had that car!  It was a slick car too!)

That is the promise of Romans 8:28.  Whatever happens to us, God can and will work it for Good. . . and for His purpose.

As I look back on my life, I see lots of times where things didn’t go as I planned.  I see events that at the time seemed bad. . .only to find out later that was the best possible thing that could happen!  God did it back in the 1970’s, and he is STILL DOING IT TODAY!

He is doing it in your life too!  You just may be missing it.  Don’t let that happen.  When things don’t go right, look around and see God’s hand working.  You will probably be surprised at what he does.

That is good to remember on our journey!

See you on the road!

STEVE