"Son...Turn Your Head"

Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, I always felt that there was life after death. The reality of this was reinforced in a powerful way to me several years ago. I was in the process of installing a dryer out in our shop. The circumstances of why I was doing this were such that my heart and mind were not in the work. The task required the installation of a new 220-volt receptacle. I had installed the receptacle and had only to connect the two 110 volt wires to the two circuit breakers. The load center was energized, so I made sure that the two circuit breakers were in the “off” position. In the process of trying to fit the first wire into the breaker, however, I somehow managed to bump the switch which energized the breaker. I was at that moment trying to fit a #10 copper wire into a live breaker with a pair of non-insulated steel needle-nose pliers. Just as I was about to stick the wire into the breaker, I hear my father’s voice telling me, “Son…turn your head”. I did as I was told, and saw that I was just a fraction of an inch away from possibly killing myself.

I stopped and had to sit down. I said a quick prayer thanking my dad, who had passed away some fifteen years before. Dad was an engineer and had taught me how to use tools correctly and safely. While I may have forgotten for a short moment some important safety tips Dad had taught me, I have never forgotten the love that he shared with me throughout his mortal life. I am forever grateful that Jesus Christ provided a way for my father to continue to be a part of my life.