Wednesday, June 18, 2008

3:16


I got this book today. And I just have to say, I'm only in the beginning of it and something has already caught my attention. Here's the part I'm talking about.....
God does for you what Bill Tucker's father did for him. Bill was 16 years old when his dad suffered a health crisis and consequently had to leave his business. Even after Mr. Tucker regained his health, the Tucker family struggled financially, barely getting by.
Mr. Tucker, and entrepreneurial sort, came up with an idea. He won the bid to reupholster the chairs at the local movie theater. This stunned the family. He had never stitched a seat. He didn't even own a sewing apparatus. Still, he found someone to teach him the skill and located an industrial-strength machine. The family scraped together every cent they had to buy it. They drained saving accounts and dug coins out of the sofa. Finally they had enough.
It was a fine day when Bill rode with his dad to pick up the equipment. Bill remembers a jovial, hour-long trip discussing the bright horizons this new opportunity afforded them. They loaded the machine in the back of their truck and secured it right behind the cab. Mr. Tucker then invited his son to drive home. I'll let Bill tell you what happened:
"As we were driving along, we were excited, and I, like any 16 year old driver, was probably not paying enough attention to my speed. Just as we were turning on the cloverleaf to get on the expressway, I will never ever, ever forget watching that sewing machine, which was already top-heavy, begin to tip. I slammed on the breaks, but it was too late. I saw it go over the side. I jumped out and ran around the back of the truck. As I rounded the corner, I saw our hope and our dream lying on its side in pieces. And then I saw my dad just looking. All of his risk and all of his endeavor and all of his struggling and all of his dream, all of his hope to take care of his family was lying there, shattered.
"You know what happened next don't you? 'Stupid, punk kid driving too fast, not paying attention, ruined the family by taking away our livelihood.' But that's not what he said. He looked right at me. 'Oh, Bill, I am so sorry.' And he walked over, put his arms around me, and said, 'Son, this is going to be okay.' "
Wow, I want to be a parent like that. Really.

3 comments:

Angelique said...

Me too!!! Are you liking the book?

Amanda Jo said...

Wow...me too! Thanks for sharing this with us!

katylinvw said...

wow! i've got to pick that up! (love lucado)

welcome to ~my husband rocks! Fridays~ i can't wait to read what you have to say!


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