Jack took a long look at his speedometer before slowing down: 73 in a 55 zone. Fourth time in as many months. How could a guy get caught so often? When his car had slowed to 10 miles an hour, Jack pulled over but partially. Let the cop worry about the potential traffic hazard. Maybe some other car will tweak his backside with a mirror. The cop was stepping out of his car, the big pad in hand.

Bob? Bob from Church? Jack sunk farther into his trench coat. This was worse than the coming ticket. A Christian cop catching a guy from his own church. A guy who happened to be a little eager to get home after a long day at the office. A guy he was about to play golf with tomorrow. Jumping out of the car, he approached a man he saw every Sunday, a man hed never seen in uniform.

Hi, Bob. Fancy meeting you like this.

Hello, Jack. No smile.

Guess you caught me red-handed in a rush to see my wife and kids.

Yeah, I guess. Bob seemed uncertain.

Good. Ive seen some long days at the office lately. Im afraid I bent the rules a bit-just this once.

Jack toed at a pebble on the pavement. Diane said something about roast beef and potatoes tonight. Know what I mean?

I know what you mean. I also know that you have a reputation in our precinct.

Ouch! This was not going in the right direction. Time to change tactics. Whatd you clock me at?

Seventy. Would you sit back in your car please?

Now wait a minute here, Bob. I checked as soon as I saw you. I was barely nudging 65.

The lie seemed to come easier with every ticket. Please, Jack, in the car.

Flustered, Jack hunched himself through the still-open door. Slamming it shut, he stared at the dash board. He was in no rush to open the window. The minutes ticked by. Bob scribbled away on the pad. Why hadnt he asked for a drivers license? Whatever the reason, it would be a month of Sundays before Jack ever sat near this cop again. A tap on the door jerked his head to the left. There was Bob, a folded paper in hand. Jack rolled down the window a mere two inches, just enough room for Bob to pass him the slip.

Thanks. Jack could not quite keep the sneer out of his voice. Bob returned to his police car without a word. Jack watched his retreat in the mirror. Jack unfolded the sheet of paper. How much was this one going to cost? Wait a minute. What was this? Some kind of joke? Certainly not a ticket. Jack began to read:

Dear Jack, Once upon a time I had a daughter. She was six when killed by a car. You guessed it, a speeding driver. A fine and three months in jail and the man was free. Free to hug his daughters. All three of them. I only had one and Im going to have to wait until Heaven before I can ever hug her again. A thousand times Ive tried to forgive that man. A thousand times I thought I had. Maybe I did, but I need to do it again. Even now. Pray for me. And be careful. My son is all I have left.

… Bob

Jack turned around in time to see Bobs car pull away and head down the road. Jack watched until it disappeared. A full 15 minutes later, hetoo, pulled away and drove slowly home, praying for forgiveness and hugging a surprised wife and kids when he arrived.

Life is precious. Handle with care.

This is an important message, please pass it along to your friends. Drive safely and carefully. Remember, cars are not the only thing recalled by their maker.

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the worlds going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.

Funny how everyone wants to go to heaven provided they do not have to believe, think, say, or do anything the Bible says. Or is it scary?

Funny how someone can say I believe in God but still follow Satan (who, by the way, also believes in God). Funny how you can send a thousand jokes through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.

Funny how the lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but the public discussion of Jesus is suppressed in the school and workplace. FUNNY, ISNT IT?

Funny how someone can be so fired up for Christ on Sunday, but be an invisible Christian the rest of the week. Are you laughing?

Funny how when you go to forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because youre not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it to them.

Funny how I can be more worried about what other people think of me than what God thinks of me.