Christian Family Services Ministry

12-11-2020 – A Word to the Wise – We forget why we are here. Perhaps a gentle reminder at times will help us understand our true purpose and explain some of the things that haunt us.

We are warriors of the King. It is that simple. That means we must think, and act, and behave like warriors. Instead of complaining of our lot in life we need to see the bigger picture of the battlefield and our place and purpose on it.

Battles are fought in many forms. Some are actual physical battle where one might engage the enemy. Some battle are emotional, our emotions or another’s. Some battle are intellectual, whether in the classroom, ministry, or battles with the evil ones forces. Some battle are spiritual engagements, whether in prayer, or intercession.

Examples of some of the positions that one might serve: The Solder or Police officer often finds themselves in direct contact with the enemy. Others are prayer warriors fighting the enemy from within his camp. Still others are teachers whose task prepares the student to engage the enemy in a variety of ways and discover intelligence about the enemy. Some engage the enemy emotionally tearing down walls, and resolving a variety of conflicting situations. Regardless, the field of combat we must show courage, and faithfulness. We are dependent on our commander and his battle plan.

I am offering a small taste of my battle ground experiences as a police officer. As of this date I have been a sworn officer for 43 years with the city of Dallas. I have obtained the highest certification, that of a Master Patrolman.

May 27-28, 1983

The next 24 hours will see a multitude of stirring events. It is 6 p.m. For the next 3 hours we answer a variety of calls; family violence, burglary reports ect. Near 9 p.m. we get a call for service and head toward downtown. Now it is my tendency to implore the Lord to give me the opportunity to save a life.

Another call comes out at Latimer and Grand and since we are only 3 blocks away we tell dispatch we will take it. Before we arrive we see a motorcycle laying on its side in a field off Good Latimer. We notify dispatch we are stopping to investigate. I get out and walk towards the scene and see the figure of a man on the ground.

The black male is a bloody mess. I search for a pulse and find a weak one. His heart appears to stop then start again. We started CPR. Blood comes flooding from his mouth. I turn his face to the side. With every compression blood floods from his mouth. The man’s jaw is shattered. DFD arrives we continues to check for a pulse and a faint one continues. DFD gets him into the ambulance and they intubate and start for Parkland. I say a prayer for him. A little later the Sgt. Calls us to meet him. We are informed the man lives. It is time to go home.

.We are Eastbound on R.L. Thornton going 65 mph, nearing the St. Francis exit when we notice a Pick up pulled over to the far left in the safety lane. The hood is up and two individuals working on the engine. We observe two women sitting on the lane barrier between the Eastbound and Westbound lanes. We pass, and my partner looks in the rear view mirror and loudly exclaims, “Oh, No, NO, No. What happened? “He hit them,” we immediately turn on the red lights and turn around westbound in the East bound lane returning to the accident. The Pickup is upside down nose to nose with another vehicle. Gasoline is starting to spill out of the tank. We start looking for bodies. The two women have jumped across the barrier and are not hurt. A white male 20 year old is face down on the road, moving and talking and we move him next to the median barrier.

I run back to the pick up looking for the other man. I observe a body lying under the rear of the pickup in front of the gas tank which is now leaking fuel. There is blood everywhere. I craw under the vehicle and notice a reddish beard and mustache, and a huge cut on the man’s forehead which is bleeding. Gasoline is spilling over him. Crawling next to him I check for life and find a faint pulse. He is pinned underneath the fame of the vehicle. I lift his head out of the pool of gasoline, and compress the wound to stop the bleeding. Smelling smoke from the engine compartment. I use the small radio to call for the fire department. Checking for a pulse and respiration I find that it is faint. But he is bleeding heavily from a wound. I am in a bind. The vehicle has the person pinned, I cannot move him, gasoline is spreading, and holding him up is getting difficult. The gasoline sprays into his face if I set his head down. If I put his head down he will drown in the gasoline, and the smoke is getting denser with bits of flame from the engine compartment lighting up the scene.

About that time DFD pulls up and a couple of fireman rush to lift the body of the pickup off us. Another fireman helps me drag the survivor out from under the truck. DFD bandages his head with a compression bandage, puts a neck collar on him and he is loaded into an ambulance for transport. He is still breathing. He starts throwing up blood and they turn his head to the side. I say a prayer for him. The driver of the other vehicle is drunk and dazed. His other victim has suffered a serious concussion but is conscious. DFD starts spraying down the area.

I am sick to my stomach from the blood and gasoline. When I get home taking off the uniform I find I am soaked in blood. Several hours later, Saturday I spend the day at my son’ graduation. I am so proud of him graduating with honors. Lord grant him the grace and humility to serve you wisely. May his life and family honor you.

Do not be tempted to say to yourself that this is about me. It is not. It is about Him what he does when we are too weak, or sad, or defenseless. It truly is about Him.