Dear Bill

Chapter thirty

I was staring out the window at my white van parked in our driveway. I recently purchased this vehicle from a friend to be used for my one-man electrician business. I wasn’t talking to Jesus, I was complaining to Jesus, like big time. I worked so hard and so long to come up with the cash to buy this very used van and all I had to show for my labour was…. a van.

Suddenly I seen a vision. Streaked across my van just a few feet away, on the driver’s side and at a forty-five degree angle, was a big, black, bold John 3:16. This vision lasted about two seconds.

I instantly got it. A John 3:16 on my van would add much relevance to my van. Wherever I went the John 3:16 went with me.

Was John 3:16 to be applied to my vehicle now or some future time? I really didn’t know. Would my customers be uncomfortable with a big, black, bold John 3:16 in their driveway?

After professionally applying the lettering, I parked my van in a large mall parking lot, walked away, turned around to look at it from a distance – trying to get people’s firsthand impression. Yes, it really was big, black, bold!

I like to walk, what I call walk-talks, most days. I park my John 3:16 in a conspicuous spot near one of my walking routes. I nose the van as close to the traffic as possible. Sometimes there are well over a thousand vehicles driving by while I am walking. How many notice, I don’t know. Perhaps eternity will reveal it. It is easy to imagine many thinking, “What is that guy trying to prove? What is John 3:16 anyhow? Sounds like a bible verse.” I get occasional honks, not knowing if they’re angry honks or supportive.

My precious grandson was returning to his workplace, his boss driving. His boss points at my parked 3:16 and says, “Look at that !#*!#* idiot!” My grandson replied, “That’s my grandpa.” I cracked up laughing. I remember as a child seeing “Jesus Saves” signs painted on boulders and farm buildings. They got my attention; I asked my very catholic mom, “What does “Jesus saves” mean? Many thousands of Kelowna residences and many thousands of tourists and truckers have seen my John 3:16, I suppose some as many as fifty times. Only eternity will reveal the amount of seeds sown in the hearts of men, women and children.