I wrote this for a Facebook post several years ago...
After a rodeo (and several alchoholic beverages) 46 years ago, a friend of mine and I thought it would be fun to terrorize our home town, as was my custom believe it or not, before I rededicated my life to the Lord Jesus Christ.
I drove the getaway car while he shot out street lights with his .22 caliber pistol. Even though stupidity reigned supreme that night and we didn't get arrested or killed, because I also had a habit of running from the police in my souped up 1969 SS 396, we made it home to his house unscathed and totally wasted (if you know what I mean).
After shucking our clothes and finishing off our beverages, we were chatting (if you can call unintelligible mutterings 'chatting') and sitting on the side of our respective beds. Like the good sportsman and gunsmith he was, my friend would never go to bed without first cleaning his weapon....only thing is, he forgot the first rule of cleaning a gun...MAKE SURE IT's EMPTY!...And the second rule...NEVER POINT IT IN THE DIRECTION OF ANYTHING OR ANYONE YOU DON'T WANT TO SHOOT (as was the case that night).
Well you probably know the rest of the story as he attempted to clear the breach, a .22 cal long rifle was still in the chamber and yours truly caught it in the side where it missed a main artery by a fraction of an inch and lodged near my bladder.
To make a long story very short, I got a ride to the hospital and a few days stay and the doctors decided to leave the bullet where it was because it was in no life-threatening position and would probably never cause me any concern.
Today, during my hernia surgery, the doctor noticed something that shouldn't be where it was, and extracted that bullet, that 'blast from the past', and presented it to me, and I now to you, to remind us all of something...
The moral to this story, especially for you young folks who think you're invincible...don't make the mistake I made and endanger yourself, your friends or those who love you by careless, Godless living. I knew better but did it anyway...(sound familiar?) Think, act and do those things that are Christlike because you may not get the second chance our wonderful, merciful Savior gave me that night!
If I didn't love you, I wouldn't tell you this story...Share if you like with someone who may be headed in the wrong direction. It (and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ) may just save their life now and in the one to come...Have a blessed evening!