"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." (I John 2:15-16)
There's a disturbing story in the local news this week. A teenage driver, 19-year-old Elizabeth Finnegan of Norfolk was found passed out at the wheel by Ashland police at 7:10 a.m. on Sunday. She had driven her car into a snowbank and passed out; or maybe it was the other way around. Numerous emptied bottles and cans of alcoholic beverages were found in the car she was driving. The most disturbing part of the story is that the young lady was on Probation for have hit and killed a 48-year-old man in Wrentham in December of 2006. At that time, she'd left the scene of the accident but later turned herself in to police saying she didn't know she'd hit anybody. You can read about this in the MetroWest Daily News at
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x238204155/Norfolk-teen-on-probation-for-fatal-car-crash-now-faces-OUI-charge-in-Ashland
The young lady is being charged with "O.U.I." ("Operating under the influence of alcohol"). You may wonder why Massachusetts doesn't say "D.W.I." ("Driving with the influence of alcohol") which is the term that is used in most other states. It may surprise you that in Massachusetts Motor Vehicle law, there's really no such thing as a "driver", unless you happen to be riding in your car down the road and you come upon a hayride wagon pulled by horses...then the person at the reins would be the "driver". In Massachusetts, the legal term is always an "Operator". In Massachusetts you DON'T "drive" a car, you "operate" it. I can recall years ago that the wording on your license actually said, "LICENSE TO OPERATE A MOTOR VEHICLE". The licenses NOW say "Driver's License" and I think that's been the case for at least twenty years. Massachusetts probably changed the term on the licenses to "Driver's License" reluctantly because police departments and motor vehicles departments in other states may have been confused by the term "Operator".
We've all heard that line, "Driving is a privilege, not a right!" Well serious, hard core Libertarians like San Francisco talk show host Gene Burns can tell you THAT'S been challenged in the courts, and the courts have determined that driving IS a right, and that issuing a "Driver's License" is TECHNICALLY unconstitutional! (A few fanatical libertarians in other states have tested this and that's the way the courts have ruled.) Whatever you MAY think, there have been some very smart legal minds at high levels in the government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. They anticipated this problem many years ago, and that's why you don't get a "license to drive" in Massachusetts, you get a "license to operate machinery in the public ways" and issuing and requiring such a license IS constitutional!
Well, whatever we want to call it, that young lady found passed out was under the influence of alcohol. It's OUTRAGEOUS. And, as my son pointed out, she's under age. Does the 21-year-old drinking law stop a 19-year-old from driving drunk? Sadly, it does not. That may be a topic for another day.
I don't drink alcoholic beverages at all for two reasons: One is that I'm an Assemblies of God minister and especially in leadership circles in the AG, drinking is strongly frowned upon. The other is that my late brother was an alcoholic and I've seen the heartache that alcohol abuse can bring upon a family. However, I struggle with other issues. I can be very moody. I can be self-absorbed. I can allow myself to be ruled by my emotions rather than by the Holy Spirit (or even by common sense). When I choose to do that, in a very real sense I'm "operating under the influence". So, today, as I think with anger and disappointment about the actions of that young lady who was found passed out at the wheel in Ashland, I find myself thinking about how many times I reacted to a person or a situation out of my emotions or mood or something which I allowed into my life to "hijack" my day. This is frankly a difficult area for me, and it's an area I really need to pray about, and a part of my life where I really need to yield to the Holy Spirit and "walk in the Spirit so that I don't fulfill the lusts of the flesh" (as Galatians 5:16 says). In fact, I need to be "under the influence" of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, which is, of course, a GOOD kind of being "under the influence"!
So, in a strange sort of "back door" way, I learned a lesson from the actions of Elizabeth Finnegan of Norfolk.
EMMYS 1966: The Dick Van Dyke Show (season 5)
4 years ago
2 comments:
On 12/22/06 I was called at 5AM and told Jeff was killed by a hit run driver. I must inform our children and family before the press release. I was shaking. I gathered our children (by the now solemn Christmas tree) to tell them their father had given his life for a higher purpose. His whole life was to prepare for that moment because he was saving a faimily from being killed by this driver in the future. We held hands and prayed The Our Father. The recent news about Finnigan drunk driving on a Sunday morning at 7AM has made me wonder if my rationale was wrong. I question if Jeffrey's life was in vain now. This experience hurts so much. Pastor Bob.
To: RWalsh, I hope you're able to read this: I heard you on the Howie Carr Show this week. I am sure I speak for SO many when I say I am SO sorry for the pain you and your family have gone through. I am sorry about Jeff's death. I know it seems senseless. I understand why you have said what you've said, but only eternity will reveal the full value of his life. May God comfort you and your children. If you ever want to speak to me personally, don't ever hesitate. Just send me an e-mail and I can phone you. If you're available Sunday night, 3/15 our church would be honored to pray for you at the special healing service we are holding.
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