Bill's Story - Miracle or Coincedence
As told to me by Bill Reynolds, Jim Stewart
This story started in the early 1970's. It took a few years to develope, so I will condense it without losing any context.
While in college Bill had long hair, like most of did. He was heading out of San Antonio, Texas, one weekend to a small town east of San Antonio. He was going to go see a girl he just met. She was going to Texas Lutheran College in Sequin, Texas. On his way to see his new girl friend, Bill picks up a hitch-hiker that was going to Houston. When he got to his cut off point, he dropped off the hitch-hiker and headed into town. While driving into Sequin, he got pulled over by the Sequin Police Department, for suspicion of car theft. It was his own car. While they had him in handcuffs, the police started searching his car and they found some pills in the glove compartment. Bill had asthma and this was his medication. The police did not know that, all they had was some pills in a baggy and a long haired man. This bag drew more suspicion. The police continued to look in the car. They then found a blue jacket in the back seat of Bill's car. While the police were looking through the pockets of this jacket they found a half of a joint (marijuana cigarette). The police questioned Bill. The hitch-hicker that he gave a ride to left his jacket in the car. With no proof, Bill was arrested for possession of marajuana.
When it came time for Bill to go to court, his case was the last on the docket. There were about 20 cases ahead of him. The cases were all for the same offense, possession of marajuana. The Judge was handing out two year probation sentence after two year probation sentence. Then it came Bill's turn. He received a ten year probated sentence. He was also given the option of joining the Military. If he joined the military the probation would be reduced to time served and the case would be closed and sealed. This meant that the case would be expunged. Bill had one year left to get his college degree. So he cut a deal with the court. Bill would go on probation until his graduation and then enter the military. After Bill graduated he kept his part of the deal and enlisted into the Air Force. The court then sealed his records and closed the case.
After a couple of years of service, Bill went into the Air Force Intellegence, learning Aramaic. He was to be assigned to go to Iran. The day of graduation came and Bill was getting ready to head out to Iran. That is when his commander came up to him and said that Bill was going to be relieved of his assignment. That he was not going to be able to go to Iran with rest of his classmates. The commander stated that during his background check, they found his arrest record (A record that was suppose to be sealed and never opened, charges were to be dropped.) Feeling disappointed, Bill still went to the graduation festivities. He told his thirteen classmates about being relieved of his assignment and wished them all well. The next day his classmates headed out for Iran.
Two weeks later, suicide bombers blew up the hotel where his classmates were staying. There were no survivors, except for Bill who was still here in the States.
Bill retired a Lt. Colonel from the Air Force. He went into teaching and ministry.
Was this just luck or was it divine intervention? Did God have something else planned for him?
