The Legend of the Purple Bird

As many of you know, on occasion, I will sport around in my rare PURPLE Pontiac Firebird (yes, that is the original color, it was actually a mistake made by Pontiac). It is hard to believe my little Firebird is going on 13 years old. Fortunately, it has been a great and fun car. I've had very little work done to it and have just within in the past year hit 100,000 miles on it.

The Firebird was a surprise for my 17th birthday. My parents picked me up from school and said we were going to a guitar shop in Fuquay-Varina to get Dad's guitar worked on and then out to dinner. But instead, we stopped by the dealership and I was handed a pair of keys and a note on Duke letterhead congratulating me on my new ride. I was floored to say the least. Driving it home, I was a nervous wreck for many reasons but mainly because it was the first time that I had EVER driven a car with my Dad as the passenger. At school, it was an immediate hit and became affectionately known as The Batmobile and everyone wanted rides.

She took me to and from home and Campbell for four years in college and so many rides around town and even down to Myrtle Beach and Wilmington (you would think she'd have 200,000 miles on it by now!)

Lately though, my little baby has been sick but yet she has been very protective of her owner. Last year, she had her first major "surgery" having the rear axle and differential replaced (she had gotten so sick, she was roaring loudly!). My mechanic told me it was a miracle I was still driving her and that the axle had not snapped. She had a few good months of driving normally but I just still haven't felt comfortable enough taking her on journeys. Today, I dropped her off at the mechanic and he called to tell me, it was a complete miracle from God that I was still alive as my right rear tire was within moments of exploding.

Isn't it amazing how close we can come to something happening to our lives but God protects us always? The other night I was out "joy-riding" with the roof off the Firebird on the interstate going close to 80mph (sssh...don't tell Sheriff Harrison) ... the car was hoping around horribly but praise the Lord the tire didn't explode or else I would have been doing a NASCAR moment on I-40. Thank the Lord for His protection even when we don't know we are in danger.

I love my baby Firebird and hope she will continue to be around for more years to come. And those five of you (including myself) who have ever gotten to drive her, you are in a rare club.