Willie's Redneck Time Machine (19 page)

YOU LEAVE JOHN LUKE OUTSIDE
to see what’s going on with Uncle Si. Considering who it is, you know that
anything
could be happening with him.

You have something else to do. And you have only a few moments to do it.

You end up managing to sneak inside without Korie seeing you. Then you get to work.

Korie’s birthday dinner is a big family event. Phil and Miss Kay are here. So’s Uncle Si. Jase, Jep, Alan, and their wives and kids
 
—everybody is here.

Several times during the meal, you look at John Luke and smile. Neither of you say anything since . . . Well, what
would you say?
“Yeah, John Luke and I went back to 1990 this afternoon. It was a blast.”

No.

For now, it’ll be a secret. Maybe you can show Korie the time machine later.

After dinner, everybody gathers in the family room to watch Korie open presents. Even though she’s said she doesn’t want or need anything, people still brought her something.

As she opens her gifts, you tell her to choose yours last.

“This is from Willie and John Luke,” Korie finally announces. “Who forgot to get something?” she asks, smiling at the fact that this is a combined gift. The other kids have managed to get Mom a present on their own.

“This is a special gift that
both
of us worked on,” you say.

She opens it up and examines the framed picture within. Her grin reveals that she loves it.

“This is great!” she says. “It looks so real too.”

“Let me see,” Uncle Si says.

Korie shows off the picture of John Luke with his arm around her. The only thing is, she’s eighteen years old and dressed for prom.

“I didn’t know you guys were this good
at Photoshop,” Korie says. “And look at John Luke. I bet I would’ve gotten the two of you confused back in high school. Especially with that mullet.”

John Luke raises his eyebrows at you.

The gift is perfect.

Later on, after everybody has gone home, John Luke comes in from the backyard.

“Hey, Dad,” he says in a whisper. “The outhouse
 
—time machine
 
—whatever you want to call it . . .”

“Yeah?”

“It’s gone.”

“Really? Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I looked around everywhere for it.”

And you were really hoping you could show Korie the machine.

“Oh, well. That was fun while it lasted.”

“One other thing,” John Luke says with worry all over his face.

“What is it?”

“I can’t find Sadie. Anywhere. It’s like she just . . . disappeared.”

THE END . . . OR IS IT?

Start over.

Read “The Morning Fog: A Note from John Luke Robertson.”

I LOVE THE IDEA
of traveling in time. Being able to go back in time to meet someone like Jesus and see some of his miracles would be incredible. I also love the idea of going back in time to make up for dumb things I’ve done.

This past February would be one of those times I’d set the redneck time machine for.

It was a day after we’d gotten some snow and rain. The fields were muddy and perfect for driving around on and doing donuts. My Jeep is great for those sorts of things. So I was out driving around doing donuts when suddenly
 
—
boom!
A tree came out of nowhere.

Actually, the tree had always been there. I just totally didn’t see it. It seemed to appear out of thin air, and my Jeep crashed right into it.

Our lives are like that. It’s so easy to be doing the right thing at the right time, and
then, out of nowhere, a tree comes and we crash. It can be something we say or do. It can be anything. We’re all prone to making mistakes.

The great thing is that God doesn’t keep us stranded back in time because of our mistakes. That’s the beauty of grace. Mistakes can sure change our lives, sometimes for the worse. But God never gives up on us. Like a father, he continues to watch over us and love us and wants us to make the right decisions.

It’s so easy to look ahead to next week or next month or even next year or to look back and wish things had been different. The last few years, being part of the Robertson family has been quite a wild adventure. Sometimes it’s easy to try to look too far into the future. But God’s Word is a reminder to stay focused on today.

James 4:14 says, “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog
 
—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.”

Even if I live to be one hundred years old, my life will still be like the morning fog. Hovering around, then suddenly gone.

My hope is that I can continue the Robertson legacy and shine a light on our faith and values. To make some sense of the morning fog. Just for a moment, maybe.

That’s my hope for you too.