Encountering Bonnie and Clyde.

“Why does it have to rain when we finally get to the beach?” grumbled our Daughters as they lay across the bed.

“I don’t know but maybe it won’t last long.” I replied.

“Well, we’re bored……there isn’t anything fun to do when it’s raining.”

“I could tell you another story or two if you’d like.” I said.

“Okay, I guess that’s better than nothing”, Daughter # 1 said as she drew a deep breath and rolled over.

“Not only did your great- great-grandparents have a connection to a famous couple of outlaws, Frank and Jesse James, but both of your granddads did also” I began.

“It was somewhere around 1933 that the infamous Bonnie and Clyde cut a wide swath of destruction through the Ozarks. I know you’re too young to remember or have heard of , Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (October 1, 1910 – May 23, 1934) and Clyde Chestnut Barrow (March 24, 1909 – May 23, 1934)  but they were  well-known American outlaws, robbers, and criminals who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. Their exploits captured the attention of the American public during the "public enemy era" between 1931 and 1934. Though known today for his dozen-or-so bank robberies, Barrow in fact preferred to rob small stores or rural gas stations. The gang is believed to have killed at least nine police officers and committed several civilian murders.” (Wilkipedia information)

“At one time, Bonnie and Clyde occupied an upstairs apartment in Joplin, Missouri and they travelled those hills causing havoc to a lot of people.  One day, when your Grandpa was about seventeen years old, he was riding his horse and looked up to see a cloud of dust. Upon a closer look, he noticed a black car racing down the road.  It was some distance away but he decided to bring his horse to a gallop and rush forward in hopes of seeing who would be driving a car that fast. Cars were not all that plentiful in that area and he couldn’t imagine who it might be or what the hurry was.  By the time he reached the crossroads, the vehicle had just passed, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake. It was a few days later that your grandpa found out who it was. It seems Bonnie and Clyde had a shootout with a local sheriff and his deputy a few miles to the north and they were making a quick getaway.  They wanted to travel the back roads in order to have a better chance of escape. A few miles past the area where Grandpa had stopped, the couple encountered a man splitting wood. They stopped and asked the man if he knew how to get to Eureka Springs without going through Berryville. The man replied “Well, yes, but I don’t know if I can tell you how to go or not.” With that, Clyde pulled his weapon and said, “Get in.” The man complied and directed them through the back roads to Eureka Springs whereupon, Clyde stopped the car and shoved the man out telling him, “Don’t say a word to anyone for at least a half hour and then you can tell anyone you want”, and off they sped.

A few weeks earlier, Bonnie and Clyde travelled through our town.  At the time, my daddy, your granddad, operated a filling station on highway 62. Bonnie and Clyde stopped at his station and your granddad filled up their gas tank. They thanked him, paid for the gas and drove off. It was a short time later that Granddad saw a picture of the couple and recognized them. Knowing they liked to rob small stores and gas stations, your granddad was very thankful that the couple had driven off without an encounter.”

“Wow, that’s pretty scary, Mom. What if both of my granddad’s had been shot by those mean people? Sissy and I wouldn’t be here and you and Dad wouldn’t be either.”

And, she was right…………

How many of us have close encounters that we never know about? I remember the story where God told Moses about the angel that would go with them but, they had to obey the angel.

“See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you. Pay close attention to him, and obey his instructions. Do not rebel against him, for he is my representative, and he will not forgive your rebellion. But if you are careful to obey him, following all my instructions, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will oppose those who oppose you.” Exodus 23:20-22 NLT 

Sometimes, God may send others to us but we fail to heed their advice when that advice might keep us from making a mistake. Sometimes listening closely to that still, small voice in our hearts can keep us from danger. Sometimes, like in the case of John’s dad and also my dad, it was not God’s will that either of them be harmed so He protected them in His own way.

We need to thank our Heavenly Father each day for the protection He gives us and ask Him each morning as we rise to keep His hand of protection on us yet another day. Psalm 91 should be read by each of us every day. A couple of verses from that Psalm read like this:

“ The Lord says,

Because he is devoted to me, I will deliver him;

I will protect him because he is loyal to me.

When he calls out to me, I will answer him.

I will be with him when he is in trouble;

I will rescue him and bring him honor.

I will satisfy him with long life,

and will let him see my salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16 NET