THE MINER
Deep within the mine four miners were securing an inactive heading. Further ahead of the 3 miners, the lead man all at once heard the earth move, a popping of a bolt, and saw spalling from the back. Shouting for his crew to, “Get the Hell out now!” the miner was covered instantly with raw smelling earth. The grit he tasted was overwhelmingly of sulfur which burned his mouth, stung his eyes, and plugged his nose and ears. His lungs struggled inside his ribs for the precious air of life which was a sudden priority in his panicked mind. Just as quickly, the miner's thoughts turned submissive, a calming ethereal sensation came over him and in his quieted mind he realized, ‘So, this is what it is like to die?’ Within these few seconds he felt a presence at his back and he envisioned a soft florescent outline of a pair of spinnaker winged feathers gently covering the front of him as if for protection. At the same time his life flashed before him, a sensation which it was, his life as if it was, knowing it was over for him, a quick checklist so to speak, of everything of who he was and how he had affected all within an earthly realm. ‘Oh God!’ He cried out suddenly in his mind. ‘Oh Jesus, Jesus, save me!’ He yelled within the silence of his ebbing life as the smothering blackness took a hold of him.
The miner was abruptly awakened with 3 pair of strong firm hands upon him. Roughly wiping off the sweated grime from the miner's face, eyes, and nose, he heard muffled and excited yelling from his 3 men. “Hey buddy, are you all right?” “Aw man, are you okay?” “Stay with us man, we’ll get you outta here!” “Everything will be okay, just hang in there!” The miner tried to focus on the 3 lights that shone on him, that blinded and stunned his senses. All of which added to the overall shock that his limp body endured and then the miner knew, he was alive and he would be okay.
Once outside, The Gold of The Morning Sun shined into the miner's red-rimmed eyes, breathing only from his mouth, the crunch of the dirt between his teeth was interrupted with spitting and coughing. The taste of sulfur continued to linger as he tried to breathe through his nose. The aching throughout his body was overwhelming. The 3 men that saved him hadn’t left his side. Wet rags wiped the miner's face, neck, and hands. Water aided the miner as he tried to work his mouth properly to rinse, spit, and drink in the refreshing coolness of a Life Reborn. The miner laid there and thought of his wife, his children, his friends, people he liked, and people he didn’t like in general. It felt good to think. Then the miner vividly remembered crying out to God and for Jesus to save him. A conscious effort overtook him, he had saved his 3 friends and in turn, he had been saved by his 3 friends. They worked as a team, they worked together as one. Such is life was his final conclusion…suddenly the ambulance was there, funny how he hadn’t noticed the sirens screaming and piercing his thoughts until just then.
As the miner lay on the gurney, he painfully forced his head to the left against the brace that was keeping him immobile. Past the open doors of the ambulance, he focused his eyes on his crew, and watched Arnie and Jess talking casually as if they were discussing last nights game, like nothing had ever happened. Then the miner took notice of Rob, standing a bit away from the guys with his arms across his chest looking at him intently. Rob’s dirt-cracked face broke into a big ol’ knowing grin when the miner looked at him. Now the miner finally knew the mysterious light that was always in Rob’s eyes, which always made him take notice of Rob with curiosity and sometimes in amazement as he fearlessly spoke about his faith. As the paramedics were closing the doors to the ambulance, Rob gave his friend quick thumbs up and as the miner was being taken away to the hospital, he humbly and willingly gave his life over to Jesus Christ.