Material for Sunday's sermon,,,

[contender]

I had a call from a friend a few days ago. He was calling for the local preacher. Apparently,, they needed my services. The preacher,,, had an issue,,, !

This Baptist preacher was driving home from visiting his son, and enjoying a game of golf over in Tenn. As he was about 10-12 miles from home,, he felt something upon his shoulder,, and it was moving. He turned to find a black snake,, coming up from behind,, and over the top of the seat,, upon his shoulder.
As he told me; "I did one of the quickest,, stops & exiting of my car you could ever imagine!" It's a good thing he didn't wreck or hurt someone else too.
He called 911.
They informed him it was not something they deal with,, as their animal control only deals in domestic animal issues.
He informed them that the snake had moved down & under the seat "somewhere" and he was going to have to get home,, that he would be "in a hurry" and didn't want any interference for his haste!
Upon his arrival home,, he exited the car, and also left the doors open.
The next day,, about 2:00 pm,, he found the snake,, curled up in the warm sunny floorboard area. He called my friend,, thinking he could help.
I was then called.
I was not able to drop everything immediately,, but I did tell him to not disturb the snake,, and I'd get there as quickly as I could. And I did.
Upon my arrival,, there were a few folks hanging around,, and just as I got there,, one of them was gently removing a 4'-4-1/2' black rat snake from under the seat area.
Apparently,, the lady across the street had a son who keeps pet snakes,, and he'd been called by her. He did a good job of properly removing the black snake & was glad to show it around.

The preacher & I had a fun conversation,, and I told him; "You now have some good material for Sunday's sermon,, the Pastor & the Serpent!"

 

[Colonialgirl]

Say !!!
Wasn't it a SERPENT that got Eve to eat the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden?

 

[Jeepnik]

Why does everyone blame the serpent? It didn't twist her arm. The desire had to be there in the first place.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

That would make you exit the vehicle quickly for sure. Years ago when I was living in Arkansas I was driving a truck for the farmers coop. I was out on the truck yard securing my load when a car came flying into the lot, locked brakes and slid to a stop in the gravel. Young girl who turned out to be the wife of one of the other drivers jumps out and screams "there's a snake in my car!" She was driving down I-40 near the coop when a snake appeared from under the dash console. She had a baby in a car seat in the back seat. We never did find that snake.

 

[trebor44]

Since I like apples, I wouldn't need a snake to tell me to eat one. What is interesting, are the 'fall/Autumn events that 'celebrate' the apple harvest!

 

[Pat-inCO]

My only question is . . . how many hours (days :shock: ) did he have to leave the
windows and doors open to get the snake inside the vehicle?

 

[wolfsong]

Why does everyone blame the serpent? It didn't twist her arm. The desire had to be there in the first place.

The serpent was part of the conspiracy, that's why it gets a share of the blame.

 

[coach]

I never had a snake in the car, but a yellow jacket buzzing around has made me pull over and exit the car quickly. I believe a snake on my shoulder would likely do the same. :shock:

 

[contender]

You don't have to leave the doors or windows open for a snake to get inside a car. Mice & such get in all the time,, and the snakes just follow the food!

It's been a fun story to share.

 

[Mobuck]

As I keep telling Grandson: More people are hurt trying to get away from snakes/spiders/bees than are hurt by those critters. I will admit that having a snake crawling up/on/next to one while driving is reason for immediate action but not to the point of having an accident. I'm pleased that the minister kept cool and didn't wreck.
When I was young(maybe 9-10) it was very common for kids my age to operate the hay raking tractor. A fairly simple task except for the numerous bumblebee nests. A local boy about my age had been stung a few times and developed a deep fear of the bees. One day while he was raking hay some bees got after him and in his wild gyrations in fighting the bees, he fell (or jumped) off the moving tractor. Fortunately the tractor "only" ran over his leg before continuing on to destroy itself by toppling into a deep ditch. The kid had a broken leg, Dad lost a couple of important pieces of equipment, and I got a lesson in what happens when someone over-reacts.

 

[jimd441]

I'm the local "snake guy" in that people call me when the find a snake somewhere that they don't want, usually outside. It is amazing how many times over the years I have been called about a "copperhead", and to date it has never been a copperhead. I can forgive someone mistaking, for example, a corn snake for a copperhead. The supposed copperheads have turned out to be a garter snake, a black rat snake, and a green snake. I do exercise restraint when I catch the snake and refrain from sarcastic comments about their faulty species identification.

"The Pastor and the serpent" - I love it

Jim

 

[contender]

Mobuck is so RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Many folks are hurt by their fears and trying to get away than the actual issues. I'm often on ladders,, and try "jumping" away from a wasp that is stinging you. If you value your health,, you learn NOT to.

Same with snakes,, they are often far enough away,, OR,, are non-poisonous but people have such fears,,, that their "escape" causes injuries.

Jim,, I get a LOT of similar calls. Most often inside homes,, and only on 2 occasions has it actually been a copperhead inside a home, (both cases had extenuating circumstances,) and only 1 rattlesnake call inside. It was a business, where a shipment of lettuce contained baby rattlers. Again,, NOT normal.
Most often,, I get calls about copperheads,, when it turns out to be baby black snakes. I use the experience to teach people about the different look they have as babies,, due to God's plan on how to help protect them. I never discount a person's fears,, but try hard to educate them.

 

[toysoldier]

I'm often on ladders,, and try "jumping" away from a wasp that is stinging you. If you value your health,, you learn NOT to.

I climbed a ladder to paint a wooden louver vent, only to discover a paper wasp nest. I thought I was doing a good job of getting down, but ended up landing hard on my behind. I got a ride on a backboard to the hospital, where I kept telling them I was having a hard time getting my breath. The ER doc counted at lest 6 wasp stings, and gave me a Benadryl injection. I've been stung by wasps before, without incident, but this was apparently too much for my system. They took an x-ray and turned me loose. It was only years later, during a cat scan for stones, that T-10 spinal fracture was identified.

 

[Mike J]

As I keep telling Grandson: More people are hurt trying to get away from snakes/spiders/bees than are hurt by those critters. I will admit that having a snake crawling up/on/next to one while driving is reason for immediate action but not to the point of having an accident. I'm pleased that the minister kept cool and didn't wreck.
When I was young(maybe 9-10) it was very common for kids my age to operate the hay raking tractor. A fairly simple task except for the numerous bumblebee nests. A local boy about my age had been stung a few times and developed a deep fear of the bees. One day while he was raking hay some bees got after him and in his wild gyrations in fighting the bees, he fell (or jumped) off the moving tractor. Fortunately the tractor "only" ran over his leg before continuing on to destroy itself by toppling into a deep ditch. The kid had a broken leg, Dad lost a couple of important pieces of equipment, and I got a lesson in what happens when someone over-reacts.

It has been many years ago & I am not 100% sure how it happened but somehow or other an older fellow I worked with when I was about 19 managed to stir up a hornets nest while bush hogging. Not sure if they kept him but he went to the hospital. If I recall correctly he was stung 33 times. No equipment was damaged.

 

[Mike J]

A snake climbing on ones shoulder while driving would definitely be enough to get my attention. We haven't had any get into the house itself but I have run black snakes out of the garage on more than one occasion.

It has been a couple of years but I have had 6 copperheads in the yard around here. I know the difference between a copperhead and a black snake or ring neck snake or green snake or brown snake or indigo snake. Not really my thing but I do try to learn enough to know which is which & I don't kill the non venomous. The copperheads I found here died. Knowing they are around gives one extra incentive to keep the yard properly maintained though.

 

[Fox Mike]

I have no fear of snakes but, as has been said, one slithering across my shoulders while driving would be "Interesting" to say the least.

 

[Rick Courtright]

I can forgive someone mistaking, for example, a corn snake for a copperhead. The supposed copperheads have turned out to be a garter snake, a black rat snake, and a green snake. I do exercise restraint when I catch the snake and refrain from sarcastic comments about their faulty species identification.

Hi,

You'd have enjoyed a long time customer at our trap and skeet range. He spent a lot of time outdoors each year, hunting, fishing and so forth, but absolutely hated snakes. All snakes. He said there was no reason for somebody misidentifying a snake: "There's only two kinds of snakes. There's rattlesnakes, and all the rest of 'em is cobras!"

I'm not sure, but I think he actually believed that!

Rick C