Micah’s First Drive

Micah’s first time driving–he seems to be a natural!

Using a GPS

Each of has something  we enjoy doing – a hobby of sorts.  As weird as it may seem, my husband’s outlet – the thing that energizes him the most – is driving a truck or operating machinery.  So on his day off he loves when he has the opportunity to drive truck or haul a load of some sort.  This past Tuesday he took his day off to haul a cement mixer drum for the company his Mom works for, and since it’s destination was Long Island, he wanted me to go with him as navigator.

It as a “first” for both of us to be going to Long Island and to be driving it on our own – no seasoned tour guide to get us through the crazy traffic.  We drove into the city – crossing the George Washington Bridge – sometime around 4:30am and we were so glad we did because the traffic was so light we were able to find our way much easier than if we had been battling a heavy flow of cars and trucks.  After finding our destination, unloading, eating breakfast, driving down to the beach to use up an hour of time waiting for the commute traffic to thin out, we headed back out of the city. 

As we headed out – using a different route than we had brought in – I couldn’t find the right route names on the map and all the road signs were using names, not route numbers.  I have had several experiences with GPS systems that were not trustworthy and so while I had my phone’s GPS going, I was very hesitant to trust it.  However, as I neared the point of tears in not being able to do what should be rather simple, I finally succumbed to trusting my GPS.  After what seemed like hours, but really was only like 20 minutes, we were back on the right route heading out via the GW Bridge.

Feeling like a true fish out of water in the Long Island and NYC traffic made me realize just how much I needed that GPS system.  And that made me think about my life in general and  how much I truly need God.  I do not have a clue where I’m headed – this life is like NYC to me – and I need His step-by-step direction.  But all too often I don’t  want to trust Him - I try my hardest to look at the maps the world has drawn up and find my own way.  And that’s when I usually find myself in tears, turning to God for His leading.  While some of the GPS systems I have used have failed me, my loving heavenly Father won’t ever fail me.  I can trust Him.  All the time.  And so being “trapped” in traffic not knowing exactly which turn to take next was a sobering reminder of how much I need to be in God’s Word more than in the books that man has written.

I love how God uses daily life to remind me of who He is… 

Immutable.  Unchanging.  Always Faithful.

…and how much I desperately need Him.

Regulations.

I started this year with a resolution to learn to enjoy drinking coffee.  Coffee that I make at home…not pay an arm and a leg for at Starbucks.

Oh!  I still go to Starbucks…I just spend less there and enjoy my own little café here at home using my Keurig.  Now as I enjoy my coffee at home I make myself drink an 16oz cup of water first to counteract the dehydration affects of coffee.

I find that I get into my “regulation” mode as I turn on the tap and fill up the cup of fresh water mentally rehearsing to myself…”Okay, Mandy, drink this water first so you know that you are enjoying coffee but taking care of yourself because this is the best thing for your body and for you and you want to do the right thing”…

And this regulating doesn’t limit itself to my coffee drinking.  If I take a moment to stop and think about it all I can see that I have little speech tapes that play for a whole multitude of things I do. 

…”It’s time to read the Bible now so that I don’t feel guilty and so that I set the example”…

…”Oh!  I need to make my bed so my room looks neat and tidy”…

And on and on I could go.  But I am going through a fabulous study of God’s Word called Because He Loves Me and as I was pouring my coffee this morning I paused just long enough to hear myself rolling the automatic “tape” of why I need to drink water; and that’s when I stopped myself.  Instead of just listening to my “old tape” I made a “new tape” to play that gets rid of my self imposed regulations and makes me kneel at the cross.  Now I preach to myself this:

“Take a moment to drink a cup of water so that you can enjoy the coffee knowing you are still taking care of your body so that it can serve you well as you pour out your life to Christ who poured out His life so I may have this life today and the special blessing of not only His salvation and grace but this simple pleasure of a cup of coffee.”

You see, as I focus on the gospel my life is transforming.  Even my coffee drinking regulations are slipping away and being replaced by the joy of the Lord.

“…and to know the love of Christ which surpassed knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” – Ephesians 3:19