Let the rubber hit the road.
We had to get new tires on the Odyssey today. You know - just adult man here doing cool adult man things. *sniffs* *brushes shoulder* Really, no big deal.
Actually - totally a big deal. A $750 big deal. Oh my actual lanta. I was really liking the whole “two kidney” lifestyle.
…
No, I did not have to sell my kidney to buy my tires, but yes, it did hurt. It was time, though; something I couldn’t put off any longer without feeling like I was rolling the dice each time it rained. Sunny days felt safe and sturdy, but this last rainy weekend reminded me that I was one decent puddle away from a pretty bad day.
-
I write down verses and have them around my house and in my phone. They remind me of the things reality rests on. When I’m nervous or scattered or angry for wrong reasons, they help me get a grip.
Depending on the day ahead, one verse may get a little more mileage than another. That’s why I keep more than one handy.
It’s kind of like tires.
Depending on the terrain you’re driving on and the weather you’re driving in, the set of tires you use can be the difference between feeling safe and sturdy on the road, or being one decent puddle away from having a pretty bad day.
What kind of terrain are you driving on today?
In the hurry of life it is absolutely crucial to slow down, and answer that. What’s going on around you? What’s going on in you? Do you feel safe and sturdy? Or do you feel nervous, scattered, angry for the wrong reasons and losing your grip? Once you know that, it’s time to ask yourself:
Are you driving on the right set of tires?
Today - I’m mud bogging. I’m having fun, for sure, but my lack of sleep in this new season of life has me feeling slooowwwww, and if I’m not careful with the accelerator I’ll plow directly into a bog my vehicle simply cannot handle right now. I’d be stuck pretty deep, spinning my tires and watching my engine temp run up. Based on how often I find myself covered in other brown stuff lately, I feel like this analogy especially fits.
What I’m trying to say is: I need a good set of tires. Today, I’m going with the classic, oversized, extra knobby, ruggedly gritty, 4x4 set of “THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH.” The bog that threatened to swallow me up is now this redneck’s playground.
Instead of focusing on the negatives of my day, I will choose to see the light surrounding everything. I take hold of joy. I am tired, but it’s because of a beautiful miracle I call my son. My inbox is full once again, but it’s because I have a job that provides for me through meaningful work. That person treated me poorly, presenting me with the opportunity to extend the same grace and love and forgiveness Jesus extended to me when I treated him poorly.
Also, coffee exists. Sweet, sweet coffee. Liquid Lord joy.
What are you driving on today? Are your tires keeping you on the road? Do you need a new set? Time may feel like an exceedingly precious commodity today, maybe even kidney-level precious, but I promise you - taking the time to find yourself a grippy set of promises to rest your reality on will make all the difference between feeling safe and sturdy, and having a pretty bad day.
Here’s a few that will move some mountains into your rearview:
- God is for me. (Psalm 27)
- Nothing is impossible with God. (Matt. 19:26)
- God knows what I need, and is going to take care of me. (Matt. 6)
- If it’s not good, then it’s not over. (Revelation 21-22)
- This is all for something. (I Corinthians 15:58, Romans 8:28)
- Jesus is with me right now. (Matthew 28:20)
Get yourself a beefy set, and let the rubber hit the road.