Wednesday nights after work are always hectic, chaotic, and busy in the extreme for me. From the moment I depart work until I lay my head on the pillow it s a hustle and hurry evening against the relentless clock. I have to my children from the after school program, get home, scrounge up a meal, and get out the door by six fifteen. It is as challenging as it difficult.
Invariably, something always gets in the way. Either the work day does not run as smoothly as I would like, and I can't leave on time, or traffic is a toxic morass of accidents and slow drivers. And as a result I become stressed which wears through my otherwise cherub-like demeanor, (sarcasm intended). Stress for is always an unwelcome guest. I do not like the person it makes me. My mood, which is not good under the best of circumstances becomes foul. I become irritated, short tempered, and otherwise a person even I don't like.
And on a recent Wednesday evening it was no different. Traffic was running slow. True to form for a typical Wednesday. I was irritated behind the wheel watching the enemy steal precious minutes from me. I was doing the math in my head as to the impact on my schedule and it was not good.
And then the sea of traffic parted, and I maneuvered into the fast lane. I could finally make up for lost time. I put the hammer down, and was able to breathe a sigh of relief. My schedule had been saved or salvaged at least. Little did I know what fate had in store for me next.
As I was passing Easton on I-270 South, I noticed the car was fighting me and had a strong right pull. As I started to investigate the problem, I felt a thump and no less than three dash board lights came on. My initial guess was that I had lost a tire somehow. From the strength of the pull and sluggish handling response, I figured it was the right front tire.
Now I know what is possible at these speeds. And when dense traffic gets factored into it, I knew a deadly pinball game was one likely outcome. I was at least five lanes from a good shoulder. I knew the odds were not on my side. I just had to try and hope for the best.
I switched on my hazard blinker, and began to slow down. I expected the worst. It did not happen. A path between me and shoulder materialized out of nowhere. I was able to carefully navigate my stricken Impala through the traffic without incident. No one honked their displeasure. No one gave me the finger for their trouble.
I was able to reach the shoulder and bring my car to a stop without further incident. And as I sat there, I knew a few things for an absolute certainty. I was alive and unharmed. Things could have gone badly. A million things could have gone wrong, but for reasons I don't know God's mercy, grace, provision, and protection appeared.
In such moments, I was thankful. Sure my evening was wrecked. My plans were shot for sure. However that did not bother me. I was around to have shot plans and a wrecked evening. Even though I never feel worthy of the grace and mercy extended to me in such moments, I was thankful nonetheless.
I experienced a closeness with the divine in the confines of my car that overwhelmed with thankfulness and gratitude. Even though that was a beginning of a difficult evening, I knew the worst of it was over. There were insult to injury moments, disappointments along the way. In the midst of it, I knew I was not alone. I knew I had been and continued to be protected. Learning that lesson was worth it.
Invariably, something always gets in the way. Either the work day does not run as smoothly as I would like, and I can't leave on time, or traffic is a toxic morass of accidents and slow drivers. And as a result I become stressed which wears through my otherwise cherub-like demeanor, (sarcasm intended). Stress for is always an unwelcome guest. I do not like the person it makes me. My mood, which is not good under the best of circumstances becomes foul. I become irritated, short tempered, and otherwise a person even I don't like.
And on a recent Wednesday evening it was no different. Traffic was running slow. True to form for a typical Wednesday. I was irritated behind the wheel watching the enemy steal precious minutes from me. I was doing the math in my head as to the impact on my schedule and it was not good.
And then the sea of traffic parted, and I maneuvered into the fast lane. I could finally make up for lost time. I put the hammer down, and was able to breathe a sigh of relief. My schedule had been saved or salvaged at least. Little did I know what fate had in store for me next.
As I was passing Easton on I-270 South, I noticed the car was fighting me and had a strong right pull. As I started to investigate the problem, I felt a thump and no less than three dash board lights came on. My initial guess was that I had lost a tire somehow. From the strength of the pull and sluggish handling response, I figured it was the right front tire.
Now I know what is possible at these speeds. And when dense traffic gets factored into it, I knew a deadly pinball game was one likely outcome. I was at least five lanes from a good shoulder. I knew the odds were not on my side. I just had to try and hope for the best.
I switched on my hazard blinker, and began to slow down. I expected the worst. It did not happen. A path between me and shoulder materialized out of nowhere. I was able to carefully navigate my stricken Impala through the traffic without incident. No one honked their displeasure. No one gave me the finger for their trouble.
I was able to reach the shoulder and bring my car to a stop without further incident. And as I sat there, I knew a few things for an absolute certainty. I was alive and unharmed. Things could have gone badly. A million things could have gone wrong, but for reasons I don't know God's mercy, grace, provision, and protection appeared.
In such moments, I was thankful. Sure my evening was wrecked. My plans were shot for sure. However that did not bother me. I was around to have shot plans and a wrecked evening. Even though I never feel worthy of the grace and mercy extended to me in such moments, I was thankful nonetheless.
I experienced a closeness with the divine in the confines of my car that overwhelmed with thankfulness and gratitude. Even though that was a beginning of a difficult evening, I knew the worst of it was over. There were insult to injury moments, disappointments along the way. In the midst of it, I knew I was not alone. I knew I had been and continued to be protected. Learning that lesson was worth it.
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