WALKING ROAD MAP

One thing that really annoys me while driving with my husband, Marty, is the fact that inevitably, we will end up on a dirt or gravel road where ever we travel.  Hearing the gravel crunch under the tires, and seeing the dust form all around the car does not thrill me too much, give me a nicely paved road any day or any time. 

When we were first married, Marty worked part-time for Dominos Pizza.  He was the only driver that knew the delivery area well, and because of that, he was nicknamed “the walking road map” because he could figure out where addresses were, and the fastest route to get the pizza delivered in time. 

Whenever we plan a trip, be it up north to Stone Lake, to Chippewa Falls, or even to Stillwater or New Richmond, he digs out his maps, hits Mapquest.com, and relies on memory as to where certain roads are, and finding an interesting road that is gravel or not paved, I swear at times is one of his requirements.  Though, I must admit at times, we have found very quaint places to eat, and we  have seen some very interesting scenery, like the back side of the butte in Red Wing, or seeing the breathtaking reds, browns and yellows of the leaves in the fall  on the top of the highest hill in the Blue Hills.  Two very awe-inspiring sites to marvel at the beauty of God’s work.

Yes, I get impatience with the dust, and the gravel grinding under the car tires, but one thing I can safely say though is that we have never been lost while Marty has driven or navigated.   He knows where we need to go, and at times will even stop and ask for directions if he thinks there may be an easier way to get to a place. 

Me on the other hand, as my grandpa used to say “couldn’t find my way out of a wet paper bag.  I can find my way around town okay, and not get lost, but don’t ask me for directions to get to places out of town.  I tend to get hopelessly lost.  I even got Pastor Brian lost one of his first days at the parish, when he wanted to get from one parishoner’s house to another out in the country.

I depend on Marty so that I don’t get lost. His guidance and directions have kept me from wandering around aimlessly trying to find a place.  The roadmaps he draws to places I and other relatives need to go are concise and accurate, gravel roads and all.  But we get to our destination safely. He indeed is a walking road map. 

Living our lives as Christians takes us down many roadways, some times along very dusty and curvy roads, but if we use our faith and trust in God as a roadmap, we will get to our heavenly destination without getting lost or harmed.  

LETTING GO—LETTING A TEENAGER DRIVE

What freedom!  Being able to drive anywhere I need to go, tunes jamming on the radio, windows rolled down, enjoying the breeze as it goes across my face.  What independence!  The patience and aggravation of having to take the driving test twice was worth the wait!  Freedom!  Being in control!  These are thoughts that I imagine go through my daughter, Kari’s head as she pulls the car out of the driveway, and goes where she needs to be. 

Her excitement of this milestone, has led to a lot of apprehension, and anxiety on Marty’s and my part.  The having to let go and trust that she will be safe, trying not to cringe, but say a quick prayer when we here sirens while she is away from us.  This as you can well imagine, has led to a lot of uneasiness on our part.  Wanting to be able to trust that she will be fine as she goes driving has been very difficult to adjust to, being the protective parents we are.  .   

We had the incredible luck in finding a car for sale down the street from our house that fit her needs beautifully.  It’s a 1987 Tempo, with only 76,000 miles on it.   It rides beautifully, and handles like a dream.  

Watching her, as she meticulously washes and cleans the car almost every day.  “Decorating it” as she calls it with teenage type window clip-ons and strange bumper stickers.  Seeing the pride in her as she steps back and looks at her car. 

This “coming of age” of Kari has been rather difficult to Marty and I.  We remember her as the little blonde haired baby that hated rice cereal with a passion; the toddler that was talking in complete sentences by the time she was nine-months old.  The little girl we taught, after a couple of skinned knees, to ride her bike. The young lady we helped get through the loss of a favorite cousin.  How could she have grown up so fast? How can she be old enough to drive a car?

We as Christians have a hard time too just letting go, and letting God lead us down life’s pathways.  We always worry and “what if” things to an extreme, that we fail to realize how much easier life could be if we would just trust in God, follow him, his teachings, and his ways to the wonderful life he has promised us.  If a person stops and contemplates, it really is not that difficult of a thing to do.  But we as humans, tend to not trust things if they appear easy, making them more difficult than they are, then we stumble and falter, trying all the more harder to do things our own way, on our own. 

Let us remember that we need to “let go and let God” protect, watch over, or help us through milestones and tough times in our lives.