Teenage drivers and runaway truck ramps

Surfer Boy has now completed his drivers ed course.  He can now take his written exam to get his permit. It's a scary thought for all involved!  I have great fear no doubt he will be a safe driver.  He received high marks on his end of course report.  The only thing he didn't receive a perfect score on was "speed control".  That's a little unsettling, but he assures me it was only because the gentleman assigned to teach him was old enough to have tempted Eve and just wasn't comfortable going at a speed above walking.   I do have to agree that the little, stooped, grey headed, elderly man may not have been the best choice to teach a couple of teenagers how to drive.  It may have been he was actually only 35 years old and teaching said teenagers is what brought him to that condition.  No one knows for sure.....

I am a pretty good driver.  I've only been in one real accident and it wasn't even my fault.  It's been a while since I had a ticket too, although, now that I've said that I'll have to be extra careful!  The only place I don't like driving is next to a tractor trailer on the interstate.  Man! Those things make me really nervous.  They're kind of like a train in that it takes a little while to stop them!  On a recent trip through the mountains with J I saw the required "run away truck" ramps.  We've all seen them, the big ramps made from sand or gravel.  They're supposed to be able to stop one of these big rigs if their brakes fail going down the mountain.  What about all the little cars in front of them when their brakes fail?  What are they supposed to do?  I really hope I never have to find out!

Those ramps got me to thinking.  How many times in my life have I needed a run away truck ramp?  There have been times I have been determined to have my own way and gone barreling down the mountain of my own will only to discover half way down my brakes are out.  I start something, knowing it's not the best for me, then my pride gets in the way and I refuse to admit I could be wrong.  By the time I am willing to step away it's too late, I'm seemingly in too deep.  I'm racing down the mountain to my own destruction with nary a brake in sight.  I've seen it happen in relationships, an argument I will not let go even after the little voice inside says I may be wrong.  I've seen it when I've gotten into sin, "surely, this one little thing, this one little time can't hurt too much".  Before I know it I'm out of control.  Am I the only one guilty here?  Is this just a "me" thing?  I kind of doubt that! lol It isn't always sin that forces our life to spiral out of control.  Past issues of trauma, abuse, or anything in our past we get caught up in the trap of regret about can put us on the skids.   But even in the midst of the destruction I am rushing headlong into God has made a way out.  1 Cor 10:13  - "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." (NIV)   This verse is talking about your spiritual "run away truck" ramp.   When you find yourself out of control, racing down a hill you never wanted to travel, start looking for your way out.  Ask the Holy Spirit to apply the brakes for you, to help you navigate the curves till you come to your big ramp of sand.  Be mindful of those around you too.  A huge, out of control truck can take a lot of little cars out on it's way down.  Those ramps can take the form of simple repentance. Sometimes it's an apology to someone we have wronged.  It could be stepping away from something you're involved in.  There are times, when we've gotten ourselves in really deep, when we need outside help.  It could be in the form of a godly friend who loves us, maybe from your pastor, maybe from your family, and sometimes from a professional. Whatever the form, make no mistake, your run away ramp will be there when you're ready for it. 

So, my message to you and to myself today is to keep on truckin! Put the pedal to the metal! Keep your eyes peeled for smokey bear in the woods while you keep it between the white lines!  When all else fails, raise your eyes to heaven and yell "Thats a big 10-4 good buddy"!!!

Soaked in His blessings,
Spokenfor