Jesus, take the wheel.....
If you have a kid that is 15 years of age or older and you taught them how to drive, I bow down on my face before you.
How come NO ONE told us how difficult it is to teach a teenager how to drive? Hmm? Not a single solitary person.
We [parents] with kids this age need a big huge gold trophy when it's all said and done. Actually, a one way ticket to Hawaii will work just fine too.
Now, you folks with littles, I will be THAT friend to you. Now you KNOW. Get ready. Go ahead and prepare your heart, your mind, your medicine cabinet.[just kidding. kind of]
As my daughter and I sat in the backseat of the car [hubby was in front] while my 15 year old took his first drive on the express way, I learned a few things about life. [and that organic deodorant DOES NOT WORK on days like these. Thank you very much.]
The first thing I learned was that NEVER will I be in the car when it is a driver's first time on the express way. NEVER EVER EVER AGAIN.
My nerves are shot. My wrinkles had babies. And, my heart is still out of rhythm.
In my son's fifteen year old defense, he did fine.
However, it is NOT fine, and anything but FINE, while it's happening.
Apparently, I have some control issues. Quite a few. [Janet Jackson, I feel ya, sister!]
Here is what else I learned:
It does not help to try to grab the wheel from the backseat. I may need to repeat this again so it sticks.
Brakes are not in the backseat even though your feet keep trying to push them.
It is best to not yell things from the backseat and just shut up and let your husband do the teaching.
In fact, it is best in times like these to just be quiet and pray your head off.
Did I mention that it is quite impossible to grab the wheel from the backseat? Ok.
The irony is that our family memory verse for the week is this:
Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues. Proverbs 17:28
I hate when I have to live a memory verse out right in front of my kids. HUMILIATING.[insert an eye roll here]
I was anything but silent, and anything but discerning.
So, here is the point of this post...
It is better to be quiet. It is better to be still. It is better to pray.
This applies to pretty much all of life.
It applies to my relationship with my husband. My kids. My family. My friends.
We can get ourselves so bent out of shape when we try to control something that we have zero business trying to control. In fact, it can make us downright crazy. [points to self]
There are some scriptures to help us in this. Let's look at them...
Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3
I say this one a lot. Almost every time I go into a social situation, a bible study, or anything where my mouth can get drippy, I say this verse.
I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save. Isaiah 49:25
I say this one when I feel I have got to shout to the rooftops when I have been wronged. I have to remind myself to be still and let God fight for me.
"A man's wisdom gives him patience, it is to his glory to overlook and offense." Proverbs 19:11
Yep. Yep. and Yep. [still working on this one]
"But, I trust in you, O LORD, I say, "You are my God. My times are in Your hands.." Psalm 31:14-15
I had to say this a lot in that backseat watching my baby drive that big ol' car. With 18 wheelers at every angle. Good grief.
Friend, is there an area in your life that you need to trust Him more? Are you trying to control an outcome that you were never meant to control?
Yeah, I get it.
But, all the white-knuckling in the world cannot do you any good. [and you will have sweat stains the size of Lake Michigan under your arm pits.]
Letting go and trusting our Father is the only way we can have peace. And, a much better outcome.
peace from the backseat,
jill
How come NO ONE told us how difficult it is to teach a teenager how to drive? Hmm? Not a single solitary person.
We [parents] with kids this age need a big huge gold trophy when it's all said and done. Actually, a one way ticket to Hawaii will work just fine too.
Now, you folks with littles, I will be THAT friend to you. Now you KNOW. Get ready. Go ahead and prepare your heart, your mind, your medicine cabinet.[just kidding. kind of]
As my daughter and I sat in the backseat of the car [hubby was in front] while my 15 year old took his first drive on the express way, I learned a few things about life. [and that organic deodorant DOES NOT WORK on days like these. Thank you very much.]
The first thing I learned was that NEVER will I be in the car when it is a driver's first time on the express way. NEVER EVER EVER AGAIN.
My nerves are shot. My wrinkles had babies. And, my heart is still out of rhythm.
In my son's fifteen year old defense, he did fine.
However, it is NOT fine, and anything but FINE, while it's happening.
Apparently, I have some control issues. Quite a few. [Janet Jackson, I feel ya, sister!]
Here is what else I learned:
It does not help to try to grab the wheel from the backseat. I may need to repeat this again so it sticks.
Brakes are not in the backseat even though your feet keep trying to push them.
It is best to not yell things from the backseat and just shut up and let your husband do the teaching.
In fact, it is best in times like these to just be quiet and pray your head off.
Did I mention that it is quite impossible to grab the wheel from the backseat? Ok.
The irony is that our family memory verse for the week is this:
Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues. Proverbs 17:28
I hate when I have to live a memory verse out right in front of my kids. HUMILIATING.[insert an eye roll here]
I was anything but silent, and anything but discerning.
So, here is the point of this post...
It is better to be quiet. It is better to be still. It is better to pray.
This applies to pretty much all of life.
It applies to my relationship with my husband. My kids. My family. My friends.
We can get ourselves so bent out of shape when we try to control something that we have zero business trying to control. In fact, it can make us downright crazy. [points to self]
There are some scriptures to help us in this. Let's look at them...
Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3
I say this one a lot. Almost every time I go into a social situation, a bible study, or anything where my mouth can get drippy, I say this verse.
I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save. Isaiah 49:25
I say this one when I feel I have got to shout to the rooftops when I have been wronged. I have to remind myself to be still and let God fight for me.
"A man's wisdom gives him patience, it is to his glory to overlook and offense." Proverbs 19:11
Yep. Yep. and Yep. [still working on this one]
"But, I trust in you, O LORD, I say, "You are my God. My times are in Your hands.." Psalm 31:14-15
I had to say this a lot in that backseat watching my baby drive that big ol' car. With 18 wheelers at every angle. Good grief.
Friend, is there an area in your life that you need to trust Him more? Are you trying to control an outcome that you were never meant to control?
Yeah, I get it.
But, all the white-knuckling in the world cannot do you any good. [and you will have sweat stains the size of Lake Michigan under your arm pits.]
Letting go and trusting our Father is the only way we can have peace. And, a much better outcome.
peace from the backseat,
jill
