traffic

I spent some time this week in the car with my kiddos.  The first trip that I mentally related to life was with my fifteen year old daughter.  We were navigating our way through Dallas.  We had to conquer 635 or totally avoid it at all cost to get to our destination.  We used my handy dandy app on my phone to survey the traffic up ahead.  Much to my surprise, the usually congested highway was only showing a brief orange slow down, but nothing red.  Red means stop, meaning traffic is stopped and also tells me to STOP going that way if it is at all possible. We were so excited that we could continue on.  Later that night when we were headed home, it was another story.  Everything was red and we proceeded with caution, choosing another path. 

I tried to have a teachable moment in the car with my teenager and tell her that in life she would need to look for warning signs to proceed with caution as she got older. I added that often she would need to choose another route all together. 

I laughed to myself and thanked the Lord that I lived through all of my detours and stops along the way.  I also thanked Him that in a way, He used all of my mistakes to get me to the point that I am at today. I love the saying that says Jesus can turn a mess into a message. 

The next meaningful traffic event was when I joyfully entered the HOV lane.  I love it!  It is my BFF in Dallas.  We cruise past miles and miles of bumper to bumper traffic in our own personal lane without even slowing down.  You have to have one passenger with you to enter the lane.  You have to enter it at the specified time.  You also exit it at a specified time.  In the HOV lane though, life is easier. 

Let me tie that into life.  If you do life with Jesus, life will be easier.  Just like with the HOV lane, there will be some rules and guidelines to obey, but life will be so much better.  You will often pass others up in your own little personal lane because with His grace, you can deal with life in a whole different way.  A relationship with Jesus gives you peace, joy, patience, and so much more! 

My last adventure in the car was when my younger two kids played a game all the way home.  They were calling “DIBS” on every car they liked.  Let me explain that game.  You call “DIBS” on things you like…like houses, cars, boats, etc.  Every jacked up truck, Camaro, and jeep on the road was DIBS on that particular day for them. 

I started thinking I was glad that Jesus called “DIBS” on me.  I belong to Him.  I am His child.  You are too.  No matter your past or your present state, Jesus Christ will call you His own. 

If you do belong to Him, do something for the Kingdom, child of the Most High.  Ephesians 5:1 says “Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children.”  IF you are wondering what to do this week, how to deal with this or that, start with imitating God.  He is yours and you are His.   Do life with the Father.