Out on the open road, nothing but miles in sight. Belting out a favorite tune way off key. Such freedom brings a nostalgic euphoria. The feeling when you were handed your first set of car keys. That feeling. At first glance a mirage on the road, but as My husband’s forced to downshift my head Bob’s back and forth like I’m on a Mechanical bull.
We sit in disbelief. There in the middle of nowhere a STOP LIGHT! Why is this here? Is this a Joke? We sit patiently and wait. Minutes go by. Our gut reaction is to start searching ahead for answers. Can we see anything? Should we go around? 10 minutes goes by. We search an app on our phones for this delay. We get restless and look for a snack. The music that was bringing us Joy is now making our skin crawl. The clock ticking toward 20 minutes we look behind us and question should we turn around and head back to find another path.
We have each other to bounce ideas off from, but you heard the term to many cooks in the Kitchen. Living in the Semi can often feel like this. I tend to be the voice of reason due to age and life experience. Which is also why he loves to have me by his side. Although like the music that brings joy there are times my voice of reason can make his skin crawl.
Life is much like this very road we are headed down. We want to go from point A to point B. Yet we have a choice in the path we take. We have some discretion on turns, and pit stops. Yet others come out of nowhere and leave us baffled. What ones are we willing to wait on and what ones are we going to rush through or turn from and find a alternative route. What voice of reason well we listen to. Our foundation can be followed by our footsteps.
Just last week on one of our routes we were headed from the West Coast back to the Midwest and we simply needed to stop and use the facilities. We had been energized by the splendor of our Country. At every turn a oh or ah. With snow capped Mountain tops. Rays of oranges, pinks and yellows piercing through snow, rain, and trees. The hair on my arms raised from the fresh cool smell that says come wash in me, come play in me, come fish in me. As we follow the shimmer and waves along the steep inclines and declines we were like two small children sharing a undiscovered paradise.
Yet as our body’s told us to stop, we pulled into a rest area. We didn’t pay much attention to the where, just the why. We have a little competition of how far the first one done can walk while they wait. It is a great way for us to get our heart rate up and legs moving. This time I was walking toward what I thought was iced over water. when I realized where I was. I was not standing next to ice. I was next to Salt! There was no way I was going any further without my husband by my side.
I didn’t hesitate to dash as fast as a person with a cane possibly can. I’m sure it was a pretty funny sight. “Do you know where we are?” As I’m trying to hurry him along. We share a love for fast cars so when he seen my eyes and excitement. I don’t even think I had to tell him, he said “are we at the salt flats?” He ran to the truck to grab our phone to capture the moment. As he did, I read the sign right there in front of me. Welcome to the Bonneville Salt Flats. How did we miss this?
We scampered to take a few photos, time was not our friend. Yet we almost missed it and we were right there stopped, Our bodies told us we needed to stop but we were caught up in the why.
In both situations we learned that if we are always looking for the why we were missing a lot more. The 40 miles of salt is a perfect reminder that we bring our own salt to our lives in the choices we make. It is entirely up to us to bring the salt that will enhance the situation. Yet if your not mindful of your heart you may be bringing salt that will impair the situation. Do we STOP and give each other grace when we are feeling the pressure of the world, or do we add another road block to the path.
The day at the stop light in the middle of nowhere a road construction Pilot car finally showed up with a long line of cars behind him. Behind us, was also a long line of cars. Our decision to stay or go could have waivered other peoples choices. The reason we needed to stop was for our safety and that of others. Wouldn’t this apply in all areas of our life not just in traffic.
We are not guaranteed what is at point A or point B or anything in-between. We don’t know what sunrises or sunsets are going to happen in our road of life. We Don’t know why some situations will cause us our own beautiful messy waterfalls. We do however have a voice of reason With Our Lord Jesus and the more we know him the more our actions will steer toward him and not toward the shinny convertible that may not yield to the Stop Light.
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9 NIV https://bible.com/bible/111/pro.16.9.NIV
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste (purpose), how can it be made salty? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and walked on by people [when the walkways are wet and slippery].MATTHEW 5:13 AMP https://bible.com/bible/1588/mat.5.13.AMP
