Mama got her driver’s license when my brother was about to start first grade. The plan was that Daddy would teach her and she’d be out driving in no time.
There were a few glitches from the beginning. Mama was short, so she had to sit on something to be tall enough to drive comfortably. I offered the use of my pillow, but she opted for what Daddy called a “driving cushion.” Problem solved.
Then there was her shoes. Turns out that Mama had heard some awful story about a woman who caused a fiery crash by getting the heel of her shoe caught in the accelerator. She decided to drive barefooted. Second problem solved. (I drive without shoes to this day. You can’t be too careful.)
So, then the real fun started. My brother and I would get in the back seat. Mama was perched on her driving cushion, barefooted, with the seat pulled up all the way. Daddy sat on the passenger side with his knees under his chin.
The lessons were always short. Mama couldn’t follow Daddy’s directions. Daddy sat with one hand holding the dashboard and one hand gripping the back of the seat. He did not inspire confidence. Every lesson ended with Mama and Daddy swapping seats and Daddy driving us back home. Even I knew there had to be a better way, and Mama was determined to find it. The plan in place had disaster written all over it.
Mama always liked to play Bingo and she and Daddy would sometimes go play at the Air Force base. Mama won some money, bought some driving lessons with her ill-gotten gains, and soon had a license to drive. Those lessons were one of the very few times when we were left with a babysitter. The driving instructor refused to let us go along. I told him that I wasn’t scared, but it didn’t change his mind. I offered my services to alert Mama about any upcoming red lights. He was not persuaded. We stayed home with the babysitter.
That whole combination of student and teacher can be so critical. It can be the difference between succeeding or not. Mama and Daddy were a wonderful pair for almost everything, but not when it came to Mama learning how to drive.
There is a Teacher who is is always the right one, though. With God as our guide and teacher, we can’t have a better combination. Our job is to listen, to learn, to grow, to obey. If we do that – and it isn’t all that easy at times – we are guaranteed success in the life God has planned for us.
Don’t miss your blessing! Your Teacher is ready and willing. It’s up to you to show up for the lesson. Pray, read the Bible, participate in Bible study, listen for God’s voice. We’ve got a lot to learn!
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment