Hold Your Horses!

What drives you insane?
And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. I Thesselonians 5:14-15

For me it is driving! Driving in a big city filled with "snowbirds" (seniors who fly in for the winter) tests my patience beyond comprehension. On a daily basis, I am cut off, people drive me out of my lane, I am flipped off, yelled at and people shake their fists at people behind them and in front of them, horns are honking, speed limits are disregarded, no I'm not talking about speeding, I am talking about doing 30 in a 50 zone. Do I sound irritated? Yes, I am I have to humbly admit, I am not a patient driver. I get frustrated all of the time when I am driving!

Yes, I know that I should be thankful for the car that I have to drive, thankful for the students that I have to teach, thankful that I have kids at home to drive places with, thankful that I have gas in my car to go places.

I also know that I am responsible for my own actions and reactions. That is why I do not have a fish or a Jesus Freak bumper sticker on the back of my car...I would represent HIM poorly. I am not defending my bad attitudes in any shape or form. And yes, I am being a poor example to the two kids I have in my car, which brings me to an accountability knowing that I need to work on this with the Lord's help. Can I change things in my own strength and power???Absolutely not, for each time I get behind the wheel and someone pulls out in front me and cuts me off it takes self-control not to use unwholesome language or to dishonor the faceless person behind the wheel that is driving the car that is driving itself...What did I just say? Well if you live here you understand what I just said. When you drive behind cars here, most of the cars drive themselves, you can't see a driver sitting in the driver's seat, they don't see over the steering wheel. Follow me yet?

I am being utterly transparent! But be honest yourself! Aren't there things in your life that drive you crazy and you have a hard time showing grace to others and you get frustrated and impatient? Thank you for being honest, we ALL do!!! Some of us have more patience than others. Now being raised in the church all my life, I have sense enough not to pray for patience. That doesn't make sense to some of you. We have been told that if we have a need or something we want to work on just ask God. I can tell you HE is faithful to answer our prayers. HE will do it again and again. The problems comes that how you gain patience is through trials, big and small, short and long in duration. The moral of the story is don't ask for this, He'll be happy to oblige!

Ok, so pratically speaking how do I handle this properly, like Jesus would? Well first of all, don't run over the little old lady in front of me. One day I will be just like her! I won't see so well, hear so well, I'll run over the curb and drive in the bike lane almost hitting the pedestrians that choose to use the road not the sidewalks. She is weaker now in life, I should smile at her instead of shaking my head and my fist, even though I don't feel like it. Next, I should hold my tongue so that when my kids get their driver's license they won't be yelling at people who cut them off "you stupid idiots!" Someone in my family used to use that phrase but it is a family secret, and no its not me! I don't believe in calling people idiots or stupid, that is kind of a no no word in our house! I'd be a hypocrite if I used it! Finally, I need to ask the Lord to help me have a better attitude when I get in the car. Maybe I need to listen to Scripture Cd's or praise music to distract myself about how annoyed I am. Again, if I want to live an abundant life, I need to figure out how to be a more pleasant driver!!!