Thursday, April 9, 2015

True Reflectors

My baby girl got her drivers license!

But the parallel parking strained to trip us up. We had been going to the Department of Public Safety every single day and practicing parallel parking on their poles. A good 30 minute drive from my home. And my girl ... she was parking so good. We'd drive right up to that pole, getting as close to it as possible, lining it up with the far end of the back seat door, and she nailed the parking every time.

But then ... someone moved the poles. What? The poles were our marker, our indicator. How could they be moved? Why would they be moved? They were still there but in a new position. I got a little upset. Because we were counting on those poles. Yeah, I had to eat a little crow. And I did so graciously.

But the lesson learned? We had to find an indicator that was immoveable. And we had to use the right side mirror. Using the immoveable indicator and using the mirror, there was no way to go wrong. She'd back up, using that mirror ... and I'd say, I think you can back up a bit more, but she'd say, "I don't want to risk it, Mom." She didn't want to risk hitting the curb and failing.



 
In life, we can't count on external, moveable factors to dictate our place in this world/life.

spouse
children
beauty
wealth
health

They can all be moved. They can all be lost.

God has shown me that I need to keep my eyes steadily on Him because He's immoveable, and He will always give me an accurate reflection.

We must count on God.

Setting our sites on anything else is a prescription for disappointment, failure.

Setting our sites on any other indicator is a risk we can't afford to take.

"Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing ithe will be blessed in what he does." James 1:23-25

8 comments:

  1. First, I'm thrilled to see her holding that little piece of paper--especially because I failed my driving test twice b/c I couldn't parallel park. I finally found a county where you didn't have to, way back then.

    Second, thank you for this message. It's moved into my heart. I needed it today.

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    1. Aw, Julie! I failed parallel parking the first time, but at that time, in Texas, you could still pass even if you failed the parallel parking. But today, if you hit the curb, it's an automatic failure. You have to reschedule. So, she was really a bit nervous. We were jumping up and down when she made it. But I did get nervous when I saw the lady open her door to see how close she was to the curb. :)

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  2. Shelli, congratulations to the both of you. I love how you teach and encourage us through life stuff. Yay, you two. :)

    Blessings & hugs ~ Wendy ❀

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    1. Wendy ... you are precious. Life stuff ... it's all I have to give!! :)

      Love you, sweet friend.

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  3. I keep being amazed at how you can make these connections to our Savior and His ways. Great devotional type writing, Shelli. He is immovable. Unchangeable. The Same.

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    1. Melodie ... thank you! I think Beth Moore taught me!! :) You always bless me.

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  4. I keep being amazed at how you can make these connections to our Savior and His ways. Great devotional type writing, Shelli. He is immovable. Unchangeable. The Same.

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    1. And yay ... you gave me an extra comment!! Hee hee!!

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Blessed by you, Shelli