NOT JUST ANOTHER ICY ROAD

I am one of those winter drivers your insurance agents warn you about. Just the thought of driving in the snow fills me with dread and somewhere around the corner from that is a panic attack waiting to happen.

For many years I lived in Virginia and suffered through many snowy winters. There was also more than one incident when I either missed work completely or was very late because of my fear of driving on snow or ice covered roads. As a single parent, the burden of providing for me and my child fell on my shoulders alone. Thus increasing the pressure.

Since living in Texas, the winters have been milder (for the most part) and the snow and ice has not lasted very long. On the few occasions when the roads were impassable, at least in my mind, my children and I stayed home and reveled in the timely break from the routine.

A few winters ago, however, we were hit by a large amount of snow and naturally, there was ice under the snow. For some strange reason, this time I was determined to not be crippled by the bad roads.

As a college student, the pressure to attend wasn’t as great, yet I didn’t dare miss reviews, tests, exams, or project deadlines. On this day, I drove to college, and later drove to my son's junior high school to pick him up. It was on the way home from his school that I learned a lesson that has stuck with me for many years.

The road home was narrow. Just two lanes. And there were more than one hill. On either side of the road were ditches, deep ditches. Normally, this drive from my son's school to home was all of ten minutes. This day, that drive would take me 45 minutes.

There were cars behind me, and there were cars coming in the opposite direction. I was driving very slow and the other drivers were, no doubt, anxious to get around me. Every time a car drove past me I slowed down to a crawl - and in the pit of my stomach, a knot was growing to dismal proportions.

I couldn't get past the knowledge that one unexpected, unprepared for bump in the ice could send us over the edge into the ditch. Or that a misjudged tap to the brakes - or the accelerator - would send us in a spin getting hit by cars from both directions. Yes, the cars. That line of cars in back of us was growing longer.

My knuckles were turning white. I could feel my hair graying, and I was going to be sick.

All of a sudden, I could "hear" the Lord speaking to me. Words of comfort, words of peace, "Keep your eyes on the road, straight ahead of you. Don't worry about the cars behind you. Don't worry about the cars coming at you. Don't think about the ditch. Just drive the car and keep your eyes on the road, straight ahead of you."

All at once, I realized that we were indeed going to make it home -- and in one piece!

Then, the most curious thing happened as I started to heed the advice I had been given. The Lord began to show me how life is like that -- the icy roads, the ditches and the unending traffic; and how much easier life is when we keep our eyes on Him instead of the obstacles in our path.

Now, this was not a new concept for me. I had read it more than once in the Bible, but I had not experienced it in such a crystal way.

If I kept my eyes on the road, and didn't worry about the conditions around me, we would make it. Likewise, if I kept my eyes on the Lord and didn't worry about the problems around me, I would make it.

Needless to say, I was very glad to get home, but I was also very glad to have risked driving that afternoon and to have been given that lesson in trust. That warm fuzzy is still with me today and I know all I have to do is remember that icy road and God's message will renew itself to me.

Copyright, Debby Willett, All Rights, 2009-2010