A Shattered Windshield

In college I had a little car named Song  94. It was a black Ford Tempo and I loved it. Newly engaged, Brady and I tooled around Kankakee in that car, listening to mix tapes and drinking two liters of Diet Mountain Lightening. It was a great little car.

One day Brady and I were hanging out in the car, talking. I had my feet on the dash and Brady was in the driver's seat. Without much consideration, I wondered what would happen to the windshield if I straightened my legs. So I tried it.

Immediately and with no notice, the entire windshield shattered into a thousand spider webbed pieces. They stayed together, but it was like my windshield had morphed into a mosaic of broken glass.

I will never forget Brady's reaction. He turned his head slowly toward me and said, "I can't afford you."

Of course, the phone call to Dad had to be made and I had to pay for a used replacement windshield. But as I reminisced on this story I started thinking about the life applications.

How many times do we make decisions "without much consideration" or "immediately and with no notice?" As I'm learning about a life of prayer and ceaseless communication with our Savior I'm learning there should always be consideration and prayer - and there should always be the willingness to wait until God speaks.

Waiting is never easy. But I'm sure if I would have even waited one more second before making the decision to straighten my long legs, I would not have lost $75 of my well-earned college dollars on a used windshield.

But not all decisions can be fixed that quickly. Many take a lifetime to recover and we try to make them in our own strength, with no waiting, no back up, no prayer.

The practice of prayer will change our habits and our lifestyles - but will also often result in less regret because we will consider the Father and not just our own selfish wishes.

Hm. Thankful an old memory brought me new enlightenment tonight. I pray that I can continue to consider what Jesus would do before...well, let's just say Brady really likes his truck windshield.