Whose in the Driver's Seat?! 

I love humor.... I just started reading a book called Moses Was a Basket Case by J.J. Jasper.  Let me tell you, I am only on the fifth chapter (they're short), and I had to stop to write.  This guy is funny with a capital F.  I am totally charmed by a guy with a sense of humor! (smile)  For some light-hearted reading by a christian author, I encourage you to try this book.  

In chapter 4, Jasper talks about his enthusiasm to learn to fly, and his first flight lesson.  There was some miscommunication and the instructor he was given assumed Jasper had had 20 or 30 hours of flight already.  The instructor had him climb, cold turkey, into the pilots seat and verbally took him one step to the next on getting it started and into the air.  Jasper was freaked out but did as he was told.  The instructor chalked up Jasper's slow responses and mistakes down to nerves.  Jasper was apparently intimidated by his "authority figure's" experience, and instead of speaking up about his doubts and fears, he went along with the guy.  He describes his thoughts this way:

My heart was hammering at this point, my nostrils flared and my eyes were wide open.  The veins on my neck must have been bulging like Barney Fife's...  I was wide awake, with all senses razor sharp.  I wondered, if aviation training is this concentrated, what is Green Beret trailing like or how do they treat physicians on their first day of med school?  Does someone in a lab coat greet them with a  clipboard in hand, declaring, "Oh, so this is your first day.  Alright, go down to room 107 and get started on that appendectomy.  Just get as far as you can and I'll be down shortly to check on your progress!"

Whew!  I don't know about you but this seems to happen to me a lot in life!  People think I know more than I do and I just go along, thinking they know best and not wanting to appear stupid.  I have perfected the art of keeping my face blank and nodding along like "I follow ya.... I smell what your steppin' in..."  Inside I am shrieking "Please God, please God!  Strike me with a lightening bolt of instant knowledge, here!  Help an ole gal out!"

You know what?  I'm getting tired of playing this game.  I've learned no to assume that all authority figures, even in the Church, know what they are doing all the time.  If you feel confused or wary about something, don't hesitate to check into it further.  As for pretending that I'm able to grasp all that is dished out, I'm learning to humbly admit I'm not following them.... sometimes....  It irritates some people when I question them to get clearer answers, so I sometimes used my best judgment and do what I feel is needed.  If it doesn't meet their standards then I apologize and let them know I was doing what I felt they wanted. 

That said, I do attempt to do the best job that I can.  It has taken me years, but I am learning to "work as unto the Lord. (Col. 3:23)  In my case, I am finding that keeping my eye on the response or rewards I'm getting from co-workers and my boss trips me up now.  In my younger years at this job, I could do no wrong.  Now, it seems I often can do no right. I am realizing that this could be due to the fact that I began to lose confidence in myself.  Any negative feedback I get feeds that lack of confidence, which fuels the ole mistake-o-meter.  Maybe it truly is what my co-worker says.  That after twenty plus years, I am burnt out and need something new.  However, no matter how positive job interviews look, that door never opens.  Maybe he wants me where I am so that I learn to focus on working as unto Him, and not unto others.  Also, the flexibility has come in very handy while my mom was sick and while I am going to school.

So who's flying that shiny silver plane that you call your life?  Who's in your driver's seat? Are you meekly going along with the flow and letting others tell you what to do even when your innards are screaming, "STOP!  Let's get on the same page here!" ?  Are you "following the leader" in Church, even when things don't feel right?  Are you letting your friends tell you how to live?  Well... I will say living that way seems easier.  However, from experience, I can tell you that letting anyone but God sit in the co-pilot seat of your life can wreck ya, so be wise about that.  It's okay to ask questions.  It's okay to stop and let someone know that you need a little more information before you proceed.  It's the learning process of life, education, and Christian growth that is the most important thing.  It's NOT the final destination.... It's the journey it takes to get there that helps you to become who you truly are.  Don't just hurry through it, or let someone else try to rush you.  Enjoy it.  Savor it.  Live it....

Speaking of education, I have to laugh when I look at my last entry on this blog.  I DID have a big freak-out!  Haha!  And with good cause.  Not because I'm too old but because it is VERY time consuming.  Between it and my full time job, I run around crazy most of the time.  More than once I literally had to stop in my tracks, wrinkle my brow, and concentrate hard to remember what day it was!  But let me tell you.... I think I met the love of my life.... education.  Yes, I could become a lifetime scholar if time and money would allow! 

Anyway, thinks for stopping by and listening to the "trials and tribulations of a desert wanderer."  It's time to saddle up the ole camel and head for the hills!  Okay, it's only time to get dressed, hop in my little Toyota, and head for work.  However, wording it the other way just sounds so much more adventurous! Haha!  Have a great day and remember to laugh as often as you can!


Jasper, J. J. Moses Was a Basket Case: Hilarious True Stories to Encourage and Inspire. Tupelo, MS: BrettMorgan Pub., 2001. Print.