A few years ago, my kids got a surprise the week before Christmas. A go-cart. Yellow and black, with two large headlights.
It looked like a bumblebee.
Their dad and I took turns test-driving it. For safety purposes, you know. And let me tell you, that little baby had some get up and go! I started considering a new profession.
Where does one go to try out for a NASCAR race?
Actually, the thing topped out at about 10 mph. But it sure felt a lot faster with the wind whipping through my hair and the cedar bushes scraping my elbows. The fact that my chin rested on my knees didn’t make a bit of difference. One vroom of the engine, and I was hooked. I had the need for speed.
After the adults declared it safe for our children to operate, we finally let them have turns at the wheel. One at a time, they placed their helmets on their heads, fastened their seatbelts, and off they went like a speeding bullet! There was whooping and hollering and giggles and even a few close calls. That was one fun toy.
Notice I said was.
For hours, it purred like a kitten. But then it just stopped purring. The motor wouldn’t even turn over. We did everything we could think of to try and fix it. We gave it gas, we changed the spark plug, but it was no use. There was just no life.
So into the back of the truck it went, back to the dealer. The mechanic took one look at the go-cart and determined it was a problem with the spark. Not the actual plug, but something deeper. They were going to have to take the motor apart to fix it.
Man!
Just a few hours of speed, and we were addicted. Now, for a few days, we’d have to make do with our bicycles to fulfill our speed cravings.
Somehow a bicycle just isn’t the same.
I can relate to that little go-cart. Some days I have no spark. At times there just seems to be something missing, and my get-up-and-go has got-up-and-gone. I wonder where my joy is, where my energy went. I feel lifeless.
At those times I have to do exactly what the go-cart did. I need to go to the Mechanic, who will look deep inside my heart. He’s the One who can take things apart, find the problem, and make things right.
However, I don’t always take the time to go to Him. I ignore the problem, or try and fix it myself. Then the issue only gets worse. One of these days I’ll learn to go to my Mechanic at the first sign of spark trouble. That will save me a lot of problems in the long run.
And when I have regular tune-ups with Him, I’ll keep zooming through life. Wind whipping through my hair. Whooping and hollering with joy.
Ezekiel 36:26 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.”
Renae,
This is a great analogy. And I’m so bad about trying to fix myself! Thanks for the reminder to head straight for the Mechanic.
That was a great post. I love the way you write and you always manage to weave the extraordinary into the ordinary. Very meaningful.
Renae, hope you’re having a great time zooming and whooping through the holidays! 🙂 (By the way, I love the verse in Ezekiel.)
Blessings to you this week!
Thank you, Lillie and Lilly! I’m really bad about trying to fix myself, too. When will I ever learn?
Hope you both had a blessed Christmas!
Hi Renae, I tried to leave a comment earlier, but it must not have made it through. Sure liked the scripture from Ezekiel. Hope you are having a wonderful time zooming and whooping through the holidays! 🙂
Hey Cheryl! For some reason, the first one didn’t come to my inbox. That happens sometimes, and I don’t know why. I’m sure it’s something I’m doing wrong. 😛
I hope you’ve had a great Christmas, too! God has been good, as always. (((hugs)))