In December of 2018, I made the 18-hour drive from Brookings, Oregon, down to Murrieta, California, to hang out with my brother Dave for several days.
One of our goals was to go on a nice motorcycle ride up to Mount Palomar. We had some “bugs” to work out in preparation for the ride (mechanical issues on our old machines) but did in fact have a splendid day together, along with another dear brother in Christ, Bill Getty (also a vintage British motorcycle enthusiast).
The following day Dave and I embarked on an epic tour of Dad’s and Uncle Bud’s old orange grove in Pauma Valley, then drove north 85 miles to our childhood home in Baldwin Park. We enjoyed a nostalgic walk around the neighborhood where we grew up, taking in the Christmas lights — and the telling of memorable tales from the past (our saintly past as Mom and Dad’s near-angelic boys!).
Well, after nearly a week of fun, it was time to head home. I left at 4:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning, several days before Christmas — and was I in for a shock: The traffic was unbelievable — on a Saturday!
After about four hours on the road I decided to stop at a McDonald’s for a quick bite to eat — and there wasn’t one parking space available; in fact, people were buzzing around the parking lot like bees, looking for a space! On-board snacks were in order for the time being.
A few hours later it was time to refuel so I stopped at a Chevron station — and the pump wouldn’t take my card; I was supposed to “see the cashier.” I went in and the lady behind the counter said my card was denied! In the meantime, like McDonalds, the station was jam-packed with people (a line had formed in the mini-mart area all the way to the door!).
You might be thinking, “Why was this such a big deal to Chuck?” I was bugged as I rehearsed in my mind how far I still had to go: 14+ more hours of driving — so delays were a recipe for anxiety (falling asleep at the wheel could spoil the whole trip!).
After spending 30 minutes resolving the Chevron card problem I decided to go across the street for a “fast” food stop at Taco Bell — 30 minutes later I was finally on the road — a total of one hour to get gas and a burrito!
After I passed through Sacramento, traffic began to ease up and all was good the rest of the way home. The amazing thing about the “Holiday Hell” traffic/people delays is that I actually got home an hour and a half sooner than expected — and without incident (as in no fender-benders, tickets, breakdowns, flats, etc.).
I can’t say that I learned anything new from the “Holiday Hell” experience driving home. However, I was reminded of several truths God had already taught me — and graciously held back on nuking me for forgetting (better: ignoring them!). Here’s three of them:
- Romans 8:28 is still true: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
- Anxiety, fretting, getting uptight, etc. is unnecessary — and only increases our tenseness! (Philippians 4:6-7; I Peter 5:7)
- God is a gracious God! Psalm 103:13-14 tells us… “The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For He knows how weak we are; He remembers we are only dust.”
“Oh how we thank and praise you Heavenly Father for Your patience and for Your grace; thank You Jesus for bearing our sins on Calvary’s cruel cross. We are infinitely unworthy yet loved. What a mystery; what an amazing God You are! Amen.”