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10 Minutes Peace
by Susan McGrath
I used to take great pride in my car -- something instilled by my father and grandfather who constantly vacuumed and polished. My car was free of dirt and clutter inside and the outside usually got a bath on a regular basis and a good waxing a few times a year.
Of course, I wanted something "cool". My first car, though used, was bright red and had a good stereo. My first new car was sleek and black with a CD player (This was in 1990, so that was very impressive!)
Sadly, the family car has now become just that -- a family car. Simply a mode of transportation, cluttered with school papers, toys and sports equipment. Crumbs often are in abundance in the floor and seats, and a sticky mass of diet Coke has permanently taken up residence on the console around my cup holder.
Lawn chairs, which rarely get removed after ballgames, rattle in the back as we drive down the brick streets in our neighborhood. I even have an air freshener to combat the "kid" smell. (A classy, high-end air freshener, but still . . . ) Hey, it's easier than regularly vacuuming between the seats!
My SUV is more than ten years old and probably beyond the "cool" label. But the radio works and there's room for my kids and the groceries at the same time.
No, "wheels" for me have become just that -- a way to get from point A to point B.
As I was trying to remove some of the clutter (which could almost be measured in feet on the front passenger side), I was thinking of how little I now worry about what I drive compared to the attention I used to expend in that area.
The car seems to have shifted much lower on the list as other things have moved up.One of those things is my spiritual life. When I got my first car, I wasn't a Christian and spiritual matters were not my priority.
Over the years, as my relationship with the Lord has grown, my pride in things like what I drive or wear has waned. I realize I only have time and energy for a certain amount of things in life and I don't want to spend much of it obsessing over my vehicle. (We won't mention the condition of my house as I write this!)
My prayer, for myself and others, is to find a balance that allows the important things to shine through in life and provide an example to those watching.
"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." -- Matthew 6:21
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a recovering journalist trying to encourage others and glorify God through writing;
living the small-town life with husband Tim and sons Lincoln, 12, and Sawyer, 6;
completing a few put-off writing projects while using chocolate for therapy.
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