September 5, 2014 (Friday)
Yesterday’s blog was about my learning how to drive.
Today it is about “Rules of the Road.”
The first rule, I suppose, is “Get a Drivers License.” I did not do that. I kept putting it off. I really was not old enough, but I think a license was available to underage drivers if the situation made it necessary. But we did not test that theory; I just kept driving. Fortunately, I was never stopped and asked to show my license. Until I was stopped. I was driving my parents’ car, which they had loaned to me at college. Now I was bringing it home and not far from home ran a stop sign. The policeman told me it was a new sign and he was positioned there just for that purpose. He did not ticket me for no license or for running the stop sign. He talked with me about being in college, etc. and wrote the ticket in such a way that if I got my license before paying the ticket, it would be voided. He was really a nice man. So I got my license, finally. And rode the bus back to college.
In the process of driving, I became accustomed to one strict rule of the road: pay 
attention. What’s wrong with the picture on the right? The driver is distracted. I have to confess I have eaten hamburgers and even fried chicken once or twice (does not work out well), and a very few times have answered the cell phone while zooming down the road. I don’t text. At all. Anywhere. Your honor, surely that’s in my favor.
I learned a few thing along the way. I found out that it’s not a good idea to go to sleep at the wheel. I learned that maintenance of a car is important for safety (I learned the hard way what a spindle and tie rod is). I learned that only the Lord can rescue you when all systems fail at once and you find yourself without brakes or steering. The Lord helped me. I don’t advise putting Him to the test.
We did not have to teach our children to drive. Drivers Ed did that for us. We still had to go through the initiation of riding in the front seat with a learner. It all worked out well, and they are all good drivers. Their kids are, too.
We are relatively safe when we pay attention, obey the rules and keep our vehicles in safe shape. The same applies to our daily lives. Next time you are tempted to break some rules, remember what Jesus taught us to say: “Get thee behind me, Satan.” The devil wants you to compromise. For the driver, that could mean death. For us, living the devil’s way never turns out well, no matter the situation.