Driving Into the Fog

 

Although this Thanksgiving was a great deal smaller in terms of family members in attendance, we were able to give thanks for all we have been given and all we have to be thankful for. One of those blessings is our little angel Ivy, who was able to join us for the holiday down from Virginia. The hardest part of her coming to visit is having to say goodbye until the next time she gets down this way. The physical challenge of Ivy's visits is the drive up Interstate 81 to the Lynchburg area and the immediate turn around return trip, basically a nine-hour drive. Believe me it is worth every second of the drive! 

Our normal routine for the return trip is to get up super early and arrive at our meeting spot before noon. Well this particular trip was a little different than others we have made over the past ten years’ compliments of a heavy fog advisory alert I received on my phone Friday morning. Normally, the early morning drive is coupled with a beautiful sunrise which is a joy to view as it illuminates the morning sky, although that same sunrise also creates somewhat of a driving hazard as the sun glares directly into driver's eyes as you barrel east up the interstate.  That was not to be the case on this particular drive. 

About the time I crossed the Tennessee/Virginia border patches of fog had settled among the peaks and valleys of the farms, rivers, hills and valleys. I also noticed that the normal morning sun hazard was suddenly not a driving hazard. I thought to myself, "Well this fog issue might actually work out to my benefit, I may not have to deal with the sunlight in my face." That thought dissipated much quicker than the fog as I drove deeper into what eventually became a thick grayish, blanket enveloping the whole landscape. My driving speeds dramatically slowed and I honestly could not see twenty feet in front of my car. It did not take very long to realize I was in a very precarious predicament. What I had thought was going to be a relief from the morning sun in my eyes, turned into a dark cloud that hindered my vision and created extremely dangerous conditions for driving and the safety of my precious granddaughter. Fortunately, on this particular day the fog lifted soon thereafter and we were able to resume our trip unhindered by the dense fog, nor the morning sun angled directly in my line of vision. 

As the danger subsided my thoughts as they normally do began to wander around a bit, and as in many cases, today's Flat Tire Ministries Thought was berthed. The dread of the sun beaming in my vision path led me to believe that the fog which hid the sun's light was going to be a positive, but as I drove deeper into the fog my vision became impaired to the point that I literally couldn't see at all. What I thought was an answer to my original problem quickly became a far greater problem with dire consequences immersed in the morning blanket of fog. That's how life and the decisions we make are so many times. We take things into our own hands and believe we are capable of solving problems all on our own. What starts out as taking prescription medicines for the pain associated with a painful surgery recovery is acceptable, allowing those pain pills to become an addiction that destroys your life is a masked danger that lurks around much like the blanket of fog I encountered. Sharing your marital struggles with a co-worker is okay on the surface, yet the potential extra marital affair may loom right around the bend in the road, or financial matters that start out as "just this one time" can land one into a future of embezzlement or fraud. You can see how the foggy conditions of our choices can become dire as fast as my vision was blanketed by that morning mist. The biggest danger we are confronted with is the risk of driving through life without a relationship of faith in our God. 

It is possible to drive through life without a relationship with God (not advisable). Inconveniences rise up and we make adjustments like lowering a sun visor which can provide relief from the problem, but does not remove the problem. We drive into the fog thinking we are getting relief from what is hindering us, only to find that we are now completely engulfed in darkness and our sight has been completely obstructed. We then are driving around blindly, hoping we are in the right lane and that there are no dangerous obstacles in our paths ahead. We need the sun. Just like we need the Son. Leaning on, learning from, and standing with God allows us to see even when the fog of life's problems rise up around us. Will our problems dissipate like the fog did on me the other day? Not necessarily, but knowing that you are driving through life with God inside you and all around you gives you a sense of comfort that nothing else in life can do. Even when I am facing the fog of adversity in my life, I am confident and assured that the illumination of God's love will enlighten my path and protect me along this journey. "We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!" I Corinthians 13:12 (The Message Bible) We do not have to remain lost in the fog, God is the light that lifts the fog and clears our path, find God and stay His course. 

Coach Carter