Road Trip Lessons ~ Part II
by Laura Hurd
Day Five
"Houston, we've had a problem here..." (Jim Lovell, commander of the Apollo 13 mission)
We left Alvarado and drove to Houston with no agenda except to see the Gulf (we longed for the ocean). When we stopped at a light, however, the car idled rough and low, threatening to stall. Jason turned pale. After settling into our hotel room, Jason had a "hunch" to check the oil. It didn't even register on the stick. There happened to be a Kwik Lube next to the hotel. After a quart of oil, it still didn't register. After a second quart, it barely did...
The hotel was the nicest one we'd stayed in, as well as the cheapest; and the beach was less than 5 minutes away. But our first breath of the ocean was stifled by a tense, oppressive silence. Jason felt stupid for not servicing the car properly before our trip. Had we ruined the engine? I was angry because it seemed to me like we were trying to solve the problem in our own strength. How could we expect God to fix this when we hadn't sought Him out first?
Hard truth: It was not a " fun" evening. But it was necessary, I think. We had a long talk, sitting on the beach; and somehow our initial discussion over car concerns stirred up ugly things buried beneath the surface - past failures, lingering wounds, growing insecurities, painful regrets, crippling fears... Our prayer as a family that night was weak and full of repentance. But we went to bed feeling that God was a little bit closer.
Lesson: Growth takes a long time. There will be days when we wonder if we've made any progress at all. But God doesn't give up on us. He won't indulge our self-pity, but neither will He abandon us in our weakness.
Day Six
It's amazing how God isn't surprised by our setbacks and is ready to help - especially when we admit our mistakes and humble ourselves before Him.
Jason thought it might be a good idea to have the car's oil changed; but past experience told us it was a fool's errand to show up without an appointment. However, we adopted a similar view as we had before getting onto The Chosen set: If we needed an oil change, God would make a way; if not, we'd trust Him to get us to the next place safely without one.
Lo and behold! They got our car in immediately (and we learned that we'd put the wrong oil in the night before). It was done in less than an hour.
We decided to stay another night after discovering that the second night was even cheaper than the first. Breakfast was delicious. I studied my Bible over a perfectly brewed cup of coffee in the hotel's clean, quiet dining area while the oil was being changed.
Since we had a whole day ahead of us to relax, we bought tickets to the Space Center Houston. The experience was a major highlight for all of us.
Jason and I share a love for space travel, the stars, and science fiction (Star Trek brought us together). It blows my mind that God arranged such a gift. We were weary and heavy-burdened, and we came to Him and found rest for our souls.
Lesson One: When you don't know what to do, go to God - even when you feel like you've messed up beyond repair. Trust me, He will not blow up at you. He is eager to help and to bring you rest. The only thing that can get in His way is you.
After touring Space Center Houston, we decided to go back to the beach. But the area we'd visited the night before was crawling with people. Eventually even the uber extroverts (Jason and Allaina) felt their social bubble being somewhat violated.
The hotel clerk had recommended another beach farther south as a more secluded, peaceful spot. It was definitely quieter, but small and covered in broken shells that hurt our bare feet. This beach had its own charm, but we couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.
Certain features made Courtney uncomfortable. In her defense, there were plenty of places for a creeper to hide, and it would have made a decent setting for a thriller movie. I assured her we were safe. Since this was our final visit to the ocean, the rest of us weren't ready to leave. But Courtney grew increasingly distraught.
A couple sat farther up the grassy hill, their white sheep dog laying calmly beside them. Suddenly the dog got up and trotted directly over to Courtney, bypassing everyone else on the way. She planted herself firmly between Courtney and the rest of us and looked up at her as if to say, "It's okay; I'll protect you."
The dog's name was Shelona, and she instantly became Courtney's friend and hero. Courtney will forever remember Shelona as God's message of peace.
Lesson: God meets us where we are and speaks to us in ways we can understand. When human words just don't cut it, God has other ways of getting His message across.
Before leaving Texas the next morning, I wanted the girls to experience authentic Texas barbecue. Allaina found the perfect place by searching online. She and Jason went to get our food while Courtney and I relaxed at the hotel. We had a wonderful evening filling up on smoked brisket and pork ribs.
We were loath to leave the area and debated staying another night, but we knew it was time to go. We were so thankful for the safe haven God had provided after the same grueling (but good) and tense days. Our only regret is that we didn't spend more time at the ocean.
Lesson: When God provides a respite, it's important not to cling to it when He says it's time to move on. There are purposes to fulfill, lessons to learn, and a Kingdom to build. Take the opportunities for rest He provides, but don't be afraid to live. Embrace the adventure. God is with you.