I didn’t have an excuse. But here’s how it happened…
It was a bright, sunny day just after a nasty storm had come through. The grass in our yard was taking advantage of every inch it could gain in such fertile conditions. I had to tame it back. So I changed out of my daily attire and into my lawn mowin’ garb. It didn’t take long. I came inside, washed my feet (I mow in flops, very stupid – I know.), and helped my wife get the kids down for nap time. It didn’t go too hot, as it was their first day sharing a room during nap time, in preparation for our 3rd daughter’s arrival.
But it went well enough for us to enjoy the Season Finale of LOST (holy cow. fo’ real.). We knew they hadn’t slept much, if any, and so decided to take them out for a drive to put them to sleep. It all happened so fast. I was still in my lawn mowin’ shorts, and my pants were laying in the back bedroom. We each grabbed a child, loaded them into the van, and I drove away with a van full of sleepy girls.
It took about ten minutes before I realized I didn’t have my license with me. I became nervous. I was on the highway, casually driving our daughters to sleep. Going 5 under the speed limit, if anything. What were the odds that I would need my license? I drive everyday, and it’s been forever since I’ve been pulled over.
I watched for police cars. I was nervous every time another car came closer, for fear of a random fender bender. I felt like I had a giant neon light above my car that read, “DRIVING WITHOUT A LICENSE!”.
We drove. We went to the park, where they napped for an hour. We drove home. I was never pulled over. No one knew. I’d gotten away with it. Whew.
How often do we get ourselves into something, and only then realize how ill-prepared we are, or how little we’ve spent in prayer for it….only to feel a sense of nervousness during it, hoping no one will figure out….and then somehow make it through the other side to a sigh of relief?
I think it’d be easier to spend more time appreciating having a license, so that it was natural to not be able to drive without it.
words from wick 