I had an excellent time in Florida last week. For those of you that don’t know, this was my first excursion to the state of Florida. I was able to get a little sun (but not enough to burn… I’ve learned my lesson!), do a lot of swimming, see some wonderful sights, and eat some delectable cuisine. The drive down was not nearly as bad as one would think. I was able to pull off the first 12 hours of the trip with only a couple stops and without dosing off. The situation was only hairy at a couple points. The first came when a car carrier, carrying none other than the same Dodge Caravan I was driving, sent a large orange barrel flying directly at my windshield. A quick step on the brakes and a slight swerve avoided the barrel while simultaneously making me feel like an action movie hero. Later, driving through the mountains of Kentucky and Tennessee, incredibly thick fog made it difficult to see more than a few feet in front of me. Navigating a two-lane road currently under construction while bobbing and weaving between semi trucks is an experience that can make any man sweat bullets. The drive back from Florida included only a couple odd moves by other drivers and a storm in which the sky was black as coal.
Vacations, particularly the parts that include traveling long distances, allow one to become rather introspective. On my trip, I examined my life including the choices I’ve made and the places that God has taken me. Just like on the road, God has protected me throughout my life in ways I often fail to recognize. There are way too many events in my life that I cannot explain except to say that God intervened on my behalf. Philippians 2:12-18 talks about how God works in us and how we shouldn’t complain. God is always working in our lives and it shouldn’t take a long trip to think about this. If we remembered all that God has done for us, it is possible that we would complain less. I know that I personally need to spend less time grumbling, and more time rejoicing.
