The Mystery of Driving

I 've been in the passenger's seat for too long and one of my goal this year is to be a licensed driver. I had my learner's permit since 2002. I didn't pursue my license eagerly in the past because I didn't see it necessary since I can't afford a car. Fortunatley, I made my parents so happy and proud in finishing nursing this year that they extravagantly set aside a car money for me. I saw the cheque, I saw it! Their not backing out in one condition-- I need to show them my driver's license.

How hard can a driving test be? I gladly driven and faced the exciting traffic and ubrupt changing climate of Metro Manila. I also driven a in the the torrid dessert of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) ... I'm destined to be a driver...

But for some reason, I just can't qualify to get a level 7 license. Don't even ask how many times I took my driving test. I'll give you the equation and leave it at that: atleast once a year I tried.

I wonder why? my baby brother and sisters enjoy my driving.

To be honest, I'm getting frustrated but I still have my hope, I still dream of long trips and joy rides for my future, convoys and drive throughs as well...

Few months ago, I went to Philippines to visit my family and here is the list that I learned from expert jeepney drivers and experienced cab drivers. I also included the lessons I learned watching drivers in Canada.

• When on a one way street, stay to the right to allow oncoming traffic to pass.
• Never, ever, stop for a pedestrian unless he flings himself under the wheels of your car.
• The first parking space you see will be the last parking space you see. Grab it.
• Never get in the way of a car that needs extensive bodywork. The other guys might be looking for an insurance claim and doesn't have anything to lose.
• Turn signals will give away your next move
• Crossing two or more lanes in a single lane-change is considered going with the flow
• The faster you drive through a red light, the smaller the chance you have of getting hit
• If you want your insurance company to pay for a new rear bumper, come to a complete stop at all stop signs
• Speed limits are arbitrary figures, given only as suggestions and are apparently not enforceable in during rush hour
• Master street corners where police mobile typically park.
• Never speed up in a lane construction closure. As my professionally licensensed beloved friend says, it's "double-the-penalty" if you get caught.
• Always slow down and rubberneck when you see an accident or even someone changing a tire
• If the driver in front of you, especially a truck, flashes his left turn signal a few times, he may be telling you that it is safe to pass. But he may be wrong.
• If a driver approaching from the opposite direction flashes his headlights it may mean, "police ahead, watch your speed", or "I have screwed up big time by trying pass this vehicle so please give me some room by heading for the shoulder."
• The largest vehicle has the right of way, except deer always have the right of way and squerrels come second.

Therefore, before this year ends...

I will be a licensed driver.

Why Go To Church?

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday.. "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column,
much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote
this clincher:

"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked
some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu
for a single one of those meals But I do know this. They all nourished me
and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me
these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone
to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!" When you are
DOWN to nothing... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible,
believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our
physical AND our spiritual nourishment!

When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say, "Jesus,
could you get that for me?"

(Forwarded Email)

God, Why?

I am not a great writer and not as eliquent as other blogers but I choose to share hoping that it might help those who are similarly situated as me--imperfect and who fails miserably during temptations.

I have asked God countless times why He made me weak and imperfect that bring me so much distress and loneliness. I have asked Him to change me and my circumstances. I have asked Him who I am and where my place is. I also asked Him why do I have to cry...

I did not get straight forward answers because I was asking the wrong questions. My questions were about understanding myself so I can overcome my circustances. It was not about understanding His plans and purpose. It was not about Him. Fortunately, I learned that God's purpose is not the development of man; God's purpose is to make a man exactlty like Him, and the characteristic of Jesus is self-expenditure (O. Chambers) not self-realization.

A man named Nick Vujicic also asked God the Why? question. Nick was born without arms and legs. Nick grew up facing tremendous obstacles trusting God who he felt has given him less. Nick asked,
"God why have you not given me what you gave others?"
"Why did you take my arms and legs?"
"Why didn't you game me what everybody else has?"

Nick challenged God that he will not open his heart to Him until He answer his questions. As he grew up with his disability, he waited for God to answer. When he was 8 years old he tried to take his life by drowning himself in his parent's bath tub. He failed to go through it because of his love for his parents. One day, his mother showed him an article about a man with severe physical disability that greatly impacted him. He learned that he has a choice to be either be angry with God of what he does not have or be thankful of what has has. Nick's mother also told him, "Nick, God is going to use you; I don't know how, I don't know when, but God's gonna use you."

Since then, Nick served God faithfully. He learned that God can heal without changing the circumstances and it is useless to be complete in the outside but broken in the inside. There will be no outside satisfaction if there is no peace inside. Nick changed and saw himself whole. Nick does not ask God why anymore because he "is not a man without arms and legs but a child of God."

God answered Nick's questions that I believe answers our questions too. So typical of Jesus, He answers question with a question. His answer--"Do you trust Me?" It is not about Nick being physically disable or me being defensive and stubborn or you and your issues, it is about trusting God that He has a purpose.

Reminders when we find ourselved asking "God, Why?":

-God is love and His love endures forever. Therefore, He does not want to punish us. The Cross should be enough of a proof and reminder how much He loves you and me.

-God is Just. He wants us to be with Him. When we sin this desire gets jeopardized becasue "He cannot tolerate sin" and we "need to be like Him." Therefore, His being just results to punish sin and to discipline and to teach us so that we can be free to be with Him.

-God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts. We cannot comprehend everything, which is the reason we ask Why.

-He knows you and me even before we were born and He has plans to prosper and not to harm us. Since we cannot understand everything, believing and reminding ourselves that He has plans for us should ease our mind.

Just don't dare to ask "God, Why?" Since God has the ultimate and unquestionable reasons, asking "Why God?" is just merely whinning. So if it will help your situation to whine, go ahead ask away. However, if I were you ask "What God?" What can I do for YOU?...

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