o v e r d r i v e….

September 21, 2008 by zellejillyroll

do you know how to drive?(i dont expect you to drive that thing like sandra bullock did in the movie speed 1^^…)-just a 4-wheel vehicle, you know what i mean?..or do you long to drive?..back in the philippines, ive never driven a car or any vehicle except for a pedal bike and a rickshaw (”trisikad”)..but i was requested to learn driving here in bermuda as a part of my job…before i used to think that i’d never drive unless ive my own personal driver…i was just too scared thinking of the road horrors in the philippines not to mention reckless and angry drivers who are always on the loose…however, when i got here, i needed to muster my guts to drive or else i could lose my job-(something that i dont want to happen)…boy, can you imagine how long ive dedicated myself to learn it?..it took 3 seasons for me to get my license- winter, spring, summer!!..getting a driver’s license was such a big challenge for a 1st-timer like me..it just didnt test my patience and courage but it bore a BIG hole in my pocket,too..gosh! i was exasperated!…here in bermuda, inorder to acquire a driver’s license, you need to pass a written test and the yard test (parallel parking, horizontal and reverse parking) before you can go out on the road for the actual test…everyone who wants to drive here needs to pass those tests eventhough you possess a driver’s license from your country of origin..and one more thing that makes it a challenge to learn driving here is that the roads are too narrow and sharp…ah…i almost forget, cars here are driven on the right hand side-just like in the united kingdom and australia(well, bermuda is a british territory, so this could explain the similarity)…ive to admit that after i was able to get the hang of it, ive enjoyed and appreciated driving..it cuts your time and zoom! you can go anywhere you like-catching a ride is not as accessible as in the phil where jeepneys are everywhere…here, you need to walk for quite a distance and wait at the nearest bus stop…it is such a pain to catch a bus especially on sundays and holidays…and bus drivers dont seem to rush ive observed…but there was a hitch when i was able to obtain a driver’s license….my employer’s car needed repair…actually, until now her car still sits on her grandson’s yard needing repair… i got my license alright, but i didnt have a car to drive on…and it’s been more than a year of waiting for it….well, nothing is really wasted…im about to start a new job and a car is waiting for me….so yesterday my new employer encouraged me to freshen up my driving skill…after much prodding, i test drove it with a filipino friend and my niece..actually, they just wanted to buy a few things in a nearby convenience store and they asked me to drive the car for that…i got mixed emotion as a walked towards the car-excitement, apprehension and nervousness sat in…and when we were about to go out of the driveway, i slammed the accelerator instead of the brake..boy!! it made a loud screech…good thing we were not on the main road yet…and my “half-willing” passengers gave out a loud scream…they were scared to death(literally and figuratively speaking^^)…i was a bit apprehensive because i am not familiar with the road on that side of the island…as i was driving, they were telling me to step on the gas because i was running to slow and some cars who couldnt wait had speedily overtaken us…there were times that i would go fast and they would tell me to go slow…well, i still kept my cool and focused on the road…deep inside i know i could do it…and when we came home, the three of us just gave out a sigh of relief…relieved to be home-safe and sound, they say^^..”thank you, Lord, was all we could say…somehow i felt funny inside of me..but later, i realized something deeper and true…are we also behaving like this in our walk with the Lord????..i mean, if you have accepted the Lord in your life and we let Him take over…letting the Lord get hold of the reigns of our life…Him being the driver and we are just passengers…Once we are born-again, it’s not US who lead our life but we’ve given God full authority to take charge…Or do we “accept” God and still act like backseat drivers- telling when to go slow or fast when we meet certain challenges in our every day life….or do we only enjoy the ride when God is giving us the fullness and sweetness of life??…do we become disagreeable when He wants to give a full turn or needs to go back up in our life saying, “Lord, what are you doing? where are you taking me?”…or does this mean that we dont TRUST the All-Knowing One for the plans that He has for us?…God is our Creator and FAther…He only knows what lies ahead and He knows what’s best for His children…whether the ride is pleasant, bumpy,or it’s taking some time, let’s take heart, He knows every by-ways and high ways…!!Only in His hands that we can be safe!!

“when you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.” - Isaiah 43:2