Driving Test #2

So... here's the latest driving update. I went to take the test again this monday and... again failed. Yet I felt a bit better about the whole thing this time because I didn't do one thing wrong (even according to my less than positive instructor) except on one of the sharp right turns i went over the curb a tiny bit, which is grounds for FAILING me again. Honestly, it is almost humorous. And everyone I've talked to since then, American and Spanish and other nationality, has said, "Don't worry, that's completely normal. I passed it on my fourth try." (And note this is even from people 10 or 20 years older than me, who had also been driving for quite some time prior to it.)

But all said and done, I was proud of myself, for not once pushing the clutch before the brake, nor putting my hand inside the wheel upon turning, and not once skipping a gear.

And the other thing, much more calming than my "perfection" was that I was very aware and thankful for the Lord's presence with me and that I can trust that He is in control and with me. I had to get up at 5:30am, made myself a cappichino, which i don't think i actually drank, and some oatmeal that was too hot to eat before i left the house, or at least more than a bit, and sat down to do the Sermon on the Mount study I've been doing. I just happened ;-) to be reading a ton of verses about the law and how the law and the rules are good because they point you to God, your desperate need of Him, and yet they cannot save you. They don't have the power too, only Jesus can do that.

A passage in particular struck me as I read in Exodus after God gives the Israelites the 10 Commandments and Moses & Israel promise to keep the commandments, they make a covenant with God, and Moses sprinkles the blood (from the sacrificed animals) over the people and over the law. God says that he wants them to remember Him and that He is with them and that He goes before them.

As I read through the various passages and was praying about my exam, I felt the Lord say to me, "I go with you. I will be with you. Do not fear, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name. You are mine. Do not fear man, trust me to bring about my will and trust my will to be done. I will be there with you as you drive." And I asked the Lord to calm me, to help my feet to push the brakes before the clutch every time, to be aware of my hands, and anything else that I needed to know. I ask him to calm me and to remind me he was there. And He did just that. I was nervous, but calm at the same time. It really did go absolutely perfectly! No, I didn't pass, but I let him be God and me be man, which is a nice feeling, particularly since it seems that when I feel out of control often times I try to fix things myself (which makes no sense, if He is God). So it felt good to let Him be God and to trust Him.

And, while I have no idea what the future may hold, I am fairly confident that this third time will be a charm and will be my day to finally get my SPANISH DRIVER'S LICENSE. It is in two weeks (after paying some more fees, for having failed it twice, and then for the required 5 more classes I must take), most likely on a Wednesday, Dec 17, and likely at 8am. Please pray for me and also for the Lord to provide the extra money I need to take these silly classes and test. :-)

Note: Another fun thing about Monday was that it SNOWED!!! This may not be as noteworthy where you live, but in the city it RARELY snows and it came down hard for about a half an hour, really hard. Granted none of it stuck, but I've been asking the Lord to let it snow this year, and it DID. What I'd REALLY like is some snow that sticks at least for a day and at least a good inch to cover everything. I mean I'd love more, but that seems pushing it a bit already. And I'd LOVE a white Christmas.

So far it's been a much colder winter than normal, which I am presently stoked about (knowing it could mean, SNOoooW). We'll just have to see though. It is impressive, I must say that we've already had some snow and it's only the beginning of December!