Just another car analogy coming your way….

So recently… let me just start from the beginning LOL

My bestie and I were going to estate sales (one of my absolute favorite things to do!!) and after two, we went to this other one that I almost couldn’t find. I thought this house was it but it wasn’t super obvious… no cars along the neighborhood street and I was like well, this is the right address according to my iPhone map. I questioned where I parked a bit because I was literally the only car parked on the street at this point and I was a few car links back from the closest intersection and a house away from the actual house (that sat on a main city street, rather than a neighborhood street). Ultimately I left it because I felt safer there, no one would hit me most likely ??

We walked up to the house as a truck and trailer were backing up into the drive for a pickup, I assume. We walked up to the porch and the door was closed. WHY? I checked once more online and it didn’t say a closing time. Someone came to the door and asked, “Are you here to pick up the bed?” I then said, “No, we’re here for the estate sale.” “Oh, we closed early.”

WOW, OKAY.

We made our way back to my car that I had parked a ways away, as I said. I remote unlocked the car, we got in, I immediately locked the doors (habit) and put the key in to turn in order to start the car. That’s where it went wonky!! The car sputtered, the dash flashed and nothing actually started. I released the key and took it out. WHAT IS GOING ON?

This is where I freak out because I’ve had so much car trouble lately that I just want it to be done. I just wanted to sit there in the heat and deal with my issues. Is this some kind of joke or a punishment? I couldn’t completely have a meltdown, my bestie was right there! She did calm me down and said it was going to be okay, no worries. I tried again after a few minutes to turn the key and start the car, it didn’t work. Literally nothing happened. Which, for my sake, is probably for the best because in my head the alternative was that the whole car would be blow up, literally in my face.

Looking back at the situation, even just a few minutes later, it couldn’t have happened more perfectly. We had water, reading material (from our previous estate sales!) and then there was this tree… that I realize I didn’t even get a picture of haha. It was a really hot day in Oklahoma. Not the best time to be stuck outside, for sure, but we were not in the worst of situations and we had our provision, all we needed.

Aside from that, the ending to my little story is that the culprit of my car issues that day was loose connections to the battery. Loose connections. Of all the other driving we had done that day before this stop, it had been fine. The car drove fine, no symptoms of battery problems before. I was actually going to be pretty salty if it was actually the battery itself because I’ve only had it maybe two or three months!

So how about the lesson in this?

Are your connections loose, too?

Sometimes we can think we’re connected. We may think we’re connected to church or connected to God or connected to our people. Even if everything is working okay, suddenly one day or one moment, it becomes clear that you are not connected. You’ve had a loose connection disguised as complete connection.

I know for me personally, I go through these short bursts of not being in the word like I should. I had gotten into a habit of being in several YouVersion Bible app devotional plans every single day. Right now, I’m not consistent in that and that’s where I want to be again. I felt so much more confident when I was reading and had that to look forward to. Lately it’s more of me getting in the word to check something or to verify something I’ve seen. Which is fine, we should do that, but it’s not supposed to be in place of being connected to His Word, to Him. Even in that, we can feel connected but not fully. I hope that you’ll be connected and invested in Him this week and always. If you’re not, just know you’re not alone.

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch can not produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:4-5