Tire Treads

As has probably become obvious, car maintenance is something relatively new for me.  I brought my car by a shop to have them listen to it...helping me to know if the noises I was hearing were 'nromal' or if they should cause me concern.  The technician was a great help.  He walked through checking for fluids--all levels good.  Then he started the car.  He came around to listen to the engine and diagnosed 'rod knock'.  I'm sure if you want to know more, you can find that on the internet somewhere, but please don't ask me to explain it to you.  It all made perfect sense as he was explaining it to me, but it seems to have vanished from my short-term memory.

Anyhow...after giving me the car's death sentence (since there's no repair that can be done--just gradual deterioration) he also mentioned that my tires were worn.  I hadn't really paid any attention to my tires, just kind of relied on them functioning well.  He pointed to the 'wear line', showing me that the tires were already well worn and in need of replacement.  I didn't know such a line existed on tires.  I moved ahead with getting a quote on tires (learning what size tires my car needed).

As I've been slowly gathering information on tire prices at different locations, I thought about how this seems to parallel my life in the past few years.  There is much that I took for granted, assuming that I'd have the energy needed, that things were working well...  Only as I've slowed down to look have I seen how badly things were worn.  It's meant an adjustment to rest and refreshment, allowing myself to slow down and try living in different ways.

Rest doesn't just mean sitting around all day doing nothing, but it has meant a change in how I approach decisions and opportunities.  I've generally been the type of person that jumps at opportunities, expecting that I'll find the time and energy to fulfill my commitments well.  It seems that I've often not taken into account the reality of how I've been made.  I've been forced to stop and look at the tire treads on my car, to see that they're worn.

Some of the things that have brought me rest:
-not having to set an alarm clock some mornings--waking up to the sun
-physical labor of building a deck alongside family
-estended times of sitting with God without much of an agenda
-hanging with my nieces
-taking a walk around Lake Harriet with a dear friend and colleague
-visiting friends from college and enjoying long conversations
-sampling apple varieties that I haven't tasted in years
-enjoying the changing leaves
-space in my days to drive my grandpa to Rochester for a radiation treatment, ending the day with a trip to a family farm for a ride in a combine
-small group
-being able to stay up late without feeling guilty
-dreaming big
-listening
-playing cards with my grandparents

Before the snow comes, I need to make a decision and get my tires replaced.  I hope that in this year in the US, God will replace/renew those parts of my life that are worn down and enable me to walk forward in the full knowledge of his presence with me no matter what comes next.