Last night I had a run in with the cops. Okay, so not a run-in like I was on the ground with hands behind my head, but, as a result of my foolishness had some bright lights shone in my face and complicated questions like "Have you been drinking tonight" thrown at me.

But let me back up. I guess I have to start here: I drive. ALOT. Commuting from Denver to Broomfield every day with random trips to Arvada, Westminster, and around town throughout the week. When I first started commuting 26 miles one way to work, it wasn't a big deal. The time in the car to prepare for, then wind down from, the workday, was actually pretty nice.
It still is. But, the more I drove the highways and byways of Denver metro, encountering the happy and not so happy drivers on the road, the more I began to drive like the not so happy ones. I have my good days, when work went well, no big home issues, and my heart in the right place, when I drive the speed limit and am courteous and forgiving of other drivers. Most days, however, have been punctuated with frustration, anger, and reckless driving. I let whatever happened (or didn't happen) affect my attitude to the point that I was endangering others on the road just to "let it all out".

You're probably thinking "Wow, this is great. Get back to the story." Okay, I will. The background on my driving is just a precursor necessary to explain why the police incident was a big thing.

We were heading home from Bible study and were dropping a friend off at his car. We had a silly tradition of circling his car (the only one in a very empty parking lot) a few times before letting him out. There were two cop cars in the lot, but, in the past, they had never cared, so, I went ahead and circled the car, completing it with a figure eight to land our friend next to his door.
Unfortunately, this time, the cops did care. Or perhaps I should say fortunately. Anyways, they pulled both cars up to us and shone their spotlights in the windows. I opened the car door since the window was broken and heard the shout "Don't get out of the car!"
The two cops walked over, and there followed 5-10 minutes of questions and them scrutinizing my license and the car registration in the pitch blackness behind their lights. Finally they returned and the gal cop handed me back my license and the registration along with
her business card, and with a bit of a [oh these crazy kids] chuckle in her tone, said, "Just go home." We went home.

The tough part of the whole incident was that I was driving my dad's car. So, naturally, I had to tell him and my mom what happened. (although, before any visions of sainthood come into your head, I will let you know that I was NOT going to tell them, and only did at the
encouragement of my younger sisters. What would I do without them?). Dad wasn't awake when we got home, but, we talked to mom. This morning my dad drove me to work and offered me some sage and Biblical advice and correction. He brought some observations about my driving that I was not aware of, and he encouraged me to drive as if I truly did "love my neighbor as myself".

I was convicted. Am convicted. Of the multiple times I have been foolish, reckless, or just plain careless in my driving. This does not honor God and only serves to demonstrate my sinful heart and my lack of love for others. I've gotta change. I know it won't be easy. I've tried before, and done okay for a little while, only to fall back into the same bad patterns.

A scripture comes to mind: Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men (Col 3v23). It reminds me that, not only should my driving be to glorify the Lord, but, that I should work heartily, as unto the Lord, at changing my driving habits. No more should I recklessly endanger other's lives, no more should I dishonor the Lord by disobeying the authorities, and, no longer should I set not just a poor, but an unhealthy, example for those around me.

So, in closing, can I ask you to keep me accountable? If you are driving with me, call me on my driving! However, even if you only read this post, check in with me, see how I'm doing, eh? Blessings!