You Don’T Have To Tell Me Twice

An early April snow had caught us by surprise here in the mountains of my home. Flowers that had just popped out of the ground a week before were now drowning in a sea of white. It felt like someone had turned back the clock two months. Slowly it grew warm enough for the snow to begin to melt in the late afternoon but soon the temperatures dipped again as the cold, evening air turned the melted snow into ice.

Early the next morning I walked out to my cars. I needed to take my sons to school and then had a 30 mile round trip to make after that. I wondered which car to take. My little one had the better gas mileage, but the tires on my bigger one were less worn. Just as I took a step towards my little car, however, my foot slipped on a patch of black ice and I felt my body hitting the driveway. I got up slowly and smiled. "You don’t have to tell me twice God!", I said before heading over to start the car with the better tires. After dropping off my boys at school I made the round trip safely. I felt my car hit patches of black ice several times, but each time the tires gripped and adjusted well. I found myself laughing and grinning even with my still sore left hip and shoulder. I was happy I had followed God’s guidance and I felt loved and watched over.

God’s loving guidance comes in many ways. You can hear its gentle whisper in your heart. You can listen to it come out in the touching lyrics of a beautiful song. You can see it in the wise passage of a book. You can notice it in an overheard scrap of conversation. You can feel it in the quietness of nature. You can even get it when you fall to the pavement of your driveway. However it comes to you, though, don’t turn away from it. Don’t make God have to tell you twice. Listen to Him the first time. Trust Him, love Him, and follow Him. He will take you to ever greater love, joy, and learning. He will keep you safe and lead you home.

~ Joseph J. Mazzella ~

[ by: Joseph J. Mazzella Copyright © 2009 (joecool@wirefire.com) -- submitted by: Joseph Mazzella ]