Slowing Down

Almost daily, I travel McEwen Drive to get to the interstate. There is a spot on the road with a sign that tells you what your speed is. Every morning when I get to this sign, my speed flashes really fast, followed by "SLOW DOWN" flashing really fast. Yes, every day I'm far enough over the speed limit to have slow down flashing at me. Every day, I ignore this and continue on at my current speed that I'm going.

It has dawned on me that that sign is a metaphor for my life. I should slow down, seriously! I go, go, and go until I wear myself out, take a small break, and then continue going at full speed.

The scary thing is, compared to 5-10 years ago,  I've slowed down considerably! I use to be able to go out multiple nights throughout the week and still have tons of energy left. That's not me anymore, but I still keep going and going, just like the energizer bunny.

That sign is telling me to slow down, and I don't. I've realized that is also a metaphor for my life. Why don't I slow down? I have a bright yellow sign flashing at me telling me to slow down, and I don't. I just smirk at it and keep going. It's almost a game to see if I can get it to yell at me on a daily basis.

That sign is a metaphor of how I've always been. I'm the youngest, I don't like people telling me what to do. The sign is no different. That sign is telling me to slow down, just like in my life, if you tell me to do something and I don't want you to tell me to do something, I may do the exact opposite, just to be a rebel and do what you told me not to do. I may be considering slowing down and going the speed limit, but because you told me to slow down and go the speed limit, I'm not, because I don't want that sign to think it can tell me what to do.

I then question, why doesn't that sign trust me. I grew up driving like a maniac on this road, long before it had a speed limit, long before it was paved, long before it was widen, long before people started moving here and traveling on it. Just like most of the roads in this area, I should be grandfathered in to speed on McEwen, because I know how to handle that road.

I also think, if I just keep speeding every day, that sign is going to stop flashing at me, and just be like, ok, it's Becca, let her go, she's good. She's not going to listen to me anyhow, let me get the next person.

And then I think, that sign is like God. How many times has God given me a flashing sign in my life to protect me, and I ignore him. How many times have I heard God tell me what to do, and I ignored him? How many times has God tried getting my attention, and I just blast past him? What if God is using that sign to tell me to slow down in my life? What if that sign is a metaphor, and I'm just writing a blog about it and not acting on it?

I need flashing signs in my life, like I need God in my life. How many times have I listened to God flashing something in front of my face and how many times has it made my life better. How many times have I sat quietly and listened to Him and gained wisdom and knowledge. How many times have I sat and soaked up his love for me? How many times have I been comforted by Him? Everyday, that sign is there, not giving up on me, just like God has been there every day, thankfully not giving up on me. Just like that flashing sign has mine and everyone else's best interest at hand, God has my best interest at hand as well and when I see God flashing a sign at me, I should listen to it, because it's going to be good. And maybe, just maybe, I may try going the speed limit on McEwen the next time I drive to work....maybe.