{Straight From the Heart} *God Uses Bumper Stickers?* 2/4/00
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GOD USES BUMPER STICKERS?
By Nancy Jo Eckerson
Most people I know have fears. Some small, some big, but fears,
nonetheless. Fear of heights (acrophobia), fear of dirty eyeglasses
(Ican’tseeaphobia), fear of flying, fear of confined spaces (claustrophobia),
fear of crowds (massaphobia, I believe it is called). Oh well, the list
goes on and on...and since I have listaphobia, I won’t continue.
Well, one of my phobias was driving in high traffic areas (I’
mgonnagetkilledaphobia). I found it particularly difficult to handle the 6
lane highways near the mall. So, you must realize just how horrifically
crippling this must be for a woman! I found it especially frightening to
get into that far lane to make left-hand turns...cars whizzing by on the
right of me. Oncoming traffic bearing down on me at a frenetic speed! It
was a kind of claustrophobic feeling, confined in a small area, not able to
get out at will.
Well, it was one of those rare occasions when I couldn’t pawn the
needed errands off on any family member, employee or friend. I had to get
to the flooring store to make a final decision on the tile for our business’
restoration project. Deadlines and opening dates were imminent. No
choice, no delaying, no procrastinating. I desperately prayed for a way
out...nothing! This had to be done.
I set out on the 20 minute journey feeling shaky and a little nauseous
but, challenged! The first 10 minutes were relatively easy, just talking
to God, blasting the radio...tooling along, then, out of nowhere, the road
widened - like the mouth of a mutant killer whale, opening wide to swallow
me up! Lanes were everywhere - lanes for straight-ahead, left turn only
lanes, left or straight-ahead lanes, right or straight-ahead lanes.
The giant, jagged fangs of traffic, darting in and out, threatened to
undo me. At this point, I yelled out “Okay, God, this time I really need
you!” I was in the right turn only lane and over the next few minutes 3
lanes had to be conquered! The petrifying process was about to start. A
quick look to the left, I move, another glance and another move -over is
accomplished, one more lane to maneuver. I check my mirrors one more time
and take the plunge! All this hard work just to reach the worst lane of
all. The slow, sit-there and do nothing lane of poor victims awaiting the
mercy of kind oncomers when there is no green arrow light. Stuck there with
no way out!
By this time my palms are sweaty, my heart is pounding, my knees are
weak. I beg...” God, pleeeeeease, help me make the left?” I turn on the
left blinker, look to the side and glance in the rear view mirror. I know
the time has come. Take the leap or be chewed up by the 3 rows of sharks
swimming along side of me.
I begin to move over.... sneaking my way into that dreaded left turning
lane. Just then I look up, right ahead of me, another car is moving over
slowly to the left. My eye catches a bright yellow bumper sticker...
JUST FOLLOW JESUS!
I blink, look at it once again, and in a flash, I know that God is here and
he does care about all the
little fears that we have to face! Even the left-hand turns! And, I
giggle to myself “ God uses bumper
stickers!” How funny is that?
Nancy Jo Eckerson
nancyq2@net.bluemoon.net
Send Nancy an email and let her know what you thought of her story!
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Nancy Jo Eckerson is from the Western New York area. She has had two
careers in her illustrious past :-)...foreign language teacher (Spanish and
Italian) and restaurant owner, and at the tender age of 48 is beginning a
whole new one...author. She is the mother of two grown kids....a daughter,
22 and a son,20.
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Thought For The Day:
"Happiness is the result of circumstances, but joy endures in spite of
circumstances"
Verse for the Day:
"...in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are
pleasures for evermore"
Psalm 16:11
Kid's Thought For The day:
"Felt markers are not good to use as lipstick."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"It goes without saying that you should never have more children then
you have car windows."
-Erma Bombeck
Coach's Thought For The Day
"You can soon determine the caliber of an athlete by ascertaining the
amount of opposition it takes to discourage her."
Deep Thought For The Day:
"For Sale: Parachute. Only used once, never opened, small stain."
_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com http://members.aol.com/Thunder27/index.html
/_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
\_\/\ \ Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live for the Son
\_\/ of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
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we gave them. They loved it, to say the least! Within thirty
seconds my mom was crying and my dad did too. They said it was
the best Christmas gift we could have given them!! You did such
a beautiful job! They were so suprised and so touched---they
really, really, really loved it. Thanks for helping to make it so
special to us all. My mom mentioned how the songs were perfect for
the video too! Thanks again!"
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