My weekly weigh-in revealed a (gasp) two pound, two ounce gain… 
(Cue violin background music to compliment my whine…)
My foot’s still bugging me despite my two week exercise reprieve (note to self: quit the denial, make doctor appointment this week!) and my weigh-in, which normally occurs on Tuesdays, took place Friday as I was away from my precious friend, Lucy.
This past week I took our sons on a one week, 1,600 mile round trip – road trip, to the beautiful Sunshine State, Florida. We crashed my second oldest sister’s pad. The boys and I had a special time with my growing-like-really-cute-weed nephews, Peter, Kyle and Preston! We really enjoyed our visit and sweet memories!
The expensive flight costs reasoned out why a road trip was our preferred method. And, the Finks are a wild bunch alright, and we get even nuttier on long road trips…
Headrests turned head gear…classic!
Yup…they needed Transformer walkie-talkies to communicate during the trip, because the one entire foot that separated them was just too far! Are they hysterical or what?!? Hey, whatever floats your boat (or keeps the minivan in motion in this case)!
Of course, a stop at South of the Border was needed (heading both north and south!) to visit their buddy, Pedro!
But the “piece de resistance” occurred on our trip home. We were just two short states south of the Virginian border, in South Carolina. I was cruising north on I-95, in my hot steel blue mini van, affectionately called “Herc”, when in my rear view mirror, I saw a trooper turn on the highway in a rather energetic way. I spouted, “Pop, I’m gonna call ya right back…I think I’m getting pulled over.” I tossed my cell to my purse and did what any good Christian woman would do, asked God for help!
Moments later, on the lights went and to the right I directed Herc. Jake popped off, “I don’t want to go to jail Mommy!” (Ugh, just perfect…)
The police officer was polite and politely gave me a ticket for driving 79 MPH in a 70 MPH zone (which I HATE to admit was polite because the dude clocked me at 83…I know, I know, I feel just horrible about this, my babies are in the car…) I assure all who read this the lesson’s learned and I set my cruise control for the remainer of the trip home.
I’m gonna be totally honest here. Some days, I miss being a law enforcement officer. I used to joke with my hubby and our friend Guido, that I was “above the law” when I became a cop, just because, well…it bugged them, A LOT! And together, they picked on me a lot, so whatever gets the job done…I will be faithful to do!
Back in the badge carrying days, the “South Carolina ticket day” could have been one of those days where I could have just happen to mention I was a law enforcement officer too, and we would have parted ways with one another’s business cards. No harm, no foul and no $81.50 ticket!
This really stinks and is painful to write as the nugget God revealed to me is that I still think I’m above the law.
Ack.
It sad and true. It is evident in the way I choose to behave. I’m currently not exercising with anything but a walk right now, but…I still eat the extra sweet treats and think they won’t make me gain weight.
My (self imposed) one slice of pizza on Friday rule – BUSTED.
My (self imposed) eat three sweets a week rule – BUSTED.
My (Government mandated) following the speed limit – BUSTED.
Above the law mentality seeps into a lot of things and only gets worse when I rationalize…
Even as I awaited my ticket, my brain automatically thought, “yeah, what about the pack of race car drivers that sped by me doing at least 90MPH, where were you then copper? Or the sports car that literally was crawling into my exhaust pipe – I’m not feeling the love here!”
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:48b (NIV)
I have been given much, not just financially, like some interpret this scripture. In this “crime spree” (as my dear father is calling my speeding ticket), I have been given two sweet boys to care for. Ignoring the speed limit is not treating what I’ve been entrusted with very wisely.
I’ve been given much: my best friend and hubby, two healthy sons, beautiful marriage, precious family and friends, more space than we need home, an amazing church, forgiveness, emotional healing…the list can go on!
I’ve been given much and much is expected. Where I take some hops forward I do take some steps back.
If I think I’m above the law, than I truly lack humility. I need and want God’s grace each day of my life. So I need to “Get Smart” and live with honor.
Wise living gets rewarded with honor; stupid living gets the booby prize. Proverbs 3:34 (MSG)
My foolish living got me the “booby prizes” of a couple extra pounds, a speeding ticket and a swift kick in the can to do life God’s way, not my way – which only leads to headaches and a lighter checkbook!
I’m not above the law in the sense that I can break the law. God gives us rules in the Bible to follow, not for rigidity, but rather for life and freedom, because He loves us!
I am above the law in the sense that Jesus died on the cross for me (you too!), He died so we could be free! This isn’t a contradiction!
So, my friends, this is something like what has taken place with you. When Christ died he took that entire rule-dominated way of life down with him and left it in the tomb, leaving you free to “marry” a resurrection life and bear “offspring” of faith for God. For as long as we lived that old way of life, doing whatever we felt we could get away with, sin was calling most of the shots as the old law code hemmed us in. And this made us all the more rebellious. Romans 7:4-5 (MSG)
Honestly, do you feel you’re above the law in some area(s) of life? What can you practically do to humble yourself so that you can avoid the “booby prizes” that will certainly follow?
