I am always leery of parking on the streets of New York City. There are just too many signs stating things that seem to me to be contradicting each other. When I was in my twenties and pursuing my “theater career”, I took acting lessons at HB studios in Greenwich Village. I would park on the street and I got many a parking ticket. Parking tickets in NYC are expensive. Lesson learned so now I use parking garages in NYC which can still be expensive but you don’t have to worry that your car will be there when you get back. FYI: my car was never towed but I worried about it.

Recently I heard it said that the Christian life (I think this applies to life in general) isn’t a parking space it is a road. I have been pondering this idea of “parking”. I mean think about it if you find a good parking space, it is convenient and safe. Why move? And really what could be more annoying than having to move your car because of that crazy “opposite side of the street parking” rule. Change just for the sake of change may not be beneficial. On the other hand if you never leave your parking space, you have missed the journey.

On Monday evening the dashboard lights on my car weren’t working. My headlights were working but none of the lights on my dashboard were lit. Well, how big of problem can that be? I can see where I am going and people can see me. I know what radio station I have on. Well, it was actually really a problem because I had no idea how fast I was going. After turning the inside light on and off a few times to try to establish my speed. I realized I had a small flashlight in my car which I could shine on the speedometer so I knew how fast I was going. Just in case you are wondering,I did resolve the issue with the help of some friends and the owner’s manual. When I reset the trip counter I must have turned the knob and it dimmed the dashboard lights.

In thinking on that experience, I realized that I could see where I was going because my headlights were working but I didn’t know what speed I was traveling at. That is a really good example of my life right now – I think I am headed in the right direction but I am not sure if I am traveling at the right speed.

Wow and aha moment – maybe that experience was a confirmation that I am on target and moving in the right direction but I need to make sure the “dashboard lights” are on to give me further information. 🙂