I’m back to writing from the road this morning. Seems like I was just here, actually, because I WAS.

We were late leaving the office yesterday, and ready to be home. We left downtown and got all the way to Weatherford, where we stopped for some gas. When we went to start the car, it didn’t start…but it wasn’t an engine or battery issue. It wasn’t detecting the key fob (push-button car). We looked everywhere, totally befuddled by the fact that the car was just on. Finally, we called the car people who told us that we probably drove off without it.

What?

Apparently, you can drop your keys in the parking garage, start your car because you’re still in range, then drive 35 MILES AWAY from it without the car making a peep about it. Yeah, that’s a luxury car, alright.

It took us an additional hour and a half to get home. Yes, I was bitter, because the problems with this car have been R I D I C U L O U S. This fob thing was just the last straw for me.

Then I watched Parenthood last night. And two cancer patients conversed about how “this is NOT the dress rehearsal.”

I’ve actually heard this before, but last night it hit me differently. They were talking about not waiting to live your life, but for whatever reason, I took it to mean how we ARE living our lives. This is not a dress-rehearsal. We don’t get a do-over, so are we pleased with how we’re doing in the live performance?

We have ridiculous things thrown at us everyday, and some can drive us right over the edge if we let them. I think that the little stuff, however, is anything but, and how we handle it defines the whole of our live performance, as seen be the audience of onlookers in our lives.

Key fobs may not be that big a deal in the grand scheme of things, but the grand scheme is FULL of stuff just like them. I’m setting out, today, to face them all with a bit of new perspective.

Remember that this, indeed, is NOT a dress rehearsal.

“Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:14 ESV

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 ESV