Reddie and I
Sunday, January 8th, 2006
Another long one 
Reddie came into my life during the start of my second University year. Looking back, God had really blessed me with Reddie. A faithful companion, Reddie accompanied me to almost everywhere I go. Yep, I spent a lot on it’s big appetite. Or rather, my parents do. My closest friends know Reddie. Haha… You might have even hitched a ride in it before. Yep, Reddie, my faithfully serving WMC 9878 red Gen-2.
Now, I’m not being crzee to blog about my car as if it’s a living material. Just to give a catchy opening. Lately, Reddie is sick. (Yikes). Sot-sot lar, I mean. Since a couple of months ago, it started to have similar symptoms like its owner on the road. The alarm went sot-sot so me dad deactivated the sound, so that when the alarm was triggered (usually accidentally and over sensitively), it’ll only blink without wailing loudly.
Many came to me saying
“Alexis, your car light is blinking !!” and I’d always brush them off.
“Yeah…? I’ll check it out later. Thanks” my usual reply, as if nothing happens because it’s too normal already. Once, the UT guard intercom my house to tell me about it. Yeah, it’s sot-sot sometimes but it’s normal la, it’s ok one.
I see Reddie as a useful buddy. I go places with it, I fetched people with it…
Today I started a bible lesson at church called ‘A Prosperous Church’, and it opened a whole new perspective to my car. Nope, our teacher George, didn’t mention a single word about car. Here’s what he roughly covered, that striked me.
“It IS God’s will to prosper us. Prosperity comes in Spiritual, Physical and Material forms. God wants to bless us and WILL prosper us BUT only according to how much we can handle. Just like if a kid keep watching TV and ignore evrything, you as the parent will switch it off. If something material takes our focus, God, our Father would like to take it away. But if we can handle it well to bless others, God will entrust us with more”
In my mind, I said “Yep, yep, Lord. Try me. Bless me with more money and see what I’ll do with it”. Immediately I remembered I picked up a RM5 note yesterday. Haha, that’s it ??
Then it dawn heavily on me….. Reddie is already here. AM I proving to God that I can handle the car well? No, I had fallen short.
First, I am a lousy steward of the car. FOR MORE THAN 2 * MONTHS I DIDN’T WASH IT!!! Evrytime ppl reported it’s blinking light to me, I didn’t really care. What for? It’s filled with passenger’s rubbish which I only cleared when I happen to be convenient. Right now, there’s a bucket at the back with bottles of glue, celltape, cloth, mess of paper, a combination of what things. I always give it a scratch here and there, broke out a piece of rear light protection, never bother to steering lock. The more I think about how I mistreat Reddie (or rather, Reddie not receiving better treatment for it’s worth), I feel so bad… NO, not to Reddie (it’s only a material). But to my parents who entrusted the car to me and to God, who … Entrusted me the car.
Secondly, what the bible said came to my mind. “ Gifts are given to people. Those who use and exercise it well, more will be given to them. To those who doesn’t use it, what they have will be taken away”. Immediately the alarm in my head rang loudly…. For the past months, I (ok, to be frank) lost the joy of being a driver because my grace for this transport ministry is running very thin. I do enjoy picking people for church or my housemates / coursemates to Midvalley or dinner. I do… when we are going for the same destination.
Then I don’t… when I am not going that way. Meaning, hello, my transportation ministry had expanded to the point whereby I have to fetch people out of my inconvenience. It’s so hard to be graceful then. Last quarter, I didn’t get much from WFL. I missed dinners. Gave up more time, as a driver starts a journey much much earlier if 2 rounds are needed. Not a service I can do with my heart, I guess that’s about when Reddie started some symptoms.
I seeked God and found His answers. I have excellent examples like Pat, Ta Ge, Benjamin and Melchi, who told me (to my amusement) that they actually like to drive people. Wow…
Anyway, today’s
Prosperous Church lesson reminded me that if I don’t fully utilise what I have, what I have will be taken away from me. Will Reddie be ??? O gosh, no wonder the car is feeling sick lately. I’m not crazy, but I believe God’s word is true. Reddie is given to me to be a tool to serve, not to see it as a burden and a chore. If I am not using it the way the Giver intends, it will be taken away….
To top it all,today Reddie pancit. Selamba me… kinda need a slap. Starting from Vera and Siah who quickly told me Reddie lost air. Then Jessie, ever helpful and practical Jess, made phone calls to help. Amy, seeing something not so right on my face, thought I am worried about the car. She recruited Simon to finally change the tyre for me, as cute ol’ Kar Lock and Daniel stood interceding. Hehe….
I joined the bible class half minded to find how how else God can bless me , with spiritual richness or in terms of posession, I got a kick in the ass… Realizing what I am already having but not truly appreciative. I repent. I thank God for what I have and I renew my pledge to be a better steward of what God had entrusted me. If I can’t take care of Reddie, how is God going to open ways to make my dream a reality ? (to be revealed in due time).
