where have all the red convertibles gone?

I am considering the fact that I will buy one more car before I die, and with limited funds, have set my goal at $20,000.  Not a lot of money in today’s market, but only if you are buying new.  For about $20k you can get anything from cheapo Toyota, Ford Focus, various Nissans, and other sedans we recognize as rental cars.  Good cars, but not the one you want to impress anyone with.  Or be buried in.  But yet that is what the market has to offer-unless you get creative and look at pre-owned, the trendy word for used.  For $20 you can find lots of cool cars, with low miles and in great shape, if you are patient and have the time to be patient.  I have both, sometimes.  But for example how about a Corvette, maybe 10-15 years old with low miles for under $20?  Mustang convertibles for less than $10k?  Like Chevies, used Camaros a little bit more?  Top up or top down, anything with cool to it has to be better than a new rental car.  For instance, did you ever beg your dad to buy the blue sedan?  No-and that wasn’t what was in the showroom-it was red, and usually had its top down.  At Chevy it would be a Corvette, red with lipstick interior, any questions on what color that was?  Ford would have you salivating over a Mustang, Pontiac in a Firebird, and Dodge in a Challenger.  All with the top down, just begging you to take a ride and see if you couldn’t live without it.  And today many of these cars can be bought for the same price as a new rental car, used of course.  And will start to appreciate, they have hit the bottom of the depreciation cycle, that your new rental car has just begun.  Some at auctions, some in Autotrader, and some parked by the side of the road.  Mileage may vary, but buy the best one with the lowest miles, and maybe pay a little more, and drive it, just like it was intended for.  But sadly most go the safest course, and miss out on all the fun.  Maybe that explains all the grey, black, and white cars.  And people.  Remember Marina blue Chevelles?  Roman red Galaxies?  Ever put your buns on the black and white hounds tooth seats of an Rally Orange Camaro?  Gripped the wheel behind a hood full of horsepower-damn the MPG.  And any girl who would rather ride with the guy in a Prius probably isn’t worth taking home to mother.  Growing up it was blonds in convertibles, having fun, no particular place to go.  The beach, mountains, or just a cruise.  Nobody with any cool went to the mall, these cars cried out for outdoors in the fun sun....and they still can and do today.  What does your heart cry out for?

While a service advisor for KIA, a lady brought hers in and wanted a rental car.  Our service manager told her “you own a rental car.”  No such mistaken identity in a shiny red sports car.  See who gets the best treatment, and the loaner car.  While others brag about miles per gallon, you brag about smiles per gallon.  And you never get asked to car pool, let someone else’s kids mess up their car, but yet ask the kids whose car they rather ride in?  Hmmm, maybe there still is hope for this generation.  And just like those who own a house at the beach, or a built in pool, they get more friends than they could ever dream of.  So come on America, let’s go out and have fun, top down, pedal to the metal, and smoke them BFG’s.  And never have your son or daughter afraid to pick them up at school.  Grandpa-you’re the coolest and your grandkids will know it, and tell their friends.  Cruisin’ Grand-would you ever date a guy in a Prius?  Leave the golf carts at home-this is all about real America iron, real horsepower, and real value.  This is what every kid dreamt of in school, and begged his dad to buy.  And for the price of a new compact, you too can join the fun.  And what is fun if you don’t enjoy it?

Now I have only owned three 4-door cars in my life, and each one was replaced with something cool, with more power.  The Escort, traded for a Citation X-11, big power and handling for 1981.  Bought used.  The Mazda 626, sold and replaced with a 1980 MGB.  Overdrive, Theresa used to put our son in his car seat and cruise.  And finally Uncle Buck, my 1990 Crown Vic, bought for winter use, and sold to a kid, who loved it.  And never replaced, we already have a Mustang convertible in the garage.  So see, there is forgiveness for wrong decisions, and one bad choice can be corrected by one good choice. 

A lesson seldom taught about Peter is that he never looked back.  He made many mistakes, but kept going forward.  He was all about the power of the holy spirit, and even after denying Jesus, some 7 weeks later at Pentacost changed the world.  Powered by the holy spirit.  Walk on water, he fell in, got up, and was immediately on shore with Jesus.  He knew firsthand the importance of being forgiven, and not looking back.  Maybe Lot’s wife was an influence.  Yet I encounter many today who have slipped up, and cannot forgive themselves, sometimes aided by others who will not forgive them either.  No matter your situation, and no matter who you have to blame, turning to Jesus is the best first step.  He is the way out, and is willing to forgive you.  And sometimes forgiving another is your first step out of your problem.  And sometimes it takes breaking out of the accepted practices, and being bold, and trusting God.  It takes meekness, power under control.  Knowing when to nail the throttle WFO, or to feather it.  To burn rubber, but not your soul.  When to show off and when not to....and to remember that someone is always watching.  It takes boldness, and when you give God the glory, you get the blessing.  And God knows a thing about cars and cool too...

Moses and Aaron both had Rods.  Cruised them for 40 years.  Pontiacs and Geos-God tells us to pursue our enemies with a Tempest, and terrify them with a Storm.  David in Psalm 23 tells us thy Rod comforts us.  No mention of a four cylinder here, he was turbo charged.  And God didn’t drive no rental car, for in the garden He drove Adam and Eve out in a Fury.  For all you MOPAR fans.  Bet it was white, with white vinyl, no leather yet.  And even Jesus may have rented a Honda, for He tells us He speaks not of His own Accord.  So you see Jesus was cooler, and is cooler than you may think.  And forgiveness is cooler yet. 

But one secret remains that many have not known for years.  WWJD meant to the world “what would Jesus do?”  But really it stood for “what would Jesus drive?”  And as today still have a plastic Jesus on their dash, He still resides in the heart.  And I would like to think when he returns, it will not be in a four door sedan.  Or Hybrid, no hybrids in heaven, either you are saved or .... But He will return with a mighty Ram’s horn blast.  And never forget how cool was King David, his Triumph was heard through out the land.  So maybe you are what you drive, and the deals are out there.  But never forget the best free deal, with an endless warranty, and no payments will always be the gift of salvation.  What will it take to put you with Jesus today?  Still wondering what would Jesus drive, He is in any car you are.  But personally, I hear that He has been looking at this red Corvette, low miles, V-8, and super clean...only driven to church on Sundays.   So, you still wonder where have all the red convertibles gone? 

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com 

the great escape

When I used to date before I got married, over 36 years ago, I only had two rules.  One-never date a friend’s sister, which I broke with Joe’s sister Cathy, a long term relationship, and two-never date anyone you work with, which I broke in a short term relationship with Doris.  I met her at a company party, we both worked in the same facility, just at opposite ends in departments that would never cross.  She was the kind of pretty that women hated, and men were afraid of, yet we talked, and after a few minutes I asked her out, and I got her number.  Calling her after the three day cool off rule, we went to dinner, and I found out I was on the date from hell.  From the time I picked her up, to the time the meal ended, she never shut up.  One long, unabbreviated sentence, with a magic touch of combining various unrelated subjects.  I’m sure I must have tired to say something, but it fell on deaf ears.  And it went on, and on, and on, and soon I had had it.  No pretty face or great body was worth the pain, so after hurriedly eating my steak, I got up and excused myself.  “I’ll be right back, wait here.”  I think she heard me.  And off to the men’s room I went.  Looking for an escape route.  Without thinking I paid the bill, where she couldn’t see me, and then off to the men’s room.  I really had to go, in more ways than one.  What was I going to do, I had no way out, and then I saw the window, the open window in the men’s room, and I had found the way out.  Without hesitation, I barely made it through the window, ran to my car, and soon was heading home, she still in full sentence.  I had accomplished the great escape.  I was Steve McQueen in the tunnel, and I was him later jumping the fence on my Triumph.  I had escaped....silence never sounded so good.  And Monday morning at work no one asked how our date was, and I never heard from her.  As if it had never happened....and I never went back to see.

When I tell people Theresa and I never dated they look at me amazed.  With over 800 miles between us it would have been difficult.  But on our first night out, I took her to the Louisiann, a steakhouse in Albuquerque, where I knew the owner, who always fussed over my dates.   We had talked all day, and I had told her about the night of the living dead sentence, and we both laughed.  It may have sounded like an urban legend, but it was true.  But when I had to go after the meal, I said, “wait here, I’ll be right back.”  But she told me “no way are you leaving me here alone in a strange town.  You can hold it until  we get home.”  Was Doris’ sentence still going on?  would it never come to an end?  So I held it, I had to, and although only a few miles away, I also proved the theory that the traffic lights can conspire to keep you from your appointed destination by all turning red on you.  And yes seconds can magically turn to minutes, and minutes to hours in such cases.  It took forever, and a few more minutes, and I barely made it.  But I did somehow, and 36 years later we still joke about it.  And I keep coming back today.

Jesus had told His disciples to “wait, I’ll be right back,” but they didn’t get it.  And when He was crucified forgot what He had said.  The empty tomb only scared them more, and we find them hiding and scared in the upper room that night, all except Thomas, who was probably still out looking for Him.  What had happened to His promise?  It seemed they were in great danger, as the body was missing, and they were suspects.  When in comes Jesus, right through the locked doors and windows, without opening them.  Right through the wall.  The three days He was gone must have seemed like an eternity, but His message was one of eternity.  He had returned as He said He would, and empowered them to take His life saving message to a dying world.  And He appears to over 500 people in the next 40 days.  A message of salvation, backed up in scripture, a message that someday He will be calling for His church, and coming to take us home with Him.  And unlike before where He told them the time frame, this time He doesn’t even know when, but He spells out the times and the season in the Bible.  We are told to be ready, for He will return like a thief in the night.  If we had been ready, the thief would not have robbed us, and Satan still comes to rob and destroy.  We are told the parable of the Ten Virgins, to keep our lamps full and our wicks trimmed, for any day now could be the day.  And soon is always sooner than we think.  And for those who are left behind, there is no window to climb through, as Jesus was and is the escape route.  He saves us from the date from hell, the date with hell, and when we are saved never will know hell, but go to heaven.  But we must wait patiently, even more patient than my ride home after dinner with Theresa.  Someday we will go, but until that day we must hold fast to Jesus, knowing that relief from this world awaits us.  And so we wait anxiously, taking the same message of salvation that saved us to a dying world.  A world looking for hope, but not listening, as it has turned life into one long, run on sentence that until you meet Jesus makes no sense.  Keeping in mind that Jesus told us “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  If only Theresa had that much faith in me that night.

And so we await the return of Jesus, called the rapture.  Every day we are one day closer than we were before.  And after 36 years of marriage, we are closer than ever.  But she still reminds me when I have to go, that she rode her own bike, and can find her own way home.  Thankfully God has given us His love and we have never left or forsaken each other.  Just a trip to the men’s room changed my life, you never know when God will change yours.  Doris gave me a sentence of death, Jesus a sentence of life.  You choose,  now you’ll have to excuse me, I’ll be right back.  Gotta go....time for breakfast with my wife.  After 36 years some things are still worth waiting for.  “Do you want to take two bikes or one?”  But first I need to make a pit stop, to water a lemon tree.  And after all these years we have a bathroom with no windows, so I know she feels safe.  I’ll be right back.  Soon and very soon, so will Jesus.  Check please.

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com