"How long has your son being driving?" I asked the mom of one of my students. We were on a three way call: mom, son, and me.
"Didn't you say your father has only taken you to a parking lot?" I heard her ask her son.
"Yes, only a parking lot."
Oh my goodness! He has only been in a parking lot?! I thought. "OK, the first lesson we spend an hour in a residential twenty-five-mile-an-hour zone, then we move to practicing the maneuverability, then ride on a nonresidential twenty-five-mile-an-hour zone and a thirty-five-mile-an-hour zone. However, if I see the student is not able to do the residential area I will take them to a cemetery and we will practice there." This student sounds like we are going to be in a cemetery. Argh!
"Great! That sounds good, see you in a few days." Mom said as we disconnected.
Today was the day of our first meeting. I prayed yesterday, I prayed during the day, I prayed while waiting for the student to arrive, and prayed all during the drive. The main part of the prayer was for this student to be successful, for safety, and direction on how I should handle this lesson.
He was my last student of the day at 5:30 p.m. The sun was setting behind the school building. We met at a high school parking lot. My plan was to have him drive around in the parking lot so I could get a feel for how he drives. Then while we are in the lot practice the maneuverability test, then have him drive into the adjoining residential neighborhood. If I was hitting the brake or grabbing onto the car, or the steering wheel we were going to switch seats and I would take him to a cemetery.
He drove around the lot three times and my foot didn't touch the brake, or hand grasp the side of the car, or the steering wheel. We set up cones in the lot. For a first timer he only hit the cones a couple of times.
"OK, let's pull out of this lot into the street and into the neighborhood. Ready?" I asked and silently prayed.
"So, how do I do this? How do I put on the blinker? You want me to do what now?" He nervously gripped the steering wheel, eyes darting back and forth up the street, down the street, up the street, down the street.
"I want you to make this right onto the street and then an immediate left into that street right over there and we will spend an hour there." I leaned forward in my seat.
He turned right slowly and then left into the residential street. He drove around ten to fifteen miles an hour on the street tightly gripping the wheel.
"Cool, you are on the real street now and out of the parking lot. Now let's make this stop before the stop bar and then turn left."
He slowly made a solid stop and turned slowly left. Stop, left, right, stop, left, right, right, left, stop. Every stop was solid, every right and left turn was sharp and into the lane. "Wow! Your turns are exceptional for someone who just left the parking lot. I am surprised!"
His speed slowly crept up to twenty-five miles an hour. "Oh, my you are going the appropriate speed. Are you getting more comfortable now? You are catching on quick."
"Yes, I am surprised myself. I don't know what I was expected, but not this." he smiled as he smoothly made the next turn.
"According to the GPS we are going to have to leave this neighborhood to get you home. That means driving on a thirty-five mile an hour road or roads with four lanes." OK, God now what? I need some help on how we are going to get out of here. Maybe I will just switch seats and drive him home. "So, do you think you want to try driving home?"
"What's the traffic like? How are we gonna do that?"
"I don't know I am trying to figure that out now. OK, turn left onto this street. Drive up to the red light, stay in the straight lane. We are going to drive across this four lane road into that parking lot on the other side, just to have you touch the thirty-five mile an hour road." Once we get in the shopping plaza I will switch seats. "Excellent move into the lot. This lot is only 10-15 miles an hour. Turn left here, turn left, and then right at the stop sign. I was going to switch, but let's see how this go. Turn left at the next stop sign into the two lane street. OK, we are back on the street. Turn right at that stop sign, it is a four lane road, make sure you turn into the right lane. Go straight through the next couple lights, the road is going to turn into a two lane road."
Left, right, stop, right, left, stop. "I am making this route up as we go, let's keep this going. I know you live on a four lane street, with a medium in the middle road. Right now we are riding on two lane roads that are running parallel with that road. When we get to this particular street we will turn left, then left at the light onto your busy four lane road and across the bridge. Make sure you turn into that left lane. Then get into the right lane then to your house." When the speed was twenty-five, he went twenty-five, when it was thirty-five he went thirty-five. No more slow driving but driving with confidence.
"How's it feeling now?" I asked.
"Great."
"You keep this up, we will make it to your house. You're doing it! I am more amazed the further we get. Oh my gosh we are now less than two miles from your home and you live twenty-five minutes away from where we started. A couple of more turns and we are there. Now we are on your street, you gotta show me where your house is. Hey stay in your lane, there is more than enough room for your car. Where's your house?"
"Right here!" he turned sharply into a driveway landing partly on the grass on the passenger side.
"Oh my gosh! You did it! You drove a full two hours starting from a parking lot! This is amazing! I prayed for you."
He grinned ear-to-ear and thanked me for the lesson.
As I drove home I praised God and thanked Him for an extremely successful ride. How in the world does a student go from parking lot to residential area, to non residential area of twenty-five miles, to thirty-five miles on four lane roads in the first lesson? Only God can do that. I love love this job! I love how God takes students from one level to another level simply because I asked Him for His help! I asked for success and safety. As usual He gave me and the student more than I asked for. Prayer works!
"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:22 (NIV).
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