Letting go. . . . .

Several years ago, when money was tight and transportation lacking, I considered buying a much older car with 'only' a hundred thousand miles on it and a body that looked fairly new. I reasoned that with all the money I would save on a new car payment, I would still be ahead, even if I had to make a few repairs. All I knew is that I could afford it, so I sprang for it.

Before long, friends and acquaintances who had any mechanical expertise at all had their heads permanently housed underneath the hood of my 'bargain'. The hoses sprang leaks like they'd had an encounter with Al Capone over a spaghetti dinner in Little Italy! The heat went out. The transmission had a mind of it's own. And the air conditioning had long-sense died, leaving us to rely upon the 4/55 system of keeping cool during the oppressive dog days of summer. (i.e. 4 windows open at 55 miles per hour.) Ultimately, the car simply stopped one day, right smack in the middle of a crowded parking lot.

Calling upon one more friend, in the hopes of finding a mechanical miracle cure, I tried to keep faith in the little blue four-door that we'd even spray painted with a fresh coat of shine ourselves! Sadly, the prognosis was not good and I accepted the inevitable. The car had turned out to be a good deal. . . . . . a good deal of trouble and expense! I sold it for 'junk parts' and earned all of $200.00, but I learned some lessons from that old clunker, too.

At one time or another, most of us have possessions that turn into 'money-pits'. We dole the money out, hoping against hope that one more repair will do the trick. Too often, we find ourselves singing "Nearer My God To Thee" while sinking on the Titanic of runaway costs when what we should do is simply let go.

Other things can be like that old car that we just need to stop trying to revive. The time may come with a project, possession, or even a relationship, when we just need to let go. Perhaps God will resurrect it later, or give us something better, but if we don't want to find ourselves in the poor house -- or the nut house -- we might be better off to leave the decision to Him.

The time has come for me to let go. It is harder than I ever imagined anything could be, but if letting go will bring peace and resolution where there has been chaos and strife, then I'm willing to trust God's plan for me. It's a little scary, but I think it might just be exhilarating as well.