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(From September 1, 2006)
Speeding After Midnight…

I was reading this morning through the first couple chapters of Ephesians when I ran upon a couple verses that are no stranger to those of us born and raised in the Bible belt. I can recall as a child many times in Sunday school standing in front of a room full of students, awkwardly reciting this passage, from which I would gain a reward wrapped in shiny foil and made from sugary goodness to applaud my effort at both memorizing and reciting this timeless verse. The verse I’m speaking of is Ephesians 2:8-9. For by grace you are saved through faith; and not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. Not of works, least any man should boast. These words are no doubt, quite imperative and crucial to the theological make up of our faith. And why would I discuss this?

This is Lena. For those of you who don’t know, she is my girl friend! Beautiful isn’t she? I swear, that’s not a picture taken from some random magazine you’d pay $3.99 for while passing through your local Kroger check out line. (Don’t ask why I know the exact price of those magazines!) And if you’re from the south… You can replace Kroger with the following: Publix, Win Dixie, or the really southern, Food Lion.


Lena and I have been dating for over a year now. We met at Belmont University where we were both music majors. I graduated last December, and she has just started her last year, hoping to graduate in May of 07. The events of last night have come to emphasize and reinforce the scripture I read this morning.



We had met another couple for a late dinner at a local steak house. After eating one amazing ribeye and drinking countless glasses of un-sweet tea, I retired to my car and Lena retired to hers, both heading home. About thirty minutes later, I’m sitting in front of my computer checking emails, when I get a call. It is nearly midnight at this point when I say hello and find a frantic girl friend on the other end of the line. Come to find out, Lena had been doing 47 in a 35. Now this is unusual for her… she is commonly known for going ten or fifteen under the limit. You know… one of those drivers that have a mile of cars lined up single file behind her in the left hand lane of the freeway. Yep, I date her! She’s great, I promise! So anyways, at 22 years old, last night was the first time she’s ever been pulled over. This is where the hysteria sets in.


In Georgia, when you’re pulled over, they run your tag and the computer tells them whether or not you have car insurance. However, in Tennessee, you must have proof of insurance in your car. Either paper work or one of those flimsy laminated cards they send you in the mail. I get a call from Lena, and she’s rapidly discussing how she’s been pulled over, and all I hear in the back ground are papers flying and compartments of cars being furiously open and shut. Lena and I had just watched something somewhere that had talked about people being taken to jail for no proof of insurance, so she was quite upset to say the least. I did my best to tell her everything would be alright, then she told me she was going to call her mom, and then, and I quote “if you don’t hear back from me in thirty minutes, call my phone.” Implying, she’d be handcuffed and taken to jail before she was able to call back. So… we hung up.


About fifteen minutes later, I get a call from Lena. (Thankfully, it wasn’t an unidentified number from a dilapidated state penitentiary some where in the back woods of Tennessee.) Come to find out, during the process of Lena explaining to the officer through tears how she’s a college student, and the norms of running car insurance in Georgia, the police man discovered she was a vocal student at Belmont. It was with this information that he decided to make a deal with her. At midnight, in the middle of a suburban complex, in Music City U.S.A., she stepped out of her car, and into the black sky, and the mouth piece of a police issued walkie talkie, my girl friend, beautiful, sweet, and caring, sang the entire version of Patsy Cline’s “Walking After Midnight” at the top of her voice for residents and the entire Nashville Metro Police Department to hear. I think the police officer was stunned, because I and many other people know; Lena can pull off an almost identical Patsy Cline impersonation.


And while Lena more than likely perfected the performance, I never knew embarrassment could be transferred so well through someone’s voice. When she called me back, through her words, I could see her red face, hands shaking, and knees knocking. While extremely embarrassing, she got out of a speeding ticket, and forwent the luxury of a ride downtown in the back of a caged police car. (Although, I’m still not convinced they arrest people for not having an insurance card.)


All that to say… I am glad that though found in the wrong, without hope, and in need of something far greater than we could ever provide ourselves, God through his Son made a way, and in a true example of love, gave himself and his life, and asked only in return that we trust and believe on and in him. I’m thankful that salvation does not require me to keep a list of all I do well and all I do wrong, or how many times I think a negative thought as opposed to a positive one. Or in this case, stand before millions and sing Willie Nelsons On The Road Again to escape eternal hell. God only asks for a relationship, and in this relationship, I experience his loving kindness on a daily basis.


Go find your insurance card!
Much Love,
Jason