Back to Sixteen

Today I got my PA driver's license for the second time in my life. The first was at the age of sixteen way back in 1985! I am getting old. As I was walking into the building, I passed by the exact spot where the instructor stepped into my dad's old brown ford pick-up truck looked at me and said, "Let's go son.". I remember how nervous I was, I remember hitting the curb when I parallel parked (should have been an automatic failure), and I remember hearing the words "You passed".

As I was waiting today to be called, there were a few teenagers there who were living those moments for the first time, full of anxious nerves and fears of not looking both ways. There were legendary stories when I was in high school of instructors failing you for sneezing and so taking your eyes off the road. All of these memories came flooding back to me today and made me remember once again of some of the huge moments our teens go through and the stress they hold.

I have been in youth ministry for 18 years now full-time and I think I often forget what it is like to be a teenager. All of the big moments that they face, the life-changing decisions they have to make, all done with not a whole lot of life experience. If I had to go back and do it all over again it would be a little scary. Yet, I see God's provision in my teen years, how he brought people and opportunities just when they needed to be in my life.

When you look back on high school do you recognize God's goodness? Do you see His hand in your life? What was High School like for you? What was your driver's test like? Did you fail the first time? How did you celebrate?

If you are in youth ministry take the time to celebrate moments like your students getting their driver's licensee because it is a big deal.

Go HERE if you want to be a Driving Instructor in the UK, probably pays better than youth ministry.

Comments

[Alexander Wilhelmsen]

Florida license is done, darn... I'll get back to yet another autobiographical piece, but I may as well mention one thing I haven't left behind.

One piece of the high school life (that started simply enough when I was senior) that I still have a piece of is probably what was one of my favorite things to do (and I still love it).

I am and was my own self-carried tradition as the flag carrier of Wesley Chapel High School.

The team didn't win my first game under the Friday Night Lights for season seven, but that's what happens when you keep turning the ball over and give up big plays.

[Alexander Wilhelmsen]

Question answering... again...

Anyways, here it goes...

Question: When you look back on high school do you recognize God's goodness?

Answer: I recognize that God did some good things, but there could have been great things. There are opportunities that I'm sure I missed, but if I had taken them, where would I be? All that I know is that God was there, and he got me through some crazy times.

Question: Do you see His hand in your life?

Answer: I'm glad that I'm freaked out by blood and lasting pain, or I'm sure I might have done something that would have hurt myself, but the realization that I'm here for some reason... albeit I have no clue exactly what that is then or really now (because I'm not one of those blessed with an "ordinary life"), but I know that I've served some good purpose for him over time. What I mean by "ordinary life" is one that might not involve alcohol, sex, or drugs, but it probably involves hanging with the guys; going to Prom/Homecomings with someone, anyone; and there's all kinds of friends that you can't go too long without talking to... I write by the way, and life is in the scheduled events. It's not ordinary, but it's good... and someone please be excited when I finally have all my romantic "firsts" as I find it funny that people a decade younger than me are all into dating and all that affectionate stuff that maybe they shouldn't worry about as much (or at all).

Question: What was High School like for you?

Answer: It sure as heck wasn't the best four years of my life (and college wasn't my best five), as my best years, if they already happened just tell me that my life is going to be pretty sad and pathetic. I was never really into any social scene, and I kept everything where it was, which means, school people I saw at school, church people at church, and through it all, I got one phone call from any student over those four years. Stag for all five dances that I went to, but a lot of crushes, and one time on the Prom Court. Lots of Honors won academically, and some for athletics as well.

I actually remember that there was one time that I was failing math at the midterm because I didn't care for the Honors, because I desired to be loved, or have a great friend or whatever (beyond just Jesus, as he's a constant given to me), and I nearly pulled off a "B" in the end.

I don't like failure, but dealing with things on my own... well, let's just say that I don't know what's worse... the idiot stuff everyone else deals with and does, or staying out of it all.

I figure that if the techology we have today existed maybe 8 years ago, I'd be writing something different... maybe.

Question: What was your driver's test like?

Answer: What's a driver's test? Oh, that... it was part of my Driver's Education class I guess, and I didn't do a spectacular job, but it was enough to get my slip of paper to get my license when I did. I think I got an "A" in that class. That was cool.

Question: Did you fail the first time?

Answer: No, I didn't. I think I got just close enough to pass that I made it, thank God.

Question: How did you celebrate?

Answer: Months down the road I got my license, and my first big road experience was heading on vacation to St. Augustine.

My first interstate/US Highway experience last for a few hours, and a couple hundred miles... that was both crazy and great... I won't say that I didn't get that thought in my head thinking "Oh my God I'm this inexperienced and I'm driving 70 mph up the State," but apparently I did well enough that Dad let me drive up to just short of where we were going.

There was some night driving in there too.

The fun part was driving my last two years of high school daily up and down the interstate for about 10 miles each way.

Final thoughts:

I don't know how things would have turned out differently looking back, but I know that that part of my life was lived, and honestly, I learn about how high school life could of, should of, would have been for me, but I got through in the not so typical way, I guess. We all have our way of getting through, and some enjoy it, but to some of us, it was just four years of classes, work, sports, and watching as others seem to live, while you do your best.

Succeeding in school, as for life? There's no instruction book for it, or otherwise I would have read the stupid thing.

[Alexander Wilhelmsen]

My youth ministry time, I believe, is not really for those who are "cool at school," and all that stuff, but the odd ones who are special. The people who could use someone to love them and all their strange and unique ways.

I can't say that I didn't have my good times and successes, but, as usual, none of it has carried over, and there's hardly any people or things that carry over to now (unlike some who will "never graduate," and I'm not so sure that I care that I'm not part of that group).

For the cool kids, I'm kind of the guy who wasn't necessarily cool, I'm still not necessarily, but I'm the guy that could use some good lovin', just like the guy who needs more people at his lunch table that give a crap if that person is there or not.

I have a seat... won't you stay and chat for awhile on things that really matter?