JC IS MY CO-PILOT

I had a vision not long ago about driving down life's long and dangerous highway.

Use to be, I would put the petal to the metal and roar down life's Interstate at a breakneck speed, picking up all kinds of influential strangers, recklessly getting off at unknown exits, and taking dangerous side roads at the slightest whim.

Zooming down the highway in this manner often managed to get me tangled up with all kinds of people who were bad influences and constantly got me into hot water and created total chaos in my life.

However, since I picked up my new Co-pilot, life in the fast lane has slowed down to a crawl and I no longer make irrational turn off's and stop for every hitchhiker with a bobbing thumb and hound dog look.

Every trucker worth his or her salt has a handle they go by. By handle I mean a catchy call sign on the radio. For example, even though we're not truckers my sister's handle is Farmer's Daughter, my brother-in-law goes by U-Joint, and I use the odd handle of Scratchy-Apache. (This was before I discovered we were Chickasaw instead of Apache.) My Co-pilot's handle is JC.

Now, thanks to the good influence and incredibly wise advice of my great Co-pilot, traveling down the highway of life is so much easier.

Often, when I see an exit that grabs my fancy and my mind says 'take it,' JC will look at me with that wonderful smile of his and shake his head no.

"You don't want to take that exit," he'll state, with a calm and pleasant voice. "It leads to bitter failure."

Once, I wanted to stop and pick up a pretty little hitchhiker who had her delicate thumb high in the air and her shapely leg half uncovered in a provocative manner. JC advised me against it.

"She'll lead to nothing but trouble," he said. "Trouble you don't need and must avoid at all cost."

A little later and further on down the road, I spotted another hitch-hiker and was about to pass him by when JC recommended I stop and offer him a lift.

"This individual will have a wonderful impact on your life. You will be well rewarded if you have him on board for a while."

Thanks to JC's steady advice, I've kept out of trouble for a long spell now.

Another great thing about having JC ride shotgun, is that when I get tired and weary of traveling down the road of life, he'll take over and do the tough driving.

When we arrive at a major intersection with the road of life leading off in several directions, JC will point to the road he recommends that I take. I asked him how he came by that particular decision and he handed me a thick road map.

"Every decision you need to make, every turn, every exit, every stop is in this road map," JC stated. "If you'll read it, it will tell you which road to travel and which roads to avoid."

"Wow!" I replied, "I never knew such a book existed. How do people travel down these treacherous roads without it?"

"It's been around a very long time," JC smiled. "It was written by my father long ago. Not only will it guide you in the right direction; it will give you advice on picking up strangers with their good and bad influences. It will even offer advice on how to conduct yourself at life's pit-stops."

"I don't reckon I'll need this guide-book so long as you're around," I said to JC. "You're going to be my Co-pilot for a long time aren't you?"

JC merely smiled at me and his warm smile answered my question. I guess it'll be up to me to decide on how long he'll be around.

As far as I am concerned, JC or Jesus Christ will be with me until I make that big turn-off on the road to heaven. I look for him each morning when I head out on that long highway.

Of course I'll keep his road map or (Holy Bible) in the cab with me so I don't get lost.