Rumble Strips...

One of the things I have been looking forward to this summer is a few road trips. I’ve already had to knock off a couple of the list because of our new friend COVID-19. Nevertheless, I’m still holding out for a good time where we pack the car with kids and stuff and head out on an adventure. After the car is packed, I enjoy every part of the trip. I don’t mind doing the larger portion of the driving either, in fact, driving is part of the adventure for me. As I put miles between me and home, I find it easier to slip into vacation mode. 

There are a lot of dangers on the road; road rage, blind spots, and high speeds can make for some harrowing moments. Fortunately, the highway systems have safety measures to help keep things safer.  Things like roadside call boxes, guardrails, and rumble strips all have different functions on the road.  

Much attention has been given to guardrails, but rumble strips might be the unsung hero of the highway system. These little grooves along the side of the road give the driver just enough warning that something has gone wrong to keep things from going really wrong. If I’m being honest, I have been woken up by the rumble strips. It was enough to scare me into letting someone else drive for a while. 

In my office, I have something like rumble strips that I stare at every day.  They are scriptures written out in long-hand, framed, and hanging on my wall. They are there to remind me when I get too close to calamity. They are there to wake me up and get me in the right direction. Most importantly, they are there to remind me to let someone else drive for a while. They are; Psalms 19:14, Romans, 12:2, Philippians 4:8-9, Romans 15:5, John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

What are your rumble strips? How often do you bump over them?