Did you ever have a car where the transmission just wasn’t working correctly? I’ve had transmissions go bad twice in cars I drove – actually it was twice in the same car. Before the problem was serious, I knew there was something not right. I remember well a long 30-mile trip to get my Oldsmobile down to my father-in-law’s garage many years ago. I had to stop every so often, shut off the car, and then restart it so the transmission would engage after it had slipped out. I made it, but just barely.  

This week I test drove a used car with a manual transmission, and as soon as I put it into fourth gear I knew something was very wrong. The high-pitched whine associated with the spinning of the gears when accelerating was not normal. The young woman who was doing the test drive demurred a bit, suggesting we could ask someone when we got back. I assured her it had a problem. When we got back, her manager confirmed that they were aware of the problem and had lowered the price on the vehicle accordingly. Which explained why it seemed like such a good deal.

Now, you may be thinking, why is he getting another car? Is something wrong with the convertible? Nope. Convertible is fine. I like that car a lot. But it isn’t as practical as I need it to be on a day to day basis. Back when we got the convertible, my first choice would have been a Jeep, which can also go topless, but the convertible was too good a deal to pass on. After some time enjoying it and living with it as my daily driver, however, it just doesn’t do the things I need it to do given children, dogs, and the amount of “stuff” I seem to haul semi-regularly. I am always borrowing Donna’s car to tow things or haul stuff in the back. So when I saw the great price on a local Jeep, I decided to check it out. And then I decided to buy it.

I did get a good deal, even with the cost of a new transmission factored in. Once I have it replaced, there should be many good miles to go on this particular Jeep. The engine, the exterior, and the interior are in pretty good shape for a ten-year-old vehicle. And while I can still enjoy the wind blowing through the car experience, I’m pleased to have the extra space for cargo and people. It’s as much fun to drive as I always assumed Jeeps would be. So back to transmissions.

Like most parts of the car we take transmissions for granted until they don’t work. They are what transforms the power of the engine to the tires. They control the car’s ability to move. So when a transmission isn’t working right, it is noticeable and can be disconcerting, even if we don’t know that its a transmission problem at first. We just know the car isn’t doing what it normally does. To be honest, the transmission is one of the miracle parts of automobiles to me.  I think that in some ways it’s even more complex than the standard function of the engine itself, not counting all the computerized add-ons cars have now. The plethora of tiny gears that have to mesh and move “just so” for the transmission to work is truly a marvel of engineering.  It doesn’t take much to mess the system up, however. Once a certain part breaks or wears, it affects the whole component and the car’s performance.

Our lives are similar in this regard. There are a lot of moving parts that keep us going. Lots of things fit together “just so” as we go through each day, month, and year. Of course, things are not always perfect, but there’s some wiggle room whenever we shift gears, as we bump up against the pattern we face, but most of the time we can get into the gear we need to. Most of the time. Sometimes, something starts to wear, or even break. Often we know something is out of whack before we know exactly what it is. It may be noticeable when we step on the scale. Maybe we’re not enjoying things we used to like. We might be tired, or at the end of our rope.  Perhaps we have a yearning for a break or a change or something we can’t even name. These can all be signs and symptoms that need to be dealt with. We aren’t always as good as we could be with our preventative maintenance, and even when we are, we can still wear down and wear out.  

I’ve written and preached before about the need to keep track of our spiritual and emotional health. Checking up on our symptoms before they get out of hand is important. Regular prayer, attending worship, keeping Sabbath, talking to a counselor; all of these are examples of things we can do to diagnose and deal with the parts of life that aren’t lining up the way we feel like they ought to. Your clergy can’t rebuild transmissions, and we can’t fix problems the way some others may be able to, but we’re pretty good diagnosticians, nonetheless. If you find yourself in need of a check-up or a check-in, just let us know. Come for a visit or meet us for coffee. We’re happy to talk about the days when life feels like grinding through the gears. We understand because we’ve all been there, too. The good news is that almost all things can be repaired with the right attention and time. But, we can’t ignore the signs until something serious breaks. 

Tom+

The old truck hadn't been used in a while,

But it should be good for a few more miles.

Under the hood, the engine was rusty,

And the interior smelled faintly musty.

Assuming it would start--we all wanted to know...

When we put it in gear, would it actually go?

Someone called, "All the tires are flat".

But a little new air would take care of that.

Better get some fuel, since the gauge is on "E".

Wash the windshield, so the driver can see.

No problem to let it coast downhill to the mechanic's shop;

Next question: Are the brakes good enough to make it stop?

The truck was so bad, it had no heater fan.

But the Master Mechanic had a Master plan!

He took it to His shop for the needed repairs.

'Twas quite a long time that He kept it there.

He tinkered, and cut, and removed lots of stuff

Solving problems we had thought were real tough.

He put in new hoses, gaskets, and such.

What a joy to watch His skillful touch,

As He cut away the old to make room for the new.

Finally the day arrived when he was all through.

A great crowd gathered around the shop door,

To behold the new creation, there on the floor!

It was washed up, and pumped up, and all the fluids were filled.

Even the body He had been forced to rebuild.

Fresh paint; new tires; and the engine a'humming.

It was ready to face the world oncoming!

When flaws seem difficult to be fixed by man.

Stand back, and watch the touch of the Master's Hand.

                                                                                                     Charlie Pelota