Have you ever had one of those days where it feels like everything's working against you?

The plan was simple: a Mother's Day road trip. I loaded up my trunk with spring flower baskets and hit the highway to visit my mom, my sister (her birthday was coming up), and then, on the way home, my mother-in-law.

All—good intentions.

Now, let me back up for a second. I hadn't had a speeding ticket in years—mind you—not because I didn't deserve one. A few weeks before this trip, my luck ran out. I got caught speeding, and let's just say that ticket had me paying attention. So, for this Mother's Day road trip, I was hyper-vigilant. Eyes glued to the speedometer almost more than the road.

Everything was going well. Sweet visits, lots of hugs, and flower baskets handed out with love. But you know that saying: No good deed goes unpunished?

Yeah. That.

Cruising down a long, wide-open highway—two lanes each way—a slowpoke appeared ahead of me. I had a brief lapse in judgment, the sun shining, music cranked, the summer tires gripping just right… I gave that gas pedal a little punch and zip zipped around him. And then?

A cop stepped out onto the road ahead of me and waved me over.

No. Way.

My stomach dropped. My heart sped up. I knew—

I pulled into a well-worn gravel pullout where many a lead-footed driver had met their fate before me. A big, burly officer approached the window. Had he smiled, I think his face would've cracked. He looked miserable…exactly how I felt in that moment.

I rolled down my window. Gone were the days when a flutter of eyelashes might earn mercy. I silently hoped my wrinkles would spark some sympathy instead.

"Do you know how fast you were going?" he asked.

"If I did, we wouldn't be having this conversation," I quipped.

Not the best start.

"Fast enough to impound your car for a week for excessive speed," he said flatly.

I nearly passed out.

"Not possible," I squeaked.

"Yup." He waved the radar gun in my face. "140 kilometers (87mph) in a 90 kilometer (55mph) zone."

My heart lodged itself in my throat.

"But... you're not going to take my vehicle, are you?"

"Oh yes," he said, with a little too much pleasure. "Driver's license and registration, please."

By the time the tow truck arrived and hooked up my car—with me still inside—I had called my husband. He was understandably...not thrilled.

I stepped out of the car and stood on the shoulder blinking back tears as my vehicle disappeared around the bend.

The officer waved me over.

"I can't leave you out here in the middle of nowhere. I'll drive you into town," he said, nodding toward the back seat. "Get in."

And that's how I found myself in the back of a police car—behind bars and glass, with no seatbelt. (Apparently, a previous criminal had ripped it out.) I asked if I'd get a ticket for that too.

He laughed. I didn't.

So... What Did I Learn from the Back Seat of a Cop Car?

I was furious with myself. How did I let that happen?

But the truth hit me: this wasn't just one bad decision. It was years of speeding, of thinking those speed limits were optional. That somehow God overlooked my lead foot. I always joked how I longed for the German Autobahn…how they had it right with no speed limits. But maybe—just maybe—God was trying to get my attention. And, it did matter to Him that I follow the rules of the road.

It was time for change. And change would not be easy. "One of the hardest things is to unlearn," so says Bob Hamp and oh how true this is.

I was shocked to find how slow 50 k (30mph) really is and how I had no idea of the speed limit on roads I travelled daily…and how hard it was to stick to 90k (55mph) on the highway. I realized how the need for speed had been a part of my everyday life. For the first two weeks I literally bristled every time someone passed me, and trust me, when going the speed limit EVERYONE now passes me.

Somehow my brain is wired to love jumping out of airplanes, ride the scariest roller coasters, and to never come in last. I can see God smiling. "My daughter," He says, "I like that about you…I made you that way…but you still have to drive the speed limit."

Here are some quotes that helped me put my failure and this current struggle into perspective:

  • "Old habits die hard." —Benjamin Franklin
  • "Never regret a day in your life: good days give happiness, bad days give experience, worst days give lessons, and best days give memories." I always tell myself, "Let the mistakes go and keep the lesson." —Unknown
  • "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow." —Mary Anne Radmacher
  • "Someday everything will make perfect sense. So, for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears, and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason." —Unknown
  • "My great concern is not whether you have failed but whether you are content with failure." —Abraham Lincoln
  • "Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor." —Truman Capote
  • "Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, only this time more wisely." —Henry Ford
  • "Failure is success if we learn from it." —Malcolm Forbes
  • "Life is short. Smile while you still have teeth." —Unknown

And finally, my favorite:

"Failures, repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement. One fails forward toward success." —C.S. Lewis

I pray for success in slowing down. It was a very expensive lesson by the time I paid for the ticket, the towing cost, the storage of my vehicle and the promise of future increased insurance rates…however, an accident would've been worse. I hope what I've learned from the back seat of that police car sticks with me long enough to change…and encourages you too.

We all have our weaknesses. If you're working on one of yours, share in the comments which of these quotes speaks to you. Let's remind each other that failure isn't the end—just a detour with a lesson to learn.

Psalm 145:18 "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him." NKJV And I think I will be calling on Him a lot! 