Growing up a preacher’s kid must be interesting. I never was a preacher’s kid, but I did raise three of them. They each have stories to tell of their experiences at different churches, and what it was like being the preacher’s kid. I am sure it has some challenges that a normal kid does not experience.

For beginner’s, there is the “fish bowl” syndrome. A preacher’s kid must live like a fish in a bowl. People are constantly watching to see how you perform as a preacher’s kid. Looking to see if the preacher’s kid is not being bad, but rather angelic and perfect!

Then there is the constant fear that you might be the next sermon illustration. My kids made the Sunday morning sermon illustration on more than one occasion. Sometimes it went well with a laugh, an eye roll, a sigh and sometimes tears followed when we were at home after church. Now, I have a son who is a preacher, and I make illustrations for his sermons on occasion (payback)!

There are many more. Each of my kids have stories to tell of what it was like being a preacher’s kid and, somehow, it has helped shape them to be the people they are today.

My youngest, Jessica, probably had more than her fair share of heartaches, laughs and privileges as a preacher’s kid. One such subject that is talked about and still a topic we laugh heartily about is her cars. She had the opportunity to have three cars that were hers to drive. What is so unusual about these cars is they all belonged to women that had passed away. They were named the “widow women cars.”

The first was a twodoor Chevy Lumina. It was an older model but had low mileage and excellent service records. It was a great little car that had lots of get up and go and got great gas mileage. But…its doors were long and heavy (may have knocked down previous owner and injured her— broken ribs). It also had a door handle that would not work at times. When this happened Jessica had to crawl in on the passenger side and slide across to driver’s side. Oh, did I mention it had bucket seats, a center console and gear shift on the console? I can’t say it was her favorite ride.

Next was a 1990’s model two-door Mercury Cougar. One of our church member’s mom had passed and she left it to the church. I made the arrangements to purchase it. Again, it was a two-door, lots of pep, decent mileage, but this car came with velour interior, half vinyl top and a sun roof. The doors worked great, but it was definitely, well, can I say…HOOPTY. One of my church members got me a pair of fuzzy dice to go on the mirror. One of Jessica’s classmates said that it looked just like the car one of the drug dealers in town drove (I got to drive the car after that).

She briefly drove what was known as the “Pawn Shop Car.” I bought it at a Pawn Shop for about $500. The heater didn’t work, and it had a few other problems. When Jessica came home from college in December that year, the heater not working became a big issue. The fact it would not start on the very cold day she was to come home and it was discovered that the starter was held on by only one bolt (that bolt was loose) was another factor as to why she was not too fond of the car. We sold the car shortly after this, and she went to the doctor for what she swore was pneumonia!

Finally we bought a car from one of my Deacons. His mom had passed, and he needed to sell it. And yes it was a peppy car, got good gas mileage and was in great shape (Oh, and I should mention all the cars from the widow women were white). However, this one was a four door. Unfortunately, Jessica didn’t get to drive it long. Her brother gave her a VW Bug (white), and she drove it about a year (the headlight fell out and she ran over it). Then her grandmother gave her a Honda CRV that she had been driving (Grandma got a new one). This car was not white either. So Jill and I ended up with that white car, and we had it several years.

At almost every family get-together the subject of Jessica and her widow women cars comes up, and we all just laugh. And as challenging as each car was, it got her from point A to point B (sometimes it may have taken a little longer).

None the less, it gave her some great memories and a great appreciation for the first vehicle she bought for herself after graduating from college. It was a Chevy Trax. AND…it was WHITE! Cute little car, peppy and good gas mileage. I know. I just bought it from her a couple months ago and now drive it. She now has a family and has upgraded to a Mom car. It is just what she wanted.

My point to all this? Things happen in life that shape us. We have memories that we can look back on and see how these experiences have made us to be the people we are today. It makes us appreciate what we have a little more.

Everything is for a season and there is a season for everything. This is what the writer of Ecclesiastes says in chapter 3, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven…” What is your purpose right now?

Finding my purpose, Bro. Tim