Meet Sally, My New GPS

My brother in law, Larry, loves his Global Positioning System (GPS).  Last year in California he made my husband, Ken, a little crazy by turning the GPS on even  when we already  knew where we were going.  Ken is one of those manly men who never stops to ask for directions.   He also has an uncanny ability to find places, and he almost never gets lost.  Almost. 

I suspect Ken considered  it was a sorry state of affairs that a fellow guy took directions from a little box.  That's even worse than stopping at a gas station and asking a real live person.  Larry was undaunted, and told us he had  named his GPS Sophelia, which sounded kind of exotic. 

I instantly got a bad case of GPS envy.  Those who know me in real life know that I can get lost coming home from the grocery store.  I once did that, actually, but it should be said in my defense that we had just moved to a new apartment in a suburb of Washington D.C.  I coveted Sophelia, even though she made my man grumpy. 

Our son Josh, knowing his mother's uncanny ability to get lost (and probably with a little hint from his long-suffering dad) bought me a GPS for Christmas.  I don't know why it took me so long to plug it in.  A few weeks ago we planned a short road trip.  Ah, a good time to break out the new GPS! 

The GPS has a battery but also plugs in to a cigarette lighter.  In went the cord, I held the on button down--ta daaa--and Sally came to life for the first time. We named her Sally because it is much easier to say "Where is Sally?" or "What does Sally say?" than to consantly say, "the GPS."  Sally is not as exotic as Sophelia.  But "Sally says"  has a certain rythm, like Simon says.  Sally says turn right.  Sally says make a legal U turn.  Sally thinks taking the country roads is shorter.  

Sally has a lovely, well-modulated voice.  It's an amazing voice, for a computer.   She also never gets rattled or frustrated or cross.  I asked my beloved what he thinks Sally looks like.  I mean, what is the face that goes with that voice?  He shook his head and he left the room without answering.

Well, Sally has a face.  It looks rather like this one.   She is very professional, attractive but not sleazy, calm, assured, unruffled.  Not like me when I am trying to find my way around unfamiliar places.  Not at all. 

It is amazing that Sally knows where I am anytime I push the on button.  Also kind of frightening.  Big Brother (uh, Sister?) is up there in the sky, you know?

But Sally sounds helpful but harmless.  Reassuring.  Even when I ignore her directions and go the way I choose instead, she just calmly tells me she is recalculating my route. 

Much 2 Ponder and I are known for getting lost when in the same vehicle.  She may have even a worse sense of direction than I do.  No more!  We have Sally!

ROAD TRIP!

Remember Psalm 32:8?  "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye."

You know what I think?  I think Sally might be a tool of the Holy Spirit in my life! 
;-).