^{What do you think of when you hear the word first?}

Could be your first car, your first love, your first house? First day of school. Here are a few more that come to mind.

• Firstborn
• First chair
• First soprano
• First in athletic competition
• First mate
• First wife
• First sergeant
• First lieutenant
• First denotes best – highest – completed, accomplished, priority
• First National Bank
• First Baptist Church
• Airman first class
• Private first class
• First of its kind
• First cousin once removed???
• First gear, first base
• First edition

Sometimes our first thought is the best one. Sometimes not. How do we make decisions? Is it best for me, my family or just what I want to do. I have trouble making decisions.  My prayer is constantly – “What should I do?   How do I know what is best? How do I know I am making the correct choice?” 

Every year I focus on a single word to guide my thoughts. I also choose a verse to help me stay focused on God’s purpose for my life. My word this year is FIRST.  My verse is Matthew 6:33. 

³³But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

So how do we seek first the kingdom of God?  Already in some decisions, I have found myself asking, “Ok, am I seeking God first in this situation? Or am I compelled to do what I want? Do I think others want me to do something else?”

Some days are easy. The decision not to drive is simple. Roads are icy, and it is not necessary to get on the road. But as the year progresses, I know the decisions will be much more difficult.  I enjoy volunteering but can easily get over-committed. Is this the best use of my time. Does this opportunity cause me to learn something, to serve someone? to honor God?

Lord, help me to consider you FIRST in my choices.

Here is one of my recollections of firsts – knowing the importance of first gear.

First Gear

^{First gear – the notorious stick shift!  Many people nowadays don’t even know what a stick shift is.  When I took driver’s training  – back in the day – you had to learn on a manual transmission (stick shift).  One that had gears.  The DTT (drivers training teacher) had an extra set of pedals (brake and clutch) on the passenger side of the vehicle.  This was for safety in case the student really messed up.  It also helped when we were learning how to slowly let out the clutch while stepping on the gas pedal to shift the gears.  This technique is the key to driving a stick shift.} 

^{The student car at school was a large 1957 Ford with gears on the steering wheel.  Reverse was all the way up, first gear down, second gear up and then third gear down.  At the time my family car was a small Renault with the gears (five of them) on the floor.  Foreign cars much different.  First up, second down, third up and then fourth down.  and on the highway 5th gear was used.  I think reverse was up way to the left, close to first??   No problem unless you were on a hill . Trying to give it enough gas without backing up. Then keeping your foot periodically on the brake.  Invariably the car would stall and you had to restart – much to the disgust of car behind you.  If you really got flustered, you put it into reverse instead which would have been catastrophic.}

^{My husband’s experience with a stick shift was quite different.  The summer he was 12 years old he was visiting his grandfather’s farm.  Papa said, “Go to the store and get me some Prince Albert.”} 

^{John replied, “I don’t know how to drive.”}

^{Papa said, “It’s time you learned.  Keys are in the truck.} 

^{Go out in the pasture and drive around a little bit so you will know how to work the clutch.”}

^{John jumped in the truck looked at the long gear shift and the three pedals on the floor. Papa said, “See the diagram on the knob.  Practice how to do it.”  John went two or three feet and stalled out.  It took 15 to 20 minutes before he was ready to go to the store.} 

^{Jerking the truck and shifting, John finally made it to the store just a few miles from the farm.  The local policeman was parked at the store. John went in and purchased the Prince Albert for his grandpa.  The policeman said, “Tell your Papa I said hello, and hey, be careful in that truck!”}

^{That was really “back in the day! and way out in the country.”}

What does that mean to you?

^{First gear is important in driving a straight shift transmission. You can’t very well get to second without starting at first. Yea, I know you guys know how to pop the clutch and start in second. Also, knowing the difference between first and reverse – very important.}

^{Seeking God is just as important in our decisions and in our lives.}

Our knowledge of God through his word and his Holy Spirit helps us. It guides us to make decisions that both honor Him and glorify Him.

^{As I navigate the firsts in my life this year, I will share other firsts in my past.  Let me know if you can relate.}

^{Do any of the lists of firsts cause you to think of an instance in your life?}

^{How do you seek God FIRST in your life?}