My friend and mentor Willard Tate passed away recently, but I am still reminded periodically of stories he shared. On one occasion Willard told us about his dad’s practice of making sure the family car was always full of gas. In particular, his dad would not go to bed at night unless there was a full tank of gas in the car.  He told his family: Someone may need us during the night. I want to be prepared accordingly…

Keeping the car full of gas is not a bad practice. I am such an airhead that I often forget to top off the tank before retiring for the night. And that is not is not a good idea, because it is not uncommon for me to be called out at night by the Granbury Police Department. As I think of the practice of Willard’s dad, several thoughts come to mind.

I think we should all assume the mentality of being prepared to serve those in need in a moment’s notice. One of my law enforcement chaplaincy colleagues shared a list on one occasion of supplies that she keeps in her car. Now I keep blankets and extra coats in my car along with bottled water and a few other supplies. You never know when someone might need a jacket if you are out assisting someone. I think it would be good for everyone to keep such necessities stored in their vehicle. You just never know when someone might need you…

There is another way to apply Mr. Tate’s words of wisdom. It is important for us to keep our emotional and spiritual tanks full. If our tanks are always teetering near empty, we don’t have enough to give to people when they are in desperate need. That is a hard lesson to learn. Those of us who are inclined to be rescuers have to be reminded of this valid principle on a pretty regular basis.

Filling a car with gas is an easy task. Filling an emotional tank requires significant more effort. Human beings are quite complex… What one person perceives as filling is nothing more than another drain to someone else. All of us have to take the time and effort to determine what fills us to the brim.

I enjoy down time with friends and a good round of golf. Watching classic movies with Jan is a regular practice. (It is cheap fun.) I enjoy cooking for the family. Reading for pleasure is a treat .Special speaking engagements at seminars and retreats are fun for Jan and me. I even enjoy driving out to the universities where my boys are enrolled for lunch and good discussion. There are times that I just need to be alone in order for the tank to be filled completely.

What about you? What fills your tank? It is an important question to ask, because all of us are better equipped to serve and help when our tanks are not lingering near the empty mark. I would write more, but I need to find time on this day off to play golf, read, and cook dinner for the family!