Women Who Made Automotive History and A Worship Litany

I have a terrible habit of letting junk mail and magazines pile up on the counter. I know that I should deal with mail on the day it arrives, yet I still allow it to pile up until it takes over the kitchen counter. When it reaches that point, I dump it all in a bag. If I’m lucky, I go through the bag in a timely-ish fashion. If I’m not so lucky, then I go through the bag months later. Yesterday, I went through a bag that was both timely and not-so-timely…because I dumped new mail into an old bag yesterday morning. Please tell me I’m not the only one who does things like this!

 

Anyway. As I was going through the bag, I came across a few interesting magazine articles. One (The NC Zoo Magazine) article shared that the NC Zoo is restarting behind-the-scenes tours. One (AAA) shared what the various noises of your car mean. One (Viking Cruise Lines) shared how cruise-lines are adjusting to life with Covid-19. One (SAI Music Sorority) shared about black female Opera singers. One (International Justice Mission) shared the story of a boy who was rescued from labor exploitation. One (Cooperative Baptist Fellowship) shared a beautiful liturgy for worship. And one (AAA Coastal) shared about five women who made automotive history. The latter are what I want to share with you today.

 

Did you know that:

Bertha Benz is credited with devising the world’s first brake pads?

Mary Anderson designed the predecessor of today’s windshield wipers?

Florence Lawrence created the predecessor of today’s turn signals? And

June McCarrol came up with the idea to have painted lines on roads to distinguish separate lanes?

 

Brake pads, windshield wipers, turn signals, and traffic lines: All safety features indispensable to driving today…and all created by women 😊.

 

And…there is no smooth transition between my thoughts today, so I hope you don’t get reader’s whiplash, but I end this note with a worship litany that I hope you will pray with me. I don’t know who wrote it, but it’s a really beautiful call to be present to the needs of this world.

 

“God of all nations, you created a world that is connected.

By climate, by trade and now by disease.

Your world is being threatened by a pandemic that affects us all.

Every religion, every class, every race, and every language.

 

God, we want to be your people.

A people who share your concern for the world.

 

God of all peoples, you created us with a deep desire for connection.

You gave us a capacity to learn from each other.

To talk to each other and to relate.

To hear each other’s voices and to know each other’s stories.

To understand each other when we really try.

You created us to thrive together rather than alone.

 

God, we yearn to be your people.

A people who listen to the cries of the world.

 

God of all creation, you sent your Son and you sent your Spirit.

You have given us the love and hope of Christ.

You have given us the creativity of your Spirit.

You call us and you equip us.

To be present to the people who cross our path.

To use our skills and to share the gifts you have given.

 

God, we long to be your people.

A people who minister to the needs of the world.”

 

And God? Thank you.

Thank you for that Spirit of creativity,

For the love and hope of Christ,

For calling us and equipping us,

And maybe even for laughing with us

When we dump mail into bags and

Sort it months later

Only to find things that we can celebrate

And share with one another.

 

Amen.

And Amen.