Lifecoach, Speaker, Author, Personal Pastor, Radio Host

This past weekend my in-laws came to visit for the sole purpose of taking my sons back to Birmingham, AL to spend the week with them (my sons are out of school this week for Fall break). This past Saturday, my father-in-law and I had some errands to run…so we hopped into my car. I pulled out of the driveway and he hears (what I have been listening to for several months) a strange sound on the left side of my car. When we get to the corner, I made a right turn and he hears it again. He immediately tells me, Son, you have something wrong with the CV joint. I said, Oh that’s what that noise is.

We get back home and he tells my mother-in-law and my wife about the new revelation. “I told Walter something was wrong with that car. If it doesn’t sound like it sounded when you pulled out of the parking lot of the car dealership, you need to get it taken care of”, chimes my wife. So, I made a promise that I would call a local tire/we work on your car as long as you got the money to pay place and explained that I needed my CV joint replaced/repaired. They said it would take about an hour to fix.

When I called my wife at her desk (we work at the same nuclear plant), she says, I don’t want to say I told you so, but check your email. Here is what she sent from YAHOO search engine, Constant Velocity Joints (CVJ) are joints between the drive shafts and the wheels which transmit power and make the car move. These ensure that power is delivered to the tires irrespective of the position of the tires (up/down/turning/straight) relative to the drive shafts. These normally get damaged if the dust boot gets cracked or broken and the dust enters the joints. Best would be drive carefully with no harsh acceleration or braking and get them changed immediately. These can cause structural damage and make the car go out of control once they break. She proceeds to tell me of the incident when we had a Dodge Caravan and a similar noise was happening and came to find out we were literally riding on a wing and a prayer. In her most loving voice (you husbands and wives know the voice) said, “See, you need to listen to me more…you and the boys won’t listen to mama.” In my most endearing pastoral voice I said, “Honey, I will listen to you more often.” (while I rolled my eyes…don’t tell).

So, we get home after work, I hop in my Toyota Avalon and hurry to Jim Whaley’s. It takes about an hour and my baby is ready. When I got the bill, they told me that indeed the CV joint boot thingy was cracked. I am automotively challenged so I was just thrilled that the “knocking” noise was gone, he swiped my card for $160, and now my wife can go to the next item on my TO DO list…PRICELESS. Everything else…there’s Mastercard (LOL).

As I often ask, what’s the point of this short narrative? Well, the Bible states in Proverbs 1:5, A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels”. I am the one that tries to counsel people and give people advice and help people SEE THE LIGHT. And sometimes, I do not even take my own advice and simply hear. My wife is a very wise woman (well she married me…ok, you can stop clapping now..hehehehehe).

One of the foundational things I tell my parishioners and my clients, If you want my help, you have to listen and hear what I am saying. Because if you had the answer, you would not have sought me out. If we learn to listen, we would save ourselves a whole lot of heartache. I tell my young people all the time, listen to your moms and dads, they have lived what you are trying to live.

My only piece of advice to you today is simply, Listen and Hear. This is not the platform to go into the differences of the two, but do them. I promise as your Motivational Lifecoach, if you listen (especially to those that have a vested interest in your well being), you will save yourself a lot of heartache and I TOLD YOU SOs.

you have been MOTIVATED!!