A Lesson Learned Off-Road

Should someone allow hobbies to become more important than family or friends?  I think we all know the answer to that question; however, sometimes a hobby will turn into an obsession before you realize what happened.  Please understand I am not condemning healthy recreation.  I think it is necessary for mental well-being and healthy living.  Allow me to take you down a road that could have consumed me.

I’ve never had a desire to golf, bowl or fish competitively.  God gave me a unique ability to understand mechanical things.  I received my first truck when I was 4 years old – yes, I said that correctly.  I still have that 1967 Ford F100 that my grandfather “discarded” for a newer model.  At age 10 I completely rebuilt the engine after reading numerous magazines and books on the matter.   You may think that I am using the term “rebuilt” loosely as a 10 year old boy.  To clarify, it was a complete teardown to the block with new rings/pistons, rod bearings and crankshaft bearings.  I even reground and seated the valves all by myself.  Looking back on that, it was very strange for a 10 year old boy in the fifth grade!

As I got older, I felt the need grow to challenge my mechanical abilities.  My teachers in high school would put out wagers on which vehicle I was going to drive that day.  As a senior I had a different vehicle for each day of the week!  By age 25 my list of completed hot rods was pretty extensive.  A few of the more notable vehicles were two ‘65 Mustang coupes, ’65 Chevy Pickup, ‘53 GMC Pickup, ’49 Ford F100 rat rod, and a ’78 Monte Carlo.  I know it sounds like a ton of money was spent, but each vehicle was brought back from its ultimate demise as a “rust bucket.”  Each one was ultimately sold for more than I had in it.  Of course, if you turned my time to money, it would not balance.

In my late 20’s the challenge became even greater.  I was introduced to extreme off-roading and rock crawling in Jeeps.   The 4×4 aspect opened a whole different challenge for me.   I started with a red 1975 Jeep CJ5.  I completed a “frame-off” restoration and built it back as a strong machine.  It was so strong I could place a coke bottle in front, dump the clutch behind the AMC 360 V8, and jump that bottle clear from dead still!  One time I demonstrated this to a few friends.  You know when friends are watching, you have to give it a little more.   I stripped first gear in the transmission, twisted the driveshaft and blew out the rear pinion gear – all in one single clutch dump!!

At age 28 my wife and I had our first son Tyler.  I sold the CJ5, because I had a fear of all that raw power slinging the baby seat right out.  I couldn’t stand the thought of my little man getting hurt.  A few months rocked on, and a good friend offered me the shell of a 1975 Ford Bronco.  Boy, did that get my attention!  Any avid off roader or antique car collector knows the early Bronco is an attractive build.  This vehicle had no title and could not be put back on the road.  This was the perfect platform for an extreme rock crawler that could only be trailered to trails.  Without boring you with too many details, it ended up with a 5.0 roller cam Mustang engine (on propane) in front of a C6 transmission and an indestructible NP205 transfer case.  The axles came out of a 2 ½ ton military truck.  This thing was a mini-monster truck.  In 2005 it was featured in Peterson’s 4 Wheel & Off-road magazine.  Later that year a calendar came out that featured my rig as one of the top twelve rigs of that year.

By age 35 I had built two more vehicles that had been featured in magazines and national television.   Do you see how this “obsession” could easily continue to get bigger?   At this stage in my life, I now have two boys and a more demanding career.   Something was going to have to break, because I knew my responsibility was to be a good husband and raise those boys to be “God-fearing” men.  Regardless, I tried to “hang on” to my hobby by building a 4 seater tube chassis rock crawler.  Each seat was designed specifically for each member of the family.  This thing was a “hoss” of a machine.  It was scary how capable it was off-road.

The reality of my overbearing hobby to my family hit me one day in a very specific way.   We were climbing a big mountain just outside of Birmingham, Alabama, when I noticed my youngest son Braden was scared to death.  Big old tears filled his eyes.  In fact, he was so scared he was stripping off safety harnesses to get out of that machine.  In his little mind, it would be better to climb that mountain on foot and make it to the safety of the truck.  I was being very stern with him to keep him safe and free from harm.   That night I reflected on the day’s events.  After much prayer, soul searching and conversations with God, a main conclusion was drawn – was I giving God the glory through it all?  When I started asking that question through all of the intricate details of my life, I couldn’t answer “yes” in all areas.  It seems my hobby had begun to capture my full attention and distract me from my obligations as a Godly husband, father and servant to others.  I did not want to look back on life and see a wasted investment on burned gasoline fumes and broken axle shafts.  The only worthwhile investments are the things we offer to God through our talents and abilities.  After all, it is He who blessed us with certain abilities.

At age 45 I’ve come full circle.  The only “non-essential” vehicle I’m tinkering on is my old 1967 Ford F100 – if time allows.  That truck serves as a reminder to keep my priorities in check.  As a matter of fact, I just taught Braden (my youngest son) how to drive a clutch with a 3 speed on the tree.  It was special that I was able to teach him in the very truck I learned in!  Instead of allowing my talents to be consumed in my personal hobby, it is now used to serve people who may need help.  You never know when that person on the side of the road may need a little encouragement and good word from God.  I no longer see my hobby as a means for personal satisfaction; rather, it is a way that I can love on someone and share the good news of the Gospel of Christ.   After all, sharing that Good News is our ultimate purpose as Christians.  I encourage you to read 1 Peter 4 as it gives us some great advice for living for God.  Verses  10 – 11 best conclude my shift in focus of hobbies.  It reads, (ESV) “¹⁰ As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: ¹¹ whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen