Peace and ease....do you crave that? In my life, I crave peace and ease every single day. Which is why when we recently had an amazing weekend with our son visiting from Iowa, I was looking forward to being the one to take a day and drive him all the way home and back (a 16 hour journey) for many reasons.
First, I love spending one-on-one time with my kids. When you have four, this is a rarity and I was relishing the opportunity to just talk. It was a wonderful drive down and I enjoyed so much the gift of time I had with him, just learning more about his world and his view of it.
Second, I was eagerly anticipating the drive home all by myself. Some of you may think that makes me slightly deranged, but when you live in a house as chaotic as mine, time alone with your thoughts isn't a part of the schedule.
I dropped my son off, grabbed gas for the car and a Dr. Pepper for myself, and turned back north. Best laid plans...
:-)
What I had planned for my journey and what it turned into were two very different trips. I had big expectations for my escape from reality, an exaggerated confidence in my own decision making ability, and little respect for the unexpected.
Isn't life like that? I've often heard people say that famous quote, "It's not about the destination, it's about the journey." I'm not so sure I agree. Not that life cannot be amazing in it's many splendid adventures, and truly has great rewards and moments that shape our character, but I think the destination should be given more focus.
Anyway, I was equipped with directions, knowledge, and ability....but didn't factor in error. :-)
Hitting Minneapolis in the dark amidst construction, I missed my exit and ended up in unfamiliar territory. Finally driving my way out an hour or so later, I kept on only to miss my exit in St. Cloud also and have to backtrack. About Motley, I was falling asleep at the wheel having been up much earlier than normal, and that is when a fog as intense as a blizzard in its visibility set in. I did what I could to press on, even when one of my headlights went out a few minutes later, but I'm not going to lie, it is a miracle I made it to my home.
It felt so good to step out of that car, ending the drive that I had such big plans for, and step into my home.
Our life journeys are full of big plans. God has equipped us for the journey, given us a map to lead us through it, and most of us hopefully know the destination. But we all put so much emphasis on the journey, and for some, it just doesn't have peace and ease.
I know some of you can't relate. You're the cruisers. You sit back and relax and ride through life.
But others of you I know are more like me, and like my drive home. You know where you're going, but you make mistakes, run into obstacles, and have a lot of disappointed hopes that follow your best laid plans. I have made so many wrong turns and poor decisions that have made life hard. I've also had life hit me with obstacles and dashed hopes that I have had to detour.
Many of you have experienced the same grief in life-grief over your disappointed hopes.
It is to you that I write this, because it is you and I that need the reminder that sometimes it is more important that you make it Home. And the miracle that you need to get you there has already happened for you and for me...and Jesus waits with open arms.
No, we can't all set the cruise. Just keep driving Home.
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