DETOURS

I love our home and where we live, however, there is road work being done. I am usually pretty patient and I don't get too stressed about life's little inconveniences. I know the road will be better; I know it needs to be done. I know it is only for a short period of time, etc, etc. The frustration I have in this circumstance is that it literally effects everywhere we go. Places that would normally be just down the road are now across town. It makes my three trips back into the house for the items I forgot a little more stressful. I had a pretty good attitude about it early on, but now that it is really messing up my travel I am not as patient. You would think I would plan a few more minutes to get where I am going, but I don't. Adjusting is hard.

Isn't that how we feel about our life journey sometimes. The path that we thought we would go down somehow has a detour? Or perhaps it doesn't even exist anymore. We often look at these new adventures as scary because of the unknown. But, there is someone who goes ahead of you, paves the way, and leads you down the right road. The frustrating thing to us is that we didn't get to "pick" that road. The funny thing about detours is they still lead to your original destination, if you are willing to follow.

Tonight I drove home on a quiet back road that I have only been taking because of the detours. I remember thinking, " I would have never known how beautiful this is if I didn't "have" to come this way." This is so true for my life.  There are difficult times, for sure. But, the beauty in them and the joy that I have experienced has mostly come from the "detours". When Christ leads he is able to help us see the beauty in all things. He helps us experience true joy in Himself and the roads we travel don't become such a big deal. It is all about who travels with us and where He leads.

We become willing to go anywhere as long as He is there. Our paths may take us to places where we build the roads, repair the roads, or perhaps He leads us off the beaten path. His paths are always worth taking....