Skip to main content

Road Repairs!



My town is anything but fun to drive through these days. Construction crews are everywhere working to widen the main two-lane road. Road signs that say “this way” with arrows are strewn along the path and you have to drive your car between narrow orange cones for miles. You have to take detours. What I dislike the most is waiting. If I time it just right, all that’s required is slowing down and waiting a few minutes for the pilot car to lead me to the other side. But all too often, I end up in long lines while traffic moves the opposite way and my car stands still in line with other impatient drivers for over 20 minutes! It makes it difficult to time travelling to appointments. Last week I was 15 minutes late for my Life Group, a small cell group from church, and they start promptly!

I know that in the months ahead, our road will be repaired. It will be safer, more attractive and a dream to drive on and waiting in long lines of traffic will be a lost memory. But in the meantime, I’m inconvenienced!

Isn’t it like this in our spiritual lives, too? I want to cross quickly from one place to the next but hindrances happen. Detours are required and I realize that the narrow path is hard. I want my way. I want my plan and have to slow down and accept God’s rerouting whether I like it or not. I want to go “here” and He says “No, go there!” I know that in the end, His purpose prevails and someday I will say “Thank you, Lord.” But all too often, I’m impatient for the process of His promises to come to pass.

“You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my Name, and you will have abundant joy.” John 16:24. This was the first scripture I read this morning and it’s been pulsating in my heart throughout the day reminding me that nothing and no one can steal my joy. Regardless of life’s deviations, I can call on the Name of Jesus and He will give me joy to do anything and be anywhere I need to be! I’ve been thinking about this all day, especially when I sat still in today's road repairs!



This post links to On Your Heart Tuesdays. What's on your heart?

Comments

  1. Mevely317October 4, 2011 at 7:05 PM

    Gosh, this struck a chord!
    Thank you for putting into words what I often struggle to identify!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Marsha YoungOctober 4, 2011 at 9:56 PM

    Indeed - the joy of the Lord is our strength. Good for you!

    Blessings to you - Marsha

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kim @ Homesteader's HeartOctober 5, 2011 at 2:41 AM

    I wish there really was an EASY button to push sometimes but then how would we grow in the Lord? There is a reason that path is so narrow, it's not for the faint of heart. LOL!
    This was a beautiful post my friend but I do hope your road gets fixed quickly!
    HUGS
    Kim

    ReplyDelete
  4. lioneagleOctober 5, 2011 at 5:22 PM

    Hi Mary -

    Thank you. This massaged my heart.
    Precious joy from GOD is delightful.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Just Be RealOctober 7, 2011 at 2:43 AM

    Appreciate this post. It is true, we learn through our struggles. Blessings.

    ReplyDelete
  6. SharonOctober 7, 2011 at 12:04 PM

    This was so good, Mary. Really a timely message for me.

    There's this intersection in our city, next to a church. There's a sign, with two street names. One turns into the church, the other into a dump area. One says "Purpose Way" and the other says "Rocky Road." Kinda sums it up, huh?!

    So, yes - trying to have patience and faith through the detours that God brings to my life. There's a PURPOSE in it all.

    GOD BLESS!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Daisy House

I work at my desktop with the children at my feet.  A makeshift area rug made of white butcher paper lines the floor where the baby, crayon in hand, imitates her big sister.  Sister focuses on the finishing touches of the house she designed.  The catchy children’s song, Wheels of the Bus, blasts from the Toddler Station on Pandora Radio. Six year old Sookie unveils her masterpiece and I ooh and awe at the sketch.  “It’s a daisy house!”  I exclaim.  “I love the colors.  I wonder what the inside looks like.”  Without hesitating, Sookie describes each room.  “There are five rooms and they are all different colors.  One is Mint Chip, another Strawberry.  There is a Vanilla room, and a Cookies & Cream room and the last room is Rocky Road.  You have to wear a sweater inside because it is very cold.” “A house made of ice cream,” I reply.  “It sounds heavenly!” I dug into my Bible readings that morning ...
39 comments
Read more

A Memorial Day Reflection

  Memorial Day is always noteworthy for me and my girls.  Next Thursday marks the third year of missing their father, my husband. So many thoughts  run through my mind.  The journey of loss takes on various emotions.  The strongest feeling, at first, was emptiness.  In a split second, I would forget he departed forever.  I imagined things I needed to talk to him about when he got back home.  My mind is realistic now.  He's not coming back.  There will be no more times of sitting on the porch swing together on the front deck staring at the moon and the stars.  He would tell me all he knew about the majestic night sky. I have so much I wish I could tell him, like the excitement of seeing our oldest grandchild make a decision to follow Jesus and get baptized on Mother's Day!  And our little Amy, 11 years old, I wish he could have seen her on stage receiving her induction to the National Honor Society. Our daughters have their own ...
23 comments
Read more

Whisper in My Ear One More Time

He woos me to His side and I listen carefully to clues I hear about His direction for me in the coming year.  I love September.  It is a special time for me.  I look for Him in a word or phrase; He speaks in the quiet hours.  He weaves my life’s days together in such a way that I see a glimpse of him in everything.  I look at my simple days and that word pops up like a revelation and I know He is near. The fall Jewish feast days explode with meaning for me as a Christ follower pursuing my Jewish roots.  The forty days of Teshuvah, or time of return, depict God calling us back to Him spiritually for a deeper relationship.  The sound of the shofar every morning, a wake-up call warns me not to miss what God is about to do.  That shofar blast scatters my enemies releasing breakthrough where needed.  Then comes Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, a brand new start.   Yom Kippur follows, a time of deep repentance and fasting....
16 comments
Read more