Along the Way

I had to get out.  I needed it. The sun was shining. Perfect. So I did.

I had a goal: I wanted to get to the street that had beautiful houses on it.  That was my goal. I'm a drivin' person. I'm going for it. I will succeed.

It took longer than I thought. Way longer. Probably twice as long. When I got there? There was just a street. No climax and "ahh look at the beautiful house" moment as I expected.  I walked my tale off and my dogs paws off for a street, road and cars zooming by? What? Did I take a wrong way?
Nope. I went the way I planned.
What then?

Instantly my mind went into allegorical mode: "I wonder if this is what it will be like when I finally meet my goals of X, Y and Z?  If all I have been striving to achieve is going to met with a busy road full of traffic, hardship and no pretty house?"

I looked on the left: A stream with a bridge.  How nice.  I took my dogs down to check it out.   It was a pleasant surprise.  I breathed a sigh of relief.  I also inhaled a dose of caution when I pondered: what am I giving up just to get to my goal?  The thought alarmed me.  My mind itemized the different situations. Wow.  All that for a busy street?

Ducks quacked in the water catching our attention.  I walked along the shore line and tried looking over  the edge at our reflections.  One my dogs looked at her reflection and just as I was leading the other to look at hers, BAM! The edge eroded and in she fell! Agh!  The water was cold and her little sweater was now partly wet.  If she could talk, I'm sure she was saying: "Thanks Mom".  But she's a dog and guess what?  They love the water.  She shook it off and went along her merrily little way.  If that happened to me, would I really shake that off? Probably not.  Hopefully though, I would laugh about it later.

I realized then that we get really caught up in meeting our goals, checking off our task list and zooming through life that when do we experience the water?  When do we get outside and experience discovery? My likely answer is: "I don't have time for that." It might be your answer too.  And if that is, then like me, it's time for a change.

There is so much to discover along the way and we miss it because we are so focused on that dream, seeing that beautiful house, that whatever the goal is.  Just the other night, when my husband and I specifically took a different direction so I could look at the lights in the trees and walk through them.  Halfway down, I realized I was missing the whole thing as I gazed from shop window to shop window.  Dang! I wanted to start over.

But we had to press on and that's the crux in life.  Many times, we can't go back to when we were at certain age and do over.  We have to start right where we are.  So, putting all my eggs in a basket with this dream and goal, with all the lofty expectations I have, may not be the best course.  But what about changing those expectations to being watchful for what's along the way?  I sure don't want to miss that or exchange those experiences to meet my deadline or goal.  Because, in reality, it's the unexpected that we should be watchful for and meet with great expectations.  Along the way, anything can happen.  Hopefully, the goal will be met.  But, it may not be and is likely not to be what you or I expect it to be.  Ironically, it is the things you don't expect that will blow you away and change the course of your life.

My doggie finally dried off and probably in her puppy kisses said: "Thank you".  The water put a little extra bounce in her step.  And, I did get to see the pretty houses.  They just weren't where I expected.  They were along the way.

"These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect," (Hebrews 11: 39-40 NIV).

1.  What are your dreams and goals for your life?
2.  Dreams can be good things.  How can we protect the dream God gave us as well as the other blessings He's bestowed to us (significant other, children, family, house, giftings)?
3.  What could be in danger of being exchanged for your dream? (i.e. more time at work means less time at home, more weekends gone means less time investing into your loved ones)
4.  Recall a time when something unexpectedly pleasant occurred along the way of meeting a goal.  How did that change your direction?
5.  Recall a time when something unexpectedly devastating occurred along the way? How have you seen, or have you seen, God draw you closer to Him?
6.  What new perspective of life can you have if you begin to expect things along the way to your goal instead of just solely focused on meeting your goal?
7.  How does Hebrews 11:39-40 relate to today's story? How does it encourage you?



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