Parallel Roads

Sometimes we have so many things going on in our lives that it feels like we are going down an interstate at eighty miles an hour. Of course, we're not in this alone. We are all heading in the same direction. In some things we're leading and in some things we're following. Regardless, our particular little caravan is careening down the interstate at dangerous speeds.

What happens is inevitable. There will be problems. It will start to rain. If you're lucky gently at first. Most of the time though, the problems come more like a downpour with hail.

And you think, "I really need to slow down." However, if you do a few undesirable things might happen. You might lose sight of the people you are following or you might end up getting lost or being the leader. Now being the leader is ok if you know where you are going but it is really frustrating if you don't. So what happens is you keep speeding down the interstate in the pouring rain, being a part of the pack-following and leading.

Again what happens next is inevitable and something will happen. Remember it is raining, really hard. Not only is your vision blurred and affected by the rain but most likely the rain has been affecting all of your group. You know this is an accident waiting to happen but sometimes instead grace intervenes. The person you are following, pulls off at a wrong exit-perhaps on purpose or perhaps because of the rain he/she didn't know they were following the wrong car.

Now you know it is the wrong exit and you want to shout, "Hey, don't follow that car, they aren't with us!" But you can't. So now you have a choice to make-will you take the wrong exit or stay on the interstate (the right road)? Also, what will the people who are following you do?

Either way,if you take the exit or not, you will start communicating with those who have exited and also with the ones who didn't. Right? You need to let them know what happened and someone may need help getting back to the main road. Who has the GPS of life? Also, you probably want to get the group back together. So you communicate-with each other and with God.

Finally,if you were in the group that exited, you get back to the main road but the diversion off of the interstate helped you to slow down and the rain is letting up. What you really want to do now, is make it to the next rest stop...too much coffee or soda and too much stress.

You plan to meet at the next rest stop and regroup. A new strategy is put in place, to slow down or to deal with the problems and you get back on the interstate. You have to get back on the interstate if you want to get where you are going.

However, now that you have a plan and because you aren't speeding along you can deal with the semi trucks that are cutting you off or blocking your exit even if it starts to rain again. You know you can handle the situations that come up because even if you get lost, there are maps and friends to help you get back on track.

Last year, I saw a weather forecast and knew in my life the rain was coming. I didn't know about the hail but since I had watched the news I had already slowed down. The rain has been good for growth on many fronts and necessary. I don't really like the hail, though. I do know the storm will pass.

You may not be on the same road that I am on but likely you are on a parallel road and I want to share with you a few things I have learned this year.

It is ok to lead.
It is ok to get lost.
It is ok to follow.
It is ok to count costs.

But to get where you are going

Sometimes you need a map
Sometimes you need a friend
Sometimes you need to stop
Sometimes you need to start again.


May God's peace be with you.

JulieDD