Ready for Travel

This morning Dean woke up with the distinct feeling that he was going somewhere. He insisted on getting totally dressed, which included jeans over his pajama bottoms, two T-shirts, street shoes, and even two hats and eyeglasses. With  a snowstorm approaching today, I was totally alarmed at his determination to venture out on his own.

It was obvious it was one of those vivid dreams he'd been having, so I did all I could to forestall and talk him out of his plans. We had an omelet, I read something for worship and then put on some religious music he requested, all the while trying to reason with him gently about the nature of his longing to leave. By mid-morning, he seemed to settle down and it felt like he was not venturing out, at least for now.

I tried to convince him that getting ready to leave was just as important as leaving. And that we needed to stay together. It wouldn't be right for him to leave without me. Any argument I could think of. But all day he has kept his cowboy hat and two Bibles on the kitchen table, right by the front door.

At least I am comforted by the Bibles that his destination is heavenly and not worldly. Unfortunately, many of us think we're headed in a heavenly direction too, but in actuality we are headed right out for the traps of the world.

Oh, Lord, help me to be ready to follow you in the paths of righteousness, for His name's sake. We all need to be ready, but may our journey be in the right direction, away from Satan's traps.

Road Trip

Today I drove with someone to a friend's house, but neither of us was sure of the way to get there. We knew the highway we would need, even the name of the small town. But other than that, memories were fuzzy about the exact directions that would lead to our destination.

Thanks to our cell phone we were able to call the friend midway there and get reassurance that we were headed in the right direction. It was a bit embarrassing though to discover we had started out in the wrong direction, so it had meant a few unneeded miles of driving. But the closer we got there, the more familiar it was and the easier it was to actually locate the house we were looking for. How nice it was to finally get there and see this friend again.

This is so much like our journeys with God. Sometimes the beginning of the trip to heaven is shaky and unpredictable till we are actually on the highway of life headed in the right direction. But even then we need to be reassured by God along the way. The closer we get to this heavenly home, the easier it is to recognize familiar landmarks. And the journey is always well worth the effort to get there.

The Way Home

I was thrilled when someone I knew years ago asked me "out of the blue" to edit his book. Through the process I have felt that providence sent me this task, because the book seems tailormade to several people in my life who are looking for the answers this book provides.

Its title will be "The Way Home" and I will let everyone know when it becomes available. I think it will greatly enrich the spiritual walk of many Christians. I know it has mine already.

We are all on a journey and our paths do not cross haphazardly when we commit our lives to God. For me, I feel all events in my life are God-planned. That is such a comforting thought, especially when heartaches arrive. I may not know all the "why's" and "how's", but there is a Being out there who does..."And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God..." Romans 8:28