Let me just say - I printed out the directions! Two people in the car had GPS on their phones. We've gone lots of places before and my daughter's phone will kindly tell me things like "two more miles and then turn left" - well, her old phone did that. Seems this new, far more expensive model doesn't talk to you like the old one did. Neither did my friend's phone. You had to read the map and figure out what it meant on that tiny little screen. But like I said - I had printed directions!
After driving for well over and hour and a half, I started to question ALL our directions! It was about then that my friend said according to her GPS we were now headed the wrong way. WHAT? Time to turn around, call our friends and try to find the place the old fashioned way - with verbal directions!
It took a while to get someone on the phone....those smart phones we carry with us EVERYWHERE had been put on a counter somewhere so no one was answering our call. Finally, we got another friend at the party on the phone. The laughing on the other end of the phone made it obvious, we were now the object of conversation and jokes. It was okay - by now we were all laughing our heads off too!
When my friend got her husband on the phone to give directions, he was super apologetic and started to give me really good, detailed directions. The problem with that was, I was driving and I'm ADHD - I can only handle so much information at once before it all becomes blah, blah, blah. I got him to narrow it down to one thing - where was the turn I was supposed to be looking for? He told me the town it was in (that would have REALLY been helpful in the original directions - but the map neglected to tell me that part and I've already mentioned that the phones weren't "talking" to us.
Thankfully, we finally found our way to the party (after almost 3 hours in the car!) We refrained from going in, giving them our gifts, going to the bathroom, and then asking for a "to-go" box! Once we settled in and laughed with everyone at our misdirection, we had a really good time.
Of course, almost nothing happens in my life without my mind taking a detour to a random thought. Actually, what is funny is that the conversation my friend and I had been having on the trip was about missed chances. I had actually made a reference to something I'd once read where they compared the Holy Spirit to God's GPS...and when we miss a turn, it says "recalibrating" and still gets us to where we're supposed to be, just with a few more "scenic details" involved.
By the time we got back home, I realized I have been missing more than a few turns - and I'm not talking about in the car. I have been missing opportunities left and right! Inside, I wanted to just stop and cry. I had a bad case of the mully-grubs....and I kept thinking about that missed turn.
I'm trying to remember that God isn't surprised when I get distracted or don't understand and miss a turn. He's already got a plan to turn me around and get me where I need to be. I just do best when I can "hear" that I'm off track. Sometimes it's from that gentle voice inside; sometimes it's from the kind words of a friend....sometimes it's because I run into a "wall" and figure it out for myself. I'm just thankful that no matter how He does it, He loves me enough to give me another chance.
Today I find myself "recalibrating" and trying to figure out where I missed a turn so I can get back into the direction God wants for me.
So how's your summer going?
Isaiah 30:21
New International Version (NIV)
21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
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