Wednesday, March 14, 2007

A Delayed Arrival Home

Last night, it took me an extra 20 minutes to get home. MDOT was working on the I-55 entrance ramps. The frustrating part is, there was no signage alerting you to the closed ramps. I turned to get onto the ramp I normally use in downtown only to see the large arrow blinking showing that the ramp was closed, which would've forced me to go south instead of north. I turned around and drove down to High Street. When I got in front of Herrin Gear, there were cones blocking the entrance to I-55 there. I turned around and drove down to Fortification Street. When I got to the I-55 ramp, there was a sign saying to use an "alt route", but the blinking sign was literally at the entrance ramp to I-55 and I couldn't see it until I got right up on it. I turned around and drove down to Woodrow Wilson and was able to get on there. It took me driving through downtown for 20 minutes (at 11pm no less & by myself) to find a place to get onto I-55.

That's alittle bit like life sometimes. There are places you "think" you're going, only to get stopped right before you make the turn. You make an adjustment and try to move in a different direction and find you're stopped there, too. The frustrating part about it all is you had no idea these roadblocks would delay your plans because there was no indication of a life change for you.

The good part is God always knows where we're headed. When we don't know, He holds the road map, the last minute changes and the alternate routes we can take to get there. Jonah in the Bible experienced something like that. God told Jonah to go to Ninevah, but Jonah had other plans. Jonah ended up running from God's plans only to get swallowed by a whale. He finally relented and followed God's plan for his life.

God has a Ninevah for our life. We can take the long way around and try to run from His plan, or we can go straight there, bypassing all of the lane changes and bumpy roads.

5 comments:

KeithAR2002 said...

I know what you mean about no signs ahead of time (in both cases). They were pull that mess at the I55 exits back in November, when I was still living in the area. Maybe the state can't afford to put warning signs up?

Life is like the weather. One can't forecast with 100% certainty what will happen. I think of my life as like trying to predict winter weather in the south... things just happen by surprise, with no warning! It seems when I do predict that something is going to happen, it doesn't. Things happen when we least expect them to happen (much like winter weather in the south!)

April said...

Yeah, see, I'm petrified to drive on I55 anyway but that would make me frustrated if I went through that many road blocks. I know every back route from Florence to Madison. Well, for the most part. I know back routes all the way to County Line. I map out back routes just to avoid the interstate. And it works.

Life just loves to throw me curveballs. But I've learned that it is not life that has thrown the curveball; it's God sending me what I love to call "Faith Challenges" just to see if I can handle it. Very often, I try and put the blame on someone else when things don't go my way. But I have to stop and think, "Wait a minute. This isn't anybody elses fault this is happening. God is testing me." It's little "Faith Challenges" that keep mine and God's relationship so strong.

Barbie Bassett said...

Well said, Keithar and April!

kathy said...

Barbie:
I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed your website. I look forward each day to seeing what you have to say. Thanks for all you do!

And, about your delayed arrival home...my husband is the assistant chief engineer at MDOT and I let him know about your trouble getting home. He apologizes and says that the I=55 project should be finished soon.

But, your problem reminded me of another story in the Bible. Hosea, chapter 1 and 2, talks about how the Lord told Hosea to marry a 'harlot' so he did. He married Gomer and hoped that she would change her ways. In fact, every time that she tried to do something she shouldn't, God put up a hedge or wall until finally the only way she could turn was back to her husband. Isn't that what God tries to do for us...keep us from making the wrong turn in life, doind things we shouldn't, etc? Sometimes we need those roadblocks to see what it is that GOd is really trying to show us :)

Barbie Bassett said...

Kathy, tell your husband "thanks" for working so hard in getting the MDOT I-55 project hurried! I know he gets just as many complaints about that as I do about the weather.

I also read Hosea 1 and 2 and saw exactly what you said. God has a way of confirming His ways!