When the band and I are rehearsing, we inevitably have to stop because someone didn't follow what we call the "road map". The road map is a map of the progression of the song; for example: V1, C, V2, C, C would be verse 1, chorus, verse 2, chorus, chorus. I'm probably the world's worse follower of the road map. Our bass player will attest to that because he is probably the world's best follower and the one who pushes the rest of us to take the road map seriously. And we should take it seriously, because it tells us where we've been and where we are going. It tells us how many times to repeat a line, verse or chorus. It tells us whether to do it quietly or what we call "full out" and keeps us from getting lost. Even more importantly, our media techs follow the road map when they put the words on the screen for everyone to follow. So, needless to say, it is crucial that we follow the road map.Where is the road map for my life? This map would show each turn, each step and the end result of each road. Wouldn't it be easier to choose a direction if you could see exactly what would take place on that particular road ahead of time?! Using this map would make it much easier to avoid the detours in life that waste our time and roads that end in danger and loss. We could avoid choosing the wrong career, partner, house, car, school. It would be so easy, so obvious which road to take! I don't mean a vague, "here are the 10 commandments, follow those and your life will be great" kind of road map. I mean specific, intentional, turn by turn directions for every decision we must face.
There would be no character building trials, no lessons learned, no ups because there would be no downs. Uncertainty, however exhausting and frustrating is a necessity. I am uncertain about my career choice, my business decisions, my income, my health and even what to make for dinner! Although sometimes I feel like I can't make a decision by myself, I guess I'm glad for the not-knowing. I'm glad for the conversations with my friends about the possibilities. I'm even glad for the ups and downs.A road map for life might take away the uncertainty, but it would also take away the things that make us who we are; courage, fellowship, inter-dependence, ambition and the mystery that makes being on this earth worth it!
So true Melody. To know every detail before hand would make the journey hollow.
ReplyDeleteBTW, the cartoon you posted at the first can be read two ways. The sign the guy is looking at could be read NOwhere, or it could read NOWhere. If we are always convinced that we need to somewhere else, we miss the joy of being in the here.
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I wonder if we had that perfect road map for our lives if we would be willing to change our direction and go another way when God taps us on the shoulder with a request to go another way to help someone in need. So many times I have had my plans all set for a particular day and then God taps me on the shoulder and says Nancy I need you to do something for me and there goes my perfectly plan. If we all had life so perfect and everything went just as we planed, we never took that alternative route and just stayed the perfect course I would hate to think how mundane my life would be. I never have been good at reading and following maps anyway.
ReplyDeleteFred, I thought that cartoon was funny just because of that! That is part of the lesson in being present in the moment. So many times I'm thinking ahead so much that I'm NOWHERE and I'm certainly not Now Here!
ReplyDelete"I once was lost, but now I'm found". Having a road map for life would take our need to lean on our heavenly Father out of the equation wouldn't it? Even with a map we would still be "lost" without a redeamer
ReplyDeleteJean
Michael McAnally April 5 at 6:47pm Report
ReplyDeleteThis is great Melody,
I asked a friend to go to Florida one year for Bike week. Much to my amazement he said yes right away! I said well, I will get some things together and we can leave tomorrow. "What kind of things" he said. Well you know things like booking a room you know things like that. He said "well Mike you have money right"? "Yea" I said. well What else do we need? other than cloths? lets leave now and we will get what we need as we go. That trip to Daytona was one of the best times I ever had. Yea we ran into problems but I will never forget the great time we had! I could write a book about that trip.