Journey?

"a. The act of traveling from one place to another; a trip. b. A distance to be traveled or the time required for a trip."

Journey.

To say this has been an "interesting journey" thus far would imply that I'm farther along whatever path it is that I'm supposed to be traveling on.

For whatever reason  that thought brings "The Wiz" to mind: "ease on down, ease on down the ro-oad! Come on and  ease on down, ease on down the ro-o-oad, Don't you carry nothin' that might be a load, come on ease on down ease on down the ro-oad!"

At 55, been lotsa road traveled on, some of it "easy" , but, frankly most of it not so easy.

While the "easy" times have given pauses that refresh - I truly believe that the difficult times (even the NW Indiana POT HOLES!!!)  have given me so much more appreciation for the value of the "Journey" in the first place.

Having the opportunity to:

        trust, lean-on, develop faith, overcome, dive-in, stick with it, seek wise counsel, pray, hope, long for, seek  (etc!)

makes the FINDING so much sweeter... develops life-muscles that help prepare me for NEXT AND, in turn, give me life experience that, hopefully, can be used to encourage another!

So  - be encouraged!

It's known that without the struggle  a  caterpillar goes through as it works hard to emerge from its crysalis as a butterfly    - the creature would not have the strength to survive!  It would shortly die. (if the crysalis were opened by an outside source)

The STRUGGLE provides the strength it needs to journey out and on...

Unlike the Wiz (ease on down) we can find our encouragement knowing we are not alone during every season in our lives - the good times, the rough times... there is One with us in our struggle - carrying our load with us and for us and helping us:

   Matthew 11:28-30           Come to me you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.         Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

James 1: 2-5    Consider it pure joy my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish the work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

 

All in all, yes, I am on a Journey. I am not where I began, and I am not "there yet"   - and so while traveling on -  the discoveries of self, the revelations of the character of Who this One who created me, who knows me, loves me, calls me His own ( who HE IS) - drives me ,moves me, PROPELS me forward,  gathering loved ones as I go - as we go.

So, I am grateful for the journey - lumps and bumps and all !

(still not a fan of the pot holes:)

 

Copyright 2011 J. Allen G.