Washed Out Road

God, Inspiration, trust, patience

The area we stopped in for the night was under a heavy rainfall advisory.

The forecast for the areas we’d be traveling in over the next couple of days didn’t look good so we decided an early start in the morning would be our best option for getting ahead of the weather.

Long before daylight we were on the road again. An hour later, we came to a complete standstill. All we could see in the darkness was a long line of tail lights ahead of us.

We turned the motor off and waited for things to start moving again. The night faded into morning light. A cold wind permiated the van and we got blankets from the back to wrap around us.

When we heard a washout had occurred ahead, we knew we could be there for hours. Since there was nothing we could do but wait, we decided to make ourselves comfortable. We moved to the back of the van, turned the furnace on and relaxed. After playing a couple of games of cribbage we made lunch.

Instead of stressing about the delay, I wondered what God was protecting us from by holding us back. We were safe, warm and had food, water and a bathroom so knew He was taking care of us. Later we learned of jackknifed semis and multiple accidents due to icy roads.

Almost five hours later a police car came by to announce the road was open to one lane traffic and we could proceed. I was surprised to find that the actual washout was 140 km from where we had been stopped.

This situation reminded me how God uses what I think of as delays in my life. He provides what I need to stay safe while He works to clear the road in front of me. Sometimes the work is done much farther ahead than I realize.

My role is to be patient and trust that God has everything under control.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,and lean not on your own understanding ” Proverbs 3:5 NLT

Yellow Brick Road

Inspiration, adventure, travel
Not the yellow brick road

On our travels this summer, my husband and I passed a street sign for Yellow Brick Road.  When I pointed it out, he asked if we should see where it led. I quickly assessed the distance we still needed to travel that day before saying, “No.”

My phone was charging so I wasn’t even able to take a picture of the sign.

For days afterward I was upset with myself. If I learned anything from the movie, The Wizard of Oz, it was to follow the yellow brick road!

I had the chance but didn’t take it. We were far from home and not going to be passing that way again so the opportunity was forever lost.

i wonder how many opportunities I’ve missed because I was focused on somewhere else I thought I needed to be. The only way I can create value in this is to be aware of and willing to follow the roads that are of interest to me. Who knows what adventures I may find?

Now I ask you to please do me a favour. If you are in the vicinity of Thunder Bay, Ontario and see the sign for Yellow Brick Road, please follow it and let me know where it took you.

 

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