Not just Sidetracked, but Derailed

I probably need to clarify the blog explanation next to the title--about not going where I think God is leading. More accurately, I would say God is not always leading me where I think he is. I have found He often uses detours to give some skills I need for where I am actually being led. It’s like the expression: “If you want to hear God laugh, make a plan.”

I am pretty detailed about planning trips so we can get the most out of our time. With many years of going to Disney World and always reading the tour books for new tips, I had quite a system down. Even at that, I knew structure had to be balanced with flexibility. You can’t let a glitch in the road spoil the fun. Consider the re-routing an adventure and go with it. It would be a shame to be like the family who had their Italy trip changed to Holland, and their disappointment kept them from enjoying the beauty that was Holland. Yes, my family and friends consider me a Pollyanna who always sees an opportunity for positive in every situation. We’ll explore that later.

Some of the best things that have happened were not planned and some may have thought at the time that I was not just sidetracked, but off-track. An example would be walking into my dorm suite to be intrigued by a friend of my new roommate’s boyfriend. I had been in a relationship for 6 years with an unofficial engagement and wedding date for the following December. It turns out I married this new intriguing guy 35 years ago. I’d say this turned out to be a successful derailment from my original plan.