Saturday, August 18, 2007

Lost and Found

I have a terrible fault.
I get lost – even when I know where I am going – my sense of directions is hopeless.

Today was an example.

I had plans this morning to meet my cousin, Lovella, and her friend Becky for lunch in honor of Jill who is visiting from Texas.
We were meeting at Minter Gardens which is not far from where I live. I had been there before but never driven on my own.
So I did what I have gotten in the habit of doing. I went to 'myTelus' and typed in the starting and destination addresses and printed out the directions.
I like the step by step directions given and also how long each step should take.

Doing a double precaution , I asked my husband if the directions were correct.
He glanced at it and thought I shouldn’t have a problem. I asked him how long it took to get to Minter Gardens and he said about 45 minutes. I checked my print-out instructions and they estimated 40 min. Pretty close.
So I thought I was good to go.

I left myself plenty of time to make sure I wouldn’t be late .
Everything was great until I got to the specified freeway exit 170.
I took the exit but then realized that nothing looked familiar. I quickly decided that driving around was getting me no-where.

I thought I better stop and ask for help. I wished I still had my cell phone but I had cancelled it a few months ago.
I stopped at a gas station and tried to call Lovella from a phone booth but the call was cut off after she said ‘Hello’. The booth kept my two loonies and all I had left was a toonie and it didn’t fit into the coin slot.

A lady was sitting in a car nearby waiting for someone so I walked over and asked her if she knew how to get to Minter Gardens. She didn’t.
I asked another couple and they were tourists and had no idea.
The gas station attendents were East Indian and hardly spoke English.
I passed a gentlemen and I asked if he was from the area and he said no but kindly offered to try to help me anyway. I told him I was looking for Minter Gardens and happily he knew where it was and gave me directions.

I finally arrived at Minter Gardens a half hour late to meet my friends who had been worrying that I had run into trouble!! Jill had suggested they pray and so they had!! Wonderful friends!!
Instead of the 15 minutes it should have taken me to drive from my house to Minter Gardens, it took me one and a half hours.

Those of you who know me, know that most of my experiences get turned into an object lesson. This one is an easy script !!

I may be unusual in the fact that I struggle to find my way around on this earth, but when it comes to finding the way from here to eternity I am the same as the rest of you -- we are all ‘challenged’ and everyone of us has gotten ‘lost’.

The distance between earth and heaven can be measured by a single breath but we all take considerably longer to get there. And while you may laugh at someone who takes an hour and a half to travel a distance that should only take fifteen minutes, most of us wander around in circles and dead ended detours for many years.
We follow instructions that seem right , we trust the ‘print out’.
For a time everything is great. We do not even know we are lost….but then there comes that defining moment where we recognize that something is wrong. Something is missing from our life – something important. We know we are heading in the wrong direction.

We begin to look for answers, for someone who can help us, give us the directions we need.
We try money, but quickly find that our money cannot buy eternal riches – it is useless- it just doesn’t fit into the ‘slot’.
We ask the people in our life…people who are close to us. But often they don’t have the answers either and they shake their heads with blank looks on their faces.

But we are getting desperate…. Finding the right way becomes the most important thing in our life….nothing else matters. We know that time is running out!

Perhaps we even try to pray…. More likely someone is praying for us!

And finally, someone comes into our life who has answers.
We listen and our heart responds.
We know the truth when we hear it !
How grateful we are when our feet are directed onto the right path.
Finally, we know where we are going…. And we know we will be welcomed when finally we arrive at our destination.

“All we like sheep have gone astray.
We have turned every one to his own way…
Repent and turn to God….
There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repents…
In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.
And this is the promise that He has promised us, even eternal life!!!”

(Is. 53:6, Acts 28:20, Luke 15:10, Prov. 3:6, I John 2:25)

I can’t resist posting some of the photos I took today before my batteries went dead!!
You can probably find Lovella’s or

Jill’s or Becky’s version of today on their blogs!
But here are a few of my pictures.

The first photo is the four of us....from left to right...Lovella, Becky, Jill, me (You can see I am also directionally challenged in height!! smile)








14 comments:

James Janzen said...

I'm sad to say that i am embarrassed to be related to you. :-( Nice save with the object lesson! :-)

Carolanne said...

I must admit that I got distracted from really taking in your devotional thought by the thought that in 4 months time, I'll get to meet you, Becky and Lovella. :)

Woohoo!

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Such a thoughtful blog - you always have such constructive things to say; I admire your ability to make a good lesson out of your experiences. And...what a delight to see those photos from your get together with Lovella, Becky and Jill.

Thanks also for your good wishes. I appreciate the blessing of knowing you, at least in Blogland!

Lovella ♥ said...

Oh Julie, you have no idea how happy I was to see you yesterday. I unlike your brother am not least embarrassed to say we are related. There are far worse characteristics that would cause a relative to wince. I know that your dear James is saying this tongue in cheek for no one absolutely no one could say that seriously.
Wasn't yesterday just wonderful?
Thank you so so much for plodding your way through the bad instructions, persevering and coming through in the end.

with love your proud cousin,

Anonymous said...

Great object lesson, as usual! I so enjoy them. Hey, have you ever seen a GPS ? My son has one and I think it would be a tremendous help to you. I was with my son in his car a while back, going to a place we had never been. He keyed in the address of the destination, and all the way there a voice gave us directions, like "turn right in 200 metres" and then just before the turn it said, "turn right". If we missed a turn, it would say, "recalculating" (it tracks you by satellite) and then told us where to turn on the new route! It was absolutely amazing, and I think you should ask for one for Christmas!
Elsie

Anonymous said...

julie......you are sooo cute, i never even noticed that you are "vertically challenged...:o)", how does the saying go, nice things come in little packages. i really enjoy reading your lessons and i must say that i have stolen a thought or two.........how nice that you had a wonderful day together.

Julie said...

Elsie, I have heard of a GPS - and I would love one...it would be a great Christmas present!! I'll put my order in early.

Lovella, yes, James was at least half tongue in cheek!!(hey, James?) but how sweet of you to defend me, and the 'proud of you' definitely goes both ways!!! Yes, yesterday was wonderful--it goes down in my favorite memories album!
And thank-you Sara and Charlotte for your kind encouragement and you can't steal from me,Charlotte, because I give you permission to use anything you like!!

I have reprimanded Carolanne in private so I don't have to do it publically -- imagine a teacher not paying attention to a lesson! even if she was distracted for a 'good' reason!!! LOL

Thank-you, one and all -- I love you and wish you very special blessings!!!

James Janzen said...

Of course i was just kidding! I love my sister and am always proud of her.

Hay Elsie! I'm trying to place you. I do remember the name but i'm having trouble with the face. I know I'm terrable, i would forget my mother if i didn't see her for 6 months. E-mail me a picture please!! jjanzen12@shaw.ca

Demara said...

Oh Julie...you and me both...are directionally challenged in height, but hey you ARE still taller than I, right? So that's good!!!

I'm glad you you found your way afterall.

Love you,
Demara

Carolanne said...

Thank you for admitting you've reprimanded me - despite my "good excuse"! I would like to add that I have since caught up and read your devotional thought - as usual, it was good. :)

I'll send you some "lines" shortly!

Crystal said...

Hello!!! I am a first time poster!!! I saw you from another person's blog!!! We have adopted a baby girl from Guatemala and we are in the midst of our second adoption --we are adopting a boy!!! I just love your blog!!! So sweet and thought provoking!!!!!

You can feel the love you have for Jesus and see his light all over your writing!!! Thank you!!! You inspire me!!!!!!! hugs to you from a fellow believer!!!!!!!!!

A Lady said...

I think I forgot to comment on your trip! What exquisite pictures! I was gasping aloud at the beauty! It is soooo good to be you! It sounds like you had a lovely holiday, and I am glad to hear that you are enjoying my mom. I love her to bits and pieces, and I enjoy sharing her. It's like we live vicariously through each others adventures, so I can't wait to see all the pictures! It is such a blessing that we can already see some of them so quickly!
Oh, and to the tune of Frank Sinatra, "Come fly with me..." I would be willing to come on any trip with you that involves a spacesuit! What a great treat!
When you meet me, you will see that compared to me, my MOM is vertically challenged! (and we are both directionally challenged too :)

James Janzen said...

I was waiting for a new blog but it doesn't seem to be forthcoming. Anyway: HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!! 42 years is like two life sentences with good behavior. :-)

Thoughts on Life and Millinery. said...

Happy Anniversary Julie! You do birthday and anniversary in the same month...August is just one big party eh?
I had a wonderful time meeting you in person, and shall always miss you whenever I am roaming around a rose garden; I will remember our day and think of you again.
Meanwhile, blogs and pictures will just have to do.