Growth

A Road Often Travelled


As is common in Southern California, I commute to work. As is uncommon in Southern California, my drive goes against traffic, which means, that although my car accumulates mileage much faster than cars across the rest of the nation, my drive is much more pleasant than most of other commuters. What this also means, is that it is very easy to relax on my way to work. In doing so, there are times that my attention to my surroundings is lacking. More than once I’ve been driving along, and I look around, surprised at where the journey has already taken me. (Before you get concerned, I do pay attention to the cars and other objects in proximity to me; I just don’t always pay attention to the landscape.) Less frequently, there have also been times when I’ve noticed my surroundings and asked myself “wait, am I on the right road?” It seems to be a place that I’ve never been before even though its part of my regular commute. A few seconds later, I’ll realize this and wonder how I could have gotten so confused to begin with.

The cause of all this uncertainty is that when I’m on a familiar path, my attention tends to wander. I think I know where I’m going so I don’t have acknowledge the signs and the signals as I must when it’s a place I’ve never been before. I relax in my commitment to awareness and as a result I find myself asking, “Wait, where am I?”

As a long-time Christian, this also happens in my walk with God. When I get comfortable, when I get complacent, I stop paying attention to the signs and the signals along the way. My commitment to diligent watching fades and I get to a place where I ask “How did I get here?” and “Wait, where am I?” I think I’m on the right road and hit cruise, only to have my attention called to an unfamiliar sight and I must question whether I am in fact, walking the intended path. Thinking I’ve been down the road before, I neglect the practices that got me safely there to begin with.

This is no good thing. Just like driving is a “privilege not a right” a close walk with God is not a guarantee, even for believers. We must continuously do those things that make us aware of how God is leading. Even on familiar paths, we must pay attention to His directions. Otherwise, we may find ourselves in a place where we look around, surprised, and ask “Are we on the right path?” and regret the answer.

Continue Reading

Growth Relationships

Two dogs, a girl, and a lesson


Having two small dogs is full of adventures. Having grown up with only big dogs, it takes a while to get used to the quirks of 2 dogs that combined weigh just over 20 pounds. Although I was never a fan of small dogs when I was younger, I’ve grown to love my two companions. Goose and Maverick live up to their names on a daily basis; Goose is very silly and Maverick likes to get away with whatever he can. They aren’t exactly like their Top Gun namesakes, but they are entertaining nonetheless.

One of the oddities about having small dogs is that when you walk them you can use a connector to join their two harnesses together. This way you only have to carry one leash and the dogs can calmly walk side-by-side each other. That’s the theory at least. My dogs, again living up to their names, like to do the exact opposite of what’s intended. Although they’ve gotten the hang of both walking the same direction if they meet an obstacle, almost without fail, they will choose to try to go around it in completely opposite ways. Even when they are both going to the same place, they battle over which side of the sidewalk they will choose to walk on. One of the dogs (Goose) weighs nearly twice the other, so he usually wins, but that doesn’t keep Maverick from making his position known. And so their stubborn wills cause an untold number of mishaps and reprimands as we strive to get towards our destination.

Recently, it occurred to me that my dogs’ desires to have their own way has a lesson for me as well. You see, just as my dogs are thethered together when they walk, I have made a commitment to walk life’s journey alongside a wonderful man…my husband. However, my commitment to him isn’t momentary, but life-long. So, just as with my dogs, it’s important that we are walking in the same direction. However, equally important is that when we encounter an obstacle, we go around it together. Sure we could each struggle to get our own way, and maybe eventually we would get to the same spot on the path, but when we both take the course and the bumps side-by-side, the journey is so much sweeter for each of us.

What’s true in my relationship with my husband is also true in our relationships with God. He wants us to walk with Him on our journey, not struggle for our own way. He wants us to be tethered so tightly to Him that we view obstacles from His perspective, and combat them accordingly. When we put our faith and trust in Him, knowing that He knows the way, we can rest assured that we will arrive at our desired destination. And we can do so, without struggling to ensure our own position and demands.

I sometimes doubt that my dogs will ever completely learn how to walk calmly when they are tethered together. However, there are two other dogs in the neighborhood that give me hope. They walk in partnership – seeing each obstacle as their obstacle; seeing each break in the path as one they will walk together. May I approach my relationship with my spouse in the same way. And even more so, my relationship with God.

**Bonus points to any reader who can name the TV show that provided the inspiration for the title of this blog. 🙂

Continue Reading