Changing Lanes

Hi Friends!  It's so good to land here again.  I've been away for a while working on a cookbook and writing a good bit on Facebook, but I came back today to share a couple of thoughts and a funny story for you.  I hope you enjoy them and that they will speak to your heart today.

Here's the funny -- On Mondays, I have 2 sessions of voice instruction at a local Performing Arts Center in my home town - one at 4 and the other one at 5. Before leaving to go, I checked the weather map and read that the severe storms that were in West Alabama would likely just be "light" showers by the time they reached Central Alabama -- soooo, at 4:30 when my first session ended - 2 sweet dance students knocked on the studio door asking if I was the lady with the convertible - and warned that it was about to rain...I explained that there wasn't much I could do about it and they looked at me so funny (as most of you know the top to my convertible is stuck in the "top down" position and most days this is such a non-issue") Well, needless to say, the storms weren't light showers - and by the time my 2nd session ended, I was getting pretty interesting looks as I strolled out of the studio to go to my car. One sweet lady said, "Oh honey, your beautiful car...you're going to get so wet...I told her - oh well, there's a silver lining to every cloud - my car needed washing, I have a chance to cool off and y'all can pray I don't get struck by lightning! She just laughed and said - I sure will!! So I get out to my car, and yes, the seats were wet, it was still raining (not hard though) but most of the "stuff" in the car was not much more than damp.  I started to open up my umbrella and drive with it over my head but thought, you know, people are going to think I'm nuts for driving in the rain with the top down - why give them more ammunition!  So, instead, I turned on the heated seats, defrost and headed home.  Yes, there were plenty of strange looks as I drove home and yes, I was wet and it was still raining.  There were even a couple of flashes of lightning - and for the first time in my memory, I actually heard thunder across the sky above me and it sounded like fireworks popping.  But I arrived home safely, and had a chance to wipe several layers of pollen off my seats and car for the first time since Spring arrived.  It was pretty funny - but truly, there is a silver lining in every cloud - and if that sweet lady did pray for me - her prayers were answered!  :)

Funny how driving seems to be the focus of my writing lately -- I don't know if it's because I'm driving a lot or I'm just thinking about journeys more.  Probably a little of both.  The title of my blog today comes from a post that I wrote on Facebook this past week.  It's something that has stuck with me and I just felt like I needed to share it in this format today.  Here goes:  

Changing lanes...sometimes God asks us to take a step of faith and that step produces more questions...another challenge to seek Him...He says, change lanes (move out of your thought process and into Mine) and in doing so, He reveals more of Himself...changing lanes can produce clearer vision or present roadblocks...but if it's done in obedience, then the road block may just be an opportunity to know Him better.

How often in our lives do our circumstances unexpectedly change - no matter how it comes it's an opportunity to seek the Lord and get to know Him better.   Seasons change, people come in and out of our lives, aging, sickness and death are part of living and wrecks, traffic jams and road blocks are certain whether real or metaphoric.  The One Who never changes is God - isn't it wonderful to know that in all these circumstances, challenges and relationships, there is one constant that we can depend our lives upon...Jesus.

Have you experienced a traffic jam, road block, wreck in your life causing a need to change lanes?  Are you experiencing frustration in the "slow lane" or has the "fast lane" worn you down where it's time for a "rest stop"?  Do you need to take your car (body, mind, spirit) in for service so you run more efficiently?  Maybe it's time to take a new route altogether or make a U-turn and head back home...whatever the case, if traffic in your life is causing restlessness in your spirit, it's likely that it's time to change lanes.

In my own life, traffic was bumpy but moving steadily but a road block caused me to change lanes, I see clearer...but I'm turning a corner and can't see what's ahead - but He can and that's all that matters.

May you be blessed and encouraged today and always!! Until next time...don't fear driving in the rain!! :)  Love ya!  Amy