If you've never failed, you'll never succeed. Lee Iacacoa

 

Enjoy the Journey

 

On the way home from the Greater Washington Sunday School conference we decided to see the cliffs at Paxtuxent River, Maryland. It would be dark soon, so we knew we needed to hurry. My husband had heard it was a good place to find shark’s teeth. We crossed a stream, walked through the woods, down a trail, and over a road. We thought we would reach the cliffs any minute. Then we saw a trail sign. Cliffs 3 miles. Red Trail Cliffs 1.8 miles. Could we make the hike before it got dark? We talked as we walked. Could we do it? We passed marker after marker as we tried to decide. The sounds were wonderful. The peaceful silence and then the gurgle of the stream as it sloshed over rocks. The waterfalls demanded that we stop and listen, but Wayne hurried me. The water gurgled over a dam and then widened to form a large lake full of naked limbs, overgrowth and the stumps of dead trees. I had to stop. The ducks complained and flew away on squeaking wings. The swamp waters were too magnificent to hurry though. They quietly, peacefully urged their guest to rest here.

But Wayne had a mission—the cliffs. We hurried off the boardwalk and onto the trail. Through the mud, stumbling over roots and up the hills we raced to beat the oncoming darkness. The trail led to a road and then the cliffs. But a sign stood between the cliffs and us. “No trespassing. Landslide area. Extremely dangerous. “We could see the Chesapeake, but we couldn’t go to the cliffs. What a disappointment. I am so glad we had enjoyed the journey.

 

Life is like that. Sometimes we get the idea we will be happy when we reach a certain point in our lives. When the kids get grown, well do… When we get a certain position, we’ll… When we make a certain amount of money, we’ll… I believe it is important to plan ahead, but don’t miss the journey trying to get where your going. Enjoy the journey. Love people. Look around you. Look into people’s eyes. Listen to people. Seize the moment. Some opportunities don’t come back. 

Deadlines and a heavy speaking schedule had me overwhelmed. My son reminded me, Mom you need to relax. You need to do something you enjoy and get some of this pressure off your shoulders. While I enjoy ministry so much, he was right. I need to enjoy the journey. Don’t get so wrapped up in ministry that you forget to enjoy your heavenly Father, or that you forget to enjoy your family and what you are doing. It can happen in the middle of “doing” ministry. Take time to read your Bible. Take time to pray and just enjoy God.

   

Click here for more of this newsletter.