Travel memories

" Our lives are woven from a melody of calls that draw us out and help us to define ourselves."
David Spangler

What is it like to not know what direction to take? We each wander in this world, we wander and wonder. Are there times in your life when you are simply unsure what direction to take?

Have you ever been in a car with friends and everyone knew it was time to eat, everyone was hungry and wanted to stop. The driver asks where everyone wants to eat, where should they stop. A chorus of "I don't care", rises up from the car. Each time all are asked the same response is heard. Each time all are asked the conviction that they don't care gets louder, but the response is the same. The hunger has increased, the need has increased, but the clarity of where and what has not come. All at once the driver in sheer frustration and hunger pulls into the nearest restaurant. The decision has been made. Is it the best decision? Who is to say. What we do know is that the decision has been made. The decision has been made this time.

Are you the person that is sitting in a seat saying, I don't care, while being hungry and getting more and more frustrated. We have all been in this spot. When we think of words like Pilgrimage, journey, lent, discipline, each require the "right" action. Each require a very important decision. I would like to offer up the idea that each require a decision. But perhaps the most important action after that decision is saying, "yes". Is there a "right" answer to which restaurant? Will this be the last place that you will eat? Will there be things about this place that you really enjoy? There will be things about this place that you do not like,that don't meet your needs or expectations. But will the experience be different if we enter into it with an open mind, with the belief that we are grateful for the opportunity to be with friends, that we have the money to buy food, that we can be fed. Whether it is a commercial opperation with Golden Arches or a local eatery, does it remind us of a story, a place we may have visited before. I guess in reflection the point is that sometimes we don't make decisions, sometimes they are made for us, sometimes our work is to pay attention to the places we find ourselves. Sometimes the perfect place is right where we are.

What is it like to be the driver? Your insides are screaming for a decision to be made. You really want everyone to be happy, you feel responsible for the well- being and prehaps even the happiness of those around you. Making a decision can feel like a huge responsibility. What will happen if we make the "wrong" one? Where is the perfect restaurant that everyone will like? There are times when waiting and seeing is just the right thing. But there are times when we feel really called to make a choice, to lean in one direction or another. This is a strong and important part of who we are. Knowing who you are and what is important is central to being the instruments that God needs us to be. Caring about the well being and happiness of those around us is compassion and allows us to feel part of the larger family.

God calls us to be in different roles at different times. As we continue on this journey how can we discern where God is calling us today? Are you feeling hungry, lost and confused? If you are, know that your are not alone, you are one of many that sit, look, and wonder. Where should I go, what should I do, what do I want? Spend time with God today, allow yourself to be quiet and curious. Allow your brain and heart the permission to just take an action. Pay attention and be mindful of where you are.

If God is calling you to be in the drivers seat, where are you longing to go? What do you feel the pull of? What is holding you back from moving forward, of making a decision? Are you worried some won't like your decision, are you worried it won't be right for some? Spend time with God today. Allow those questions to surface, allow them to surface without judgment.

As we continue our travels, let us always be mindful of the grace and peace that comes from the all loving, all powerful God. Let us give thanks for this day, for the chance to slow down and be with God, with ourselves, and those in the world around us. Let us pay attention today to God's grace in our lives.

God speed in your travels today.