Have you ever gotten lost?

I got lost last night. I was leaving the funeral parlor in Watertown after paying my respects to the family. I headed back the way I came but at the third light I saw a sign that pointed out a different way back to the highway.

I had to make a decision. Should I go back the way I came or follow the sign and discover a possible short cut. I felt like a little kid as I chose option two. I was up for a bit of an adventure. How could I go wrong?

Twenty five minutes and 16 miles later, I had to chuckle to myself. I had not only gotten lost but I ended up heading to Danbury instead of back to Hartford. I thought about the fact that too often we end up doing the same thing in other areas of our lives.

We think we know a short cut or a better way to get things done than the straight and narrow path God has laid out before us. We cut corners a little bit, tell a fib here or there. We push the envelope and try to squeeze our way into the places we want to be whether or not they are good for our soul. And when we get lost, we throw up our hands and ask why God let it happen.

The truth is that even though following the tried and true path may seem boring at times, we always get where we want to go. That's worth something. It also pleases God.

So next time I go awandering, I'm going to try and remember how I got lost this time. Maybe the ride home will look a little brighter.

Cal