my experiences

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Be Open To Something New

“Be Open”, from time to time I will repost an article from the past. This post is from June 2016. Enjoy.

Yesterday my daughter got me to try something new, and that’s pretty amazing. What’s even more amazing is that it was food.

be open to something new

When your kids are young, you are constantly coaxing, encouraging, coercing them to try new and different things. To just be open to them.

As they grow up, you do it so much that you never think there will be a time when the shoe is on the other foot. 

I have to admit, I’ve had to take a few fashion tips from my son, and he’s gotten me to watch the odd movie he recommended. 

But the other night was something else. It involved eating and I’m pretty set in my ways when it comes to that.

I think it goes back to the days when my mother tried to feed me squash for dinner. It seemed to be a staple in our house, like once a week at the very least. 

I alway refused, but there was alway a tiny pile of it on my plate, with the understanding that there would not be dessert without the downing of the squash. 

I tried to hide the flavour by mixing it into other foods like potato, but the taste always made me shiver as it went down.

As hard as my Mom tried, and as often as she persisted, to this day I don’t eat squash. 

I don’t eat guacamole either. Well, maybe I shouldn’t be so hasty …

Lily and I were on our way to Toronto for me to catch a plane the next day. We were staying the night at our daughter Karlie’s home.

Normally when we get there, we go out to eat or order in. Karlie does cook but there never seems to be any food in the house when we arrive. I’m not positive, but maybe it’s just a ploy to get a free meal. 

This trip, however, we left late so I thought we would just get fast food on the way. Not this time. Karlie apparently had food for us. 

Still, we weren’t going to get there until nearly 8 pm, and since I was hungry when we left home, I thought about just passing on her offer this time. 

But there was something about the offer that gave me the impression she would be disappointed if we didn’t eat there. So I said we’d be there for dinner, and hit the gas pedal.

I told myself, be open.

Well, Karlie is into this clean eating thing. I don’t really know what that means … I’m pretty sure Lily washes the food we eat too. 

When we got there, to my surprise, the bbq was on and the chicken was smelling pretty good. I’d been waiting so long to eat, I almost had to catch myself from salivating down my chin.

We were having chicken tacos which is not a stretch for me at all. I like hitting up Taco Bell for some grub sometimes. But this was a little different. 

The tacos were basically chicken, red cabbage and that’s it. I thought maybe I needed some hot sauce or something, but there was none. The only thing to put on for flavour was guacamole. 

But I don’t eat guac! However, since there was nothing else, and with a little coaxing from Lily, I tried it. 

Crazy thing! – it was pretty good. … Look at that, me trying something new my daughter suggested. 

Here’s the thing: Don’t get so stuck in your ways spiritually, that if God were to move you to try something new, you won’t do it. Always be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit in your life.

That’s life!

Paul

Question: What’s something new you’ve recently tried? Leave your comment below.

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Being A User Versus Being A Maintainer

I am a user, because I’m better at using things than I am at taking care of things. Is there anyone out there who’s like me?

being a user verses being a maintainer

When I was growing up, my mother thought my brother and I should go into the wrecking business when we grew up. We were so good at it.

Some people are very good at maintaining things. They care for their lawns, their cars, and maintain all the necessary things in their homes. 

But I’m not wired up that way. I was built to use things. I don’t have time to care for things because after I have used them, I’m on to something else.

The truth is, I like the idea of caring for my things. … I would really like to have a car that sparkles all the time, but I’m too busy using it to take the time to make it sparkle. 

I chalk it up to my genes. This propensity to care for things or to just use things comes to us from our parents and their parents before them.

I figure my user mentality has just been passed down to me. 

The upside to my bent on life is that I get to enjoy a lot of things. The downside is when they break down they end up costing me more … more time to fix them or more money to get them repaired. 

I kind of do that with my cars. I’d never own a car until it became an antique. It just wouldn’t last that long for me. 

Unfortunately, I discovered this week that I also do that with my bike.

Over the last year I’ve broken the chain on my bike at least twice – maybe three times, I can’t remember. 

If it happens once, it’s no big deal, but if it keeps happening, there’s something wrong. 

This week I took my bike in to get a tune-up and a new chain.  

When the mechanic looked at my bike, he said “Man, look at those rear chain rings! I’m surprised you haven’t broken your neck!”

I figured from that comment that I’d be purchasing new rear chain rings. 

He didn’t like the look of my front chain ring either. And my rear derailleur was pretty worn. 

The bottom line was my bike was a mess. 

My mechanic called me later and said my front brake rotor was all bent too and should be replaced. 

I replied, “just put in on the tab”.

A few days later, he called me back to tell me my bike was all ready to go – ready for me to use it again, that is. 

The bill was pricey. Some people would spend as much as I paid to buy a new bike from Canadian Tire. 

When I got it home, I vowed that I was going to take care of my bike from now on. 

But who am I kidding? I’m a user and it’s tough to break old habits. 

Here’s the thing: Some people care more about the set up when relating to God. They need the  proper things to be in place to ensure their time with God will be optimal. Other people just focus on meeting with God. It may be different each time and sometimes it might be messy. But the thing is, there is no right or wrong way to meet with God. Figure out how you best relate to Him and make it happen.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: Are you someone who cares for things or just uses them? Leave your comments and questions below.

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Flashback To Something I’d Like To Forget

I’ve been having a flashback lately and it scares me from moving forward.

flashback to something I'd like to forget

Recently we completed a couple of projects in our basement. We put new flooring in our downstairs bathroom and added rubber flooring mats throughout our workout room. 

This was all well and good, but there is still one more step in order to be finished with these projects: I have to put three doors back on their hinges. 

It’s not that hard a task. But, because of the height of the new flooring, I have to cut the bottoms off each of the doors. 

That’s what has caused my flashback. 

I’ve been sleeping restlessly lately. Maybe our bedroom has been too hot, but the real reason could be that I’m dreading having to cut these doors.

You see, I have some history with these doors. I was the one who originally hung them in the first place. I was the one who cut the bottoms of the doors off when they were first installed.

And in those days I was having issues with sharp objects.

In a short period of time I cut myself for stitches twice! The worst time was when I was cutting off the bottom of one of these doors. 

There were a couple of things working against me then: I didn’t have the proper saw and I didn’t have the doors lying flat on a table or workbench of some kind. 

Instead, I held the end of the door up with one hand and sawed it with my other. It was not stable at all. 

The saw I was using was a keyhole saw which had a thin, tapered, toothy blade. 

Well, with the instability, the blade easily found my finger – the base of my index finger on my left hand. 

There was blood everywhere. Three ceiling panels were ruined with blood splatter that could have made it on the set of a CSI television show. 

I couldn’t stop the bleeding, so I had to hold my finger with my other hand while Lily drove me to the hospital. 

I got about seven stitches and the doctor was stunned that I hadn’t cut the tendon that was right close to the cut. 

All in all, I haven’t forgotten that incident. 

So as I’m anticipating having to cut the bottoms off of three doors – one of them being the very door I went to the hospital over – ya, I’m having a flashback. 

What I have going for me this time, though, is more tools to get the job done … and I have quite a few of them now. 

My most recent weapon is an oscillating multi-tool. This tool has come in really handy cutting off the bottoms of the door moulding. 

That tool is not going to work on the doors themselves, but now I have a circular saw. So with the circular saw and a firm base to work on, I should be able to keep the cuts just on the doors.

Here’s the thing: Though sins that we repeat over and over are difficult to deal with, try using some new tools to keep you from those sins. Intentionally guard and protect your circumstances and settings to keep you from giving in to the temptation to sin. When you do, you’ll also eliminate the flashbacks and be able to move forward. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What causes a flashback for you? Leave your comments and questions below. 

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Cheered In Such An Unexpected Way

It’s true, I have now been officially cheered up … after having been officially saddened.

cheered in such an unexpected way

… The Toronto Maple Leafs’ loss in game 7 to Montreal was particularly hard to take this year. There was more expectation for the team than ever before. They finished first in their division in I don’t know how long. They were the favourite to come out of the North Division.

So when the Leafs lost to the Habs, I felt a crushing in my spirit. I had a sadness that went deep and didn’t want to leave. 

But the other day I had my sadness lifted. It happened quickly and completely unexpectedly.

Team Canada won the IIWHF World Championships! 

And what cheered me so much about this win was how they did it. 

They were not favoured to win. My wife, Lily, had asked me who was on the team and I had replied, “You won’t know anyone.” There were only a few names I knew. No superstars on this team. 

Early on the team didn’t look good at all. They lost their first three games – a first for Canada.

It was ugly; they looked ugly.

One of our play-by-play announcers was interviewed on Swedish television and was asked if he was embarrassed by Team Canada. 

Team Canada went on to record 4 losses in the round robin portion of the tournament. 

It didn’t look good.

To get into the medal round, Team Canada needed a combination of a tie in regulation in their last game and two other teams deciding their games in regulation. 

It was a nail biter, but miraculously Canada managed to squeak into the quarter finals.

And from there the competition would just get more intense. This team that snuck into the playoff round had to face Russia and then the USA. 

It was a daunting task.

But Canada started to come alive and beat both those teams to make it to the gold medal game. 

The unthinkable had happened. How did they turn it around?

Who knows, but one Russian player commented, “Somehow when Canadians put on the Team Canada jersey they get better.”

Canada trailed Finland twice in the gold medal game, but tied it up both times. The game went to overtime and about six minutes in Canada scored to win the gold. 

Canada is the first team to ever start the World Tournament 0-3 and finish as champions. And no team in IIHF history at any top-level event has ever won gold after losing four games. 

Well, Canada did it with a bunch of guys you’ve never heard of, and a few you will hear about in the coming years. 

I’m proud of these guys. They stuck to it and didn’t give up. They just kept at it and formed together as a team until they won. 

It’s official: I am cheered.

Here’s the thing: There is a lot in life that can make you sad, disappoint you, and send you into a downward spiral. No one likes being there and sometimes it’s really difficult getting out of that condition. You need to know that God is the God of all comfort. When you are down, turn to Him, go to Him, trust Him with your sadness, worry and depression. He can lift you up out of it. It doesn’t seem possible and He does it in miraculous ways, but He can put joy back into your life in the midst of despair. Seek Him. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What has put you in the doldrums lately? Leave your comments and questions below.

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The Signs Led To Quite A Ride

You can’t alway anticipate how things are going to go, but you should read the signs. Sometimes they tell you to take a different approach or change your plan. 

the signs led to quite a ride

The other day I didn’t read the signs – or should I say, I just ignored the signs – and that made for a very interesting event. 

I went for a bike ride and was looking forward to trying a new section of the trails I ride. I had heard that this new section had some tough features on it – lots of loose rock and off-camber paths.

It’s early in the year, I’ve only ridden twice so far, I’m still out of shape but, hey, what could go wrong? 

I had already gone to the bike store and picked up some new cleats for my shoes after noticing that my shoes have unclipped from my pedals at unexpected times. 

With my new gear I drove to my mountain biking club, “The Farm”. And here is where I kind of ignored the signs. 

When I got out of my car I realized I didn’t have my padded biking shorts on. I had forgotten to put them on and just put my shell shorts on. … I had thought they were a little loose fitting; now I knew why.

I had a decision to make: do I forget about my ride, change my ride to a shorter, simpler route, or continue on with my plans to ride the new section? 

I decided to continue on. 

This proved to be a mistake on several levels. 

About 7 kms into the ride, my chain broke. I could have backtracked and walked my bike the 7 kms back to my car, but I had a replacement chainlink with me. 

I decided to fix my chain and complete my ride which was about 11 more kms.

It took me a while to put the chain back together … I had to remember how to restring the chain around my sprocket cassettes and the rear derailleur.

As I was trying to snap the link into place, I gashed the back of my hand on the front sprocket.

I had no bandages with me so I poured a little water on my hand and shoved my glove on before it started bleeding again. 

Those new cleats I bought earlier worked great, but a couple of times on some rocky terrain, I didn’t clip out in time and fell, scraping my left arm. 

And riding without biking shorts, well, I have a new appreciation for them and it’s not because they make riding easier on your butt … but that’s all I’ll say about that. 

I did make it all the way around. It’s a great trail, but I think I’ll get into better shape before I ride it again.

Here’s the thing: There are lots of signs that we don’t have unlimited time left on this earth – perpetual tension in the Middle East, increased natural disasters, climate change, and now a virus that’s different from any other. World troubles like these were written about in the Bible. The Bible even says that near the end people will have to take a mark in order to buy basic things, and now it’s easy to see how that could come about. These signs, and many others, are to help us make wise decisions for how to prepare for what will come. Jesus came and died for your sins to prepare you for all that will happen, including your death. Read the signs and place your faith in Jesus Christ. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What sign have you ignored lately? Leave your comments and questions below.

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This Picture Looks So Attractive To Many

A picture can make the unknown look attractive. The way we are attracted to it may have something to do with art. 

This picture looks so attractive to many

When you look at a piece of art, it can speak to your soul … kind of. 

You might have an attraction to it even though the image may be of nothing. It’s the way the colours interact with each other or the contrast of the lines and the way they are drawn across the canvas. 

You can look at a painting and think, “I want that. I want to hang that on a wall in my home.” There is something about the painting that speaks to you. 

To someone else it may not say anything. There may be no attraction at all. 

The painting may be from an artist who threw different colours on a canvas. Some think it is beautiful; some won’t give it a thought. 

I’m wondering if a picture of hardware tools can have the same effect on someone. If it can, well, then I’ve been affected.

Recently, I bought a new Ryobi tool. 

For anyone who doesn’t know, these are tools that Home Depot exclusively sells. They are battery powered and there are many that will run off the same battery.

Not long ago I got an oscillating tool. 

I didn’t even know what a multi-tool was up until a few days before I bought it. But let me tell you, it is great at cutting the bottom off of door trim to allow for new flooring to go under it … among other things.

Along with my tool came a large, folded up sheet of glossy paper with pictures on it – pictures of tools. There are over 175 tools that are all compatible with my Ryobi batteries. 

One hundred and seventy five! – you read that correctly.

That glossy sheet showed the pictures of all 175 products. Beside each product was the part number, but none of the products were named. 

I knew the names of many. … Hey, I have quite a few of them already. But there were some products that I didn’t even know what they were.

The crazy thing was, I kind of wanted them.  

It was like staring right at a Gerhard Richter abstract as it pulled you in to look deeper. 

I looked at some of the tools. I didn’t know their names; I didn’t know what they did … but I wanted them. 

I wouldn’t put them on the wall of my living room, but I wanted them for my collection of tools. 

And just for my wife, Lily’s information, I’m not just collecting tools. I have them to use on projects.

Just seeing the tools on that page stirred something inside me. 

I’m sure someone else would have thrown the sheet of paper out as soon as they opened the package. 

Lily would have liked it if I had thrown the sheet out. … To each his own. 

I’m keeping that picture sheet and, one day, I just may get one of those mystery tools … and I’ll see what it does.

Here’s the thing: In the Bible, the picture we are given of Jesus attracts us to Him. And even though we can’t see Him, we are attracted to Him. Even those who don’t put their faith in Christ are drawn to Him, to the image that is revealed in the scriptures. It is worth investigating Christ for yourself. You will find Him irresistible.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What do you find most attractive about Jesus? Leave your comments and questions below.

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I Fell Asleep In The Middle Of Thinking

The other day I fell asleep trying to think of something to write about. 

I fell asleep in the middle of thinking

I can understand this happening if it was 10:30 p.m. and the room was dark. Sure, anyone could fall asleep while thinking in that kind of environment.

But I fell asleep about an hour after I had gotten out of bed, having had seven hours of sleep … and the sun was shining through the windows.

“That’s pretty sad; he must be getting old”, you are probably thinking. 

Well, I have had a history of falling asleep in all sorts of places and conditions. 

I remember one time biking with a couple of friends to a campsite. We got there late in the afternoon but something spooked one of the guys, so at about 3:00 a.m. we headed back. 

I heard wolves in the distance as we rode and at one point got chased by a dog. We finally made it to some semblance of civilization by about 5:00 a.m.  

We were hungry but the restaurant we found didn’t open until 6:00 a.m. So we sat down on the sidewalk to wait. 

I put my head back on the cold, grey slab of cement and I was gone. 

The boys woke me up and, by the time I shook the cobwebs out of my head, they were half way across the parking lot. 

It doesn’t matter the surface or the environment, I can sleep pretty easily anywhere. 

The other day I saw a video of a little bulldog puppy who fell asleep sitting up and then fell over.

I’m kind of like that now. 

Before I had my heart attack nine years ago, I would get a little tired after lunch. But since my heart attack, the lull after lunch has become a major issue for me.

I had to rearrange my schedule. Then I replaced quiet activities like reading or heavy thinking with meetings and visits and things that would require me to be more active. 

I even got a stand up desk because, unlike that bulldog puppy, I have never fallen asleep standing up. 

… But give me something to lean up against and I can get close.

The other day when I fell asleep thinking, it was because it’s so hard to come up with an idea. I need something to happen in my life. My life is too predicable. 

I will admit, though, that I enjoyed my nap at 8:00 a.m. 

And one thing I do know, if it’s difficult to think of something to write about when there is nothing going on in my life, it is impossible to think of something to write about when I am sleeping. 

Here’s the thing: Life just seems to roll on day by day. As with COVID, where we are anticipating an end, but every day there is nothing to indicate the end is coming, one day Christ will return. There are many people who don’t think about making decisions now for what seems to be way down some distant path. We kind of fall asleep in the present. Let me encourage you to make a decision to put your faith in Christ now because when you go to sleep for the last time, you won’t be able to think about doing it then.

That’s Life!

Paul 

Question: What do you have trouble thinking about these days? Leave your comments and questions below.

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My Guitar Is Not Making Me Want To Play

Though I don’t want to buy a guitar, after playing my son’s, I think I do need a new one. 

my guitar is not making me want to play
Handsome man playing guitar. Close-up of young man playing acoustic guitar while sitting in front of the window

In my last post (read it here) I wrote about how things like an inexpensive guitar can be harder to play than a more expensive one.

It’s not right if you ask me. I should learn the skills on a guitar that is easy to play and then graduate to something that is more difficult. 

Well, just recently my son got a new “axe” and he paid a good chunk of change for it. When I got to try it, I couldn’t believe how easy on the fingers it was to play. 

The space between the strings and the fret board of a guitar makes a big difference in how easy it is to press the strings down. The closer the strings are to the frets the less force you have to exert to form those chords. 

Basically, on my cheap guitar I’m breaking my fingers trying to play, while on my son’s it’s easy.

Why wouldn’t guitar makers encourage guitar students to keep playing rather than giving up in frustration? 

My son’s guitar is really nice; it’s also electric. He has an acoustic but he wanted to work on other aspects of playing. 

Recently, he brought his new guitar to our house so he could wail on it … and it can be deafening when the volume is turned it up and you are close by. 

My son lives in an apartment so I’m just waiting to get a call from him that he’s getting the boot. I’m sure his neighbours in the units around him aren’t thrilled with his new purchase. Fortunately, his apartment is all concrete and he keeps the volume down. 

He can play all day long. I can’t play much more than a half hour without my fingers hurting … and that’s with calluses. 

On the guitar I have now, the strings are closer to the frets than on my first guitar but they are not near as close as on my son’s guitar. 

If I had a guitar like his, I would want to play more. But I don’t want to spend all that money on a guitar when I’m not that good. 

Why couldn’t they make a cheap guitar that would be easy on the fingers? I think the issue is that they don’t care if you get good or not. They want you to get so frustrated with your instrument that you will spend any amount of money to get one that is easier to play. 

Playing my son’s guitar has inspired me to pick mine up a little more now that his is not around. I fiddle a bit with mine but still get to the place where my fingers need a break.

It’s like playing outside as a kid when it’s really cold. You play way too long and want to keep playing, but your toes and fingers are so frozen that you just can’t stay outside any longer. 

Here’s the thing: Putting your faith in Christ costs a lot. Jesus said you have to take up your cross and follow Him. Anything else you put your faith in will cost less, but in the end it will not last as long. Faith in Christ takes you to eternity. Faith in anything else leaves you suffering at some point. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What are you willing to pay for long-term ease? Leave your comments and questions below.

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Cheap Doesn’t Always Mean It’s Easy

I think cheap things should be easy and simple, while more expensive things harder and more complicated. 

cheap doesn't always mean it's easy

For instance, take two drones that look the same. You might think the cheap one would be easier to fly than the more expensive one. You might think the more expensive one would take more skill to fly it. 

But that’s not the way it is. 

The first drone I had was very inexpensive. I constantly had to work both control sticks to keep the drone in the air so it didn’t drop to the ground and crash.

It was hard, constant work. 

My next drone cost me more. But I could put the drone in the air, take my hands completely off the controller and it would just stay there, hovering in place. 

The more expensive drone was much easier to fly. It took less skill to use the more expensive one than the cheaper one. 

Things shouldn’t be that way.

If I’m new at something and buy an inexpensive product to learn on, it should be easier to use. I want to gradually get more proficient at it and then upgrade to something that requires more skill. 

Drones are not the only things like that. Guitars work that way, too. 

Every guitar has the same components. Someone should be able to pick up any guitar and play it. You place your fingers on the frets the same way. You strum the same way. The sound comes out of it at the same place. 

No matter what guitar I pick up, I should be able to play it. 

… Well, that’s only partly correct.

I remember when I got my first guitar. A guy I knew said he had an old one I could have, which was great since I was just learning to play. 

The first thing I did was change the strings that were probably twenty years old. I took off all the strings, put the new stings on and then started tuning it. … I didn’t know you should always keep some tension on the neck.

As I got the guitar closer to being in tune, I snapped the neck right off the back of the guitar. 

I was back to having no guitar, so I went out and purchased one. It was cheap – only $85 – but it had a nice sound to it.

I learned how to play on that guitar and had it for many years. 

There was just one problem with it. The strings seemed like they were about an inch off the neck so I had to press really hard when forming a chord. As much as I played, my fingers never seemed to get past the hurting stage. It didn’t matter how thick the calluses were on my fingertips, after twenty minutes I needed to put the guitar down. 

But a cheap guitar should be easy to play. 

Unfortunately that is not the case. … In my next post (read here) I will expose this problem more.

Here’s the thing: Because two things work on the same principles doesn’t mean they are equal. Some people believe that all religions are based on faith and, therefore, are the same. Not true. Christianity is the only religion that believes you can’t earn your way into heaven. It is the only religion that requires 100% faith in God to provide it. There’s nothing you can do. Not all religions are the same and not all faith is equal. God has provided through Jesus what we could never do – a relationship and eternity with God. Take God up on His offer; put your faith in Him.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: How much faith do you place in your future? Leave your comments and questions below.

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A Road Trip May Reveal More Than Scenery

You can discover a lot from a road trip, especially if you keep the destination a secret.

a road trip may reveal more than scenery

The other day my wife, Lily, and I were looking for something to do during our current lockdown. 

We decided that we would head to Costco to get a few grocery items … not what I would normally think of when trying to come up with something to do. Shopping for groceries would be down near the bottom of my list of possible options. 

But the lockdown changes your perspective on things … besides, I thought I might be able to get a glimpse of some things I’m interested in. 

Normally I just browse and not buy as I stroll through Costco’s electronics section. But they did a great job stopping that; you couldn’t even window shop. They had skid loads of food items even blocking the view of some of the more eye-appealing inventory in the store.

With that option out of the way, we weren’t too long getting what we needed and headed out the door. 

The night was still young, the sun had not quite set, so I decided not to drive home. 

I decided to follow the sun. 

What do you do when you are locked down? We needed something different to do.

The sun was big – really big – deep orange and red filling the bottom third of the sky. 

So I just kept driving, driving towards the sun. I went by our turn and then I went by the next possible turn. 

Lily started questioning me. “Where are we going?” she asked. “I don’t know” I replied. 

We came to an intersection and she said, “Oh, turn down here”, but I kept going. She asked again where we were going and my reply was the same. 

She probably asked me a dozen times where we were going. 

By now the sun had set and there was only the glow of the sun on the horizon. We were quite a distance into the country by the time I turned around and started back down the road we had been driving on. 

Lily asked multiple times where we were going and gave me several commands to turn here or there. I could tell she didn’t like not knowing our destination. 

It was obvious that she was not satisfied with just going for a drive.

I pointed it out to her that she was all concerned about what was unimportant and was missing the enjoyment of the outing. 

That seemed to settle her down a bit. 

And what transpired during that little road trip was that we talked. We talked about several things we might not have talked about that night. 

We settled on a decision we were facing, that we probably would have put off in another setting – a setting like sitting in front of the TV watching some rehab addict rebuild the insides of an old home. 

That little road trip ended up being good and Lily never did find out where we were going. 

Here’s the thing: You can get in a rut with God where you don’t seem to be communicating very much. You aren’t saying much to Him and He doesn’t seem to be saying much to you. A change of venue can sometimes help. Start a conversation with the Lord in a different place, when you have time and no other distractions, when you are in an inviting environment to talk –  maybe a scenic spot, on a walk, or drive … maybe just a different place in your home. You may learn a lot from Him. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question:  Where are you most likely to open up to someone? Leave your comments and questions below.

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