The Old Country Road

In life, we may think we know what we are looking at, and where we are going, but do we really?

There is a lovely old  country road, not far from my home. It is one of my favorite drives.  The scenery is beautiful.  It twists and turns past pastures, farms, homes and trees.  

When I first moved here and was still becoming familiar with the area, I decided to take the road home after running some errands. Even though I was still fairly new to the area, I knew that if I stayed on the road, it would get me back home.

At one point as I was driving down the road,  I looked ahead to see it stretch far in front of me. I knew where I was going, even though I couldn't see over the immediate hill.










You can imagine my surprise when I reached the top of the hill and saw this picture.

The road that stretched out into distance was not a part of my path at all!  My little country road veered sharply to the left.

Even though the turn was unexpected, I stayed on my country road, which led me home.








I have lived here for 7 years now, and I think about that experience nearly every time I drive this beautiful country road.  From my vantage point, I was so sure the road would lead me straight ahead. But when I reached the top of the hill and gained a new perspective, I realized it wasn't my destination at all.

Like this country road, life has it's twists and turns, hills and beautiful scenery.  Most times we can be pretty sure that if we are on the right road, we are headed "home."  But, the path home doesn't always take us where we think it will go.

When I was younger, I planned on having a big family. I wanted 5 kids.  I also wanted to be an actress and a singer.  But, what I wanted most of all was to live God's will.  I chose the road He created for me.  I knew that, for me, being an actress wasn't on that road.  But, I was sure having la big family would be. It was a good and righteous goal, right?  Well, my road took some very unexpected turns full of heartache and faith.  And, though I know have four children, 2 of them did not come to our family in the traditional way.  They came from turns and hill that I hadn't ever imagined, let alone planned on. But, oh, how I love them.

You may look at your life and think, "This is not where I thought I would be." You may have unexpected tragedies or trials, heartbreak or misfortune.  You may look ahead and see no happy ending. Take heart, though the experiences are real and necessary for your growth, they are not the destination.

You might have great goals and big dreams, and think you know exactly what makes you happy where you are going. But, Heavenly Father knows you better than you know yourself. He knows what will truly bring you the greatest joy. And often times it is not what you had planned.  Take heart as well, for if you stay on His path, you can be sure to experience the joy beyond measure.

Make worthy goals and plans. Stay on the path that Heavenly Father has created for you.  Trust in Him, that when things don't turn out according to your plans it is for a greater good.  Have faith in Him, and He will bless you with moments of perspective and clarity that will make sense of the hills and turns. Follow His will, and you will reach your ultimate destination.

And remember to enjoy the view.