Roadblocks and Detours

Okay, so last Wednesday I wrote the whole blog about being "Confused". I got to the end of my thoughts and wrote -


"So here I sit...perplexed and confused. I feel like I need God to move a few mountains, add a few more signs, or something. A burning bush would be a good thing right now. Something totally and only God.

Or else I need roadblock, stop signs blazing red, and closed doors...

...and most of all...I need peace."

Uhm...God and I must have had a slight disconnect with that prayer. On Thursday, the very next day, all I experienced all day long were roadblocks and detours! For real!

It was Keziah's birthday, so I was taking cupcakes to her school for her special treat. I didn't want to send them on the bus. Way too much for a little girl! Plus I hate to break her routines. She thrives on the predictable so I didn't want to drive her to school. Elijah and I tried to take her treats to her with just enough time to turn around to pick-up Josiah.

We started our journey only to discover that our usual route was blocked, road closed for resurfacing. Okay...we adjusted quickly and delivered the cupcakes without a problem. Now we needed to get back to Josiah. Route 1 still not an option so I quickly decided on another plan.

Uhmmmm...yeah, closed. We looped around, praying that there was some way to reach the school. We were a little late.

Okay, now fast forward a bit. Miranda was going to band practice and then I needed to flip around to take Keziah to her first soccer practice.

Two girls in the car, we chatted our way to Miranda's practice on the football field. My mind raced to plan the fastest route to get Keziah to practice. Easy! Just back track past our subdivision and we'd be on our way.

Police car blocking the road. A fire truck and ambulance zip by me on their way to help with an accident. We were just on this road! In a short five to ten minute drive, a major accident had occured that now blocked the road.

Now where to go?!? If we turned off, I was afraid we'd be right back into the road blocks from earlier in the day. Thankfully the road was now completely resurfaced. On we went with our journey as my brain was again scrambling to find the shortest route to soccer practice with our new detour.

Would you believe that our path was met with...ROAD CONSTRUCTION!?! Narrowed lanes while the final touches on a new, wider roadway are being finished.

It was a TOTALLY CRAZY DAY!

I did have a little chat with God to explain to Him that blocking my vehicles travels was NOT what I meant.

Since then, I have continued to be amazed with all the road construction in our normal every day journeys. However, I must admit that I haven't been terribly discouraged nor do I believe these to be my "roadblock sign from God."

Why not?

Last spring, I started giggling as new road construction signs began to appear on either side of a non-road. You see there are two roads that were not connected. Through trees and a dirt path, you could always see that there was a some-day-in-the-future plan to connect the two roads, but it just hadn't ever happened. Until this year!

First came the "Road Construction Ahead", "Road Closed", and "Detour" signs. These truly made me bust a gut laughing as I drove by them. There was NO ROAD! How can you say "detour" when there was never a road in the first place?

So all summer long crews have bulldozed trees, smoothed and surveyed the land. Curbs and drains, fire hydrants and sidewalks have all been put in place. A road is now in place. Lines drawn and new stop signs in place.

Still...the road is closed..."Detour".

All those road construction and detours I've been encountering this past week have all been on roads that lead into this new section. The new road is not yet open, because the pathways leading into it have to be repaired first in order to better handle the new, heavier traffic flow.

So in all of this...I see HOPE!

For now maybe there are roadblocks in my life (biggest one - my husband says "NO!"), but I also can see that when a new road or pathway is being prepared...
* it can be a long process
* there are many detours
* everything must be properly constructed and repaired

So? I'll wait. Maybe these roadblocks were my sign from God. Maybe my answer is a "NO." Or maybe I'm still learning to be patient and wait on His perfect timing.

Trust me, when all these signs are removed, I can't wait to drive on the short stretch of road! It will totally change traffic flow patterns and really shorten some trips around town.

Whatever You're doing God, I know it is good!