Ok, I have a little sense, but not so much when it comes to directions.
Which Way Is Up?
Over the years, I have provided my family with lots of stories that give validity for their harassment. I have tried to come up with some way to explain my actions but had little success. When I turned 16, I told Mom I was ready to go take my driving test. Concerned because she did not think I had studied enough, she asked if I was sure. Now, I would almost swear that I never said the following, but apparently, there are too many witnesses.
“I have just one question,” I must have blurted without thinking. “How do you know which side of the road to drive on?”
Just Point the Way
Another directional story that seems to haunt me from my youth is one my Aunt Anna likes to share. In the middle of some blabberings, I simply pointed to Nana’s house. The two houses are only a few hundred yards from each other. Lord only knows what I was trying to tell because my pointing ended the story. I remember them standing me in front of the living room window, where I could see her house. However, for the life of me, I could not figure out which way her house was so that I could point in the right direction!
Better Late than Never
Over the years, I would like to say that I have been cured from my directional disabilities, but that would be a bold-face lie. Before navigation systems were on our phones, my girls were in their prime basketball and volleyball days. God love them. I know they started a ton of away games wondering if I would get lost and miss half of it. Once I got to a game with less than two minutes left to play!
The Stories Just Keep Turning Up From Nowhere
And don’t even get me started talking about the times Donna and I have been lost; there are several hundred blogs for those stories.
Once I even got lost on the beach! Now to be perfectly honest, I didn’t even tell anyone about that one except Donna because we were on the phone when the realization hit me! t was December, and I decided to take a stroll on the beach and watch the sunset. Taking off my shoes, I put the condo key inside them, and tucked them under my a chair. I walked for about a mile; then headed back. The problem was that we was so involved in our conversation, that I did not noticed I had passed the beach chair by a mile or so! My phone died; the sun set completely, I was barefoot and had a serious need to find a potty.
The beach was deserted by this point, and I was uncomfortable walking alone in the dusk. Heading for the road, I thought I would be a little safer. Up ahead, I thankfully saw a very nice hotel, and knew I could make a pit-stop. Though shoeless, I darted for the ladies’ room. After hours of walking aimlessly, I came to familiar surroundings, located my sandals, and made my way home.
Finding Our Way
Life sure is filled with numerous, complicated situations that require us to know how to find our way. Recently, while in the nursery, a young girl came in, sat, and begin to talk. Forming a little bond over the past year, we chatted, and I prayed with her. She is from an unchurched family; she needed to learn how prayer helps us find our way. Our world is filled with chaos, some that we do not even create, prayer guides our unknown paths.
How blessed we are, but often lazy. We have access to a Bible; all we need to do is open it and read. The closer I get to God, the more I want others to know how He desires to navigate us in the right direction.
Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” He has the best road for us to travel, so that we will never get lost. We need to invite God with us, lighting the path to our destination.-Karla
Karla, we are definitely kin!!! A couple years ago I thought of a name for my problem—-Directional Deficit Disorder, or DDD for short. I still do not have a fancy phone or a car with GPS, so my problem is not solved. There is a story from my childhood, too. I always got car sick and often laid down in the seat so as not to see any movement. Once when I had done this, I raised up, looked around, and asked where we were. I never lived it down because we were on the lower street in Blue Ridge. When our 5th grade class went to the circus n Atlanta, I got lost after going to the bathroom. I had to ask a nice policeman where our group was sitting. Twice when Richard was in Siskin Rehab I wound up lost coming home. Once I was talking on the phone, drove past my exit, and wound up in Athens, Tn. Another time, it was rainy, foggy, and dusk and I wound up in the middle of NOwhere. No buildings, no crossovers on the road, nothing. I called Marilyn in desperation and asked her to get on the computer and see where I was when I finally saw a highway sign. The sad part was there was no way to get home reasonably from there. I had to back track. I was in tears, because I only had that short night to be home before heading back the next morn. Unless you’ve been away from home sleeping in hospitals for almost 3 months, it is hard to imagine how devastated you are over losing a couple hrs at home. I never did know where I was or how I wound up there. I drew myself maps in the hospitals and panicked when someone gave me directions to some remote waiting room on another floor. I was fascinated when others came to visit for the first time, and had no problem finding the correct parking lot or finding the room. Like it was second nature for them. What was wrong with ME???? I still don’t know. Thankfully, though, like you, I know where my ultimate destination is and the Bible gives clear directions how to get there. I’m looking forward to the trip!!!
God love us both!