Scars

I have to start out today with what I will call - a light moment.  Remember the traffic circles I mentioned in an early post, or turn abouts to some?  Well, first of all Phil has dubbed them silly circles.  That works more than you think.  But what really occurred to me is how much they are like an escalator.  A great example of this is in the movie "Paddington".  Remember when Paddington is in the station to board a train, he needs to board an escalator to get to the lower level.  He puts his foot out, then pulls it back.  He tries again, pulls it back.  Looks around to see how others are doing it.  When he finally succeeds at stepping onto the escalator, he rides it to the bottom and then can't make the exit.  He lands on his bum and repeatedly gets "bumped" by the continuing steps as they descend.

Well the traffic circles can be silly when you think about it.  You know you are to enter the circle of traffic, but when?  Is it now?  or is it now?  O.k. I made it in the circle.  Do I exit now?  I'll go around again, then I'll get off, or will I?  

Ever feel like that in your day to day routine?  You can easily get stuck on trying to figure out when to jump in or you can easily get stuck in the routine and don't step off, even if its for the best.  And then you feel your bum repeatedly getting bumped, hit, nudged.  

Are we afraid?  Are we uncertain of how to step off?  God is nudging us every day.  But because of the unknown, we want to stay put.  We need to obey.  Doesn't mean if we do that everything will be rainbows and roses.  But we can and do have the belief that He is in control, He has a plan, and He can use anything for His good.

We continue to be put to the test.  Is God testing us?  No, I don't believe that's what He does.  But Satan has been busy testing us, trying to get into our way.  He continues to try to place doubts in our minds, to put stumbling blocks in our path and throws out lies to make us doubt.  

When traveling in the circle we need to read the signs (Bible), be aware of our surroundings (stay in Prayer), and watch for the exits (God speaking to us, using the gift of discernment He blesses us with)

Yes, sometimes we jump on at the wrong time, we get stuck or we try to exit at the wrong place.  That's when we can get run out of fuel, get hurt, or hurt someone else.  Healing can take place, refueling can happen, forgiveness is granted.  

But scars can be left behind.  

Yesterday we traveled on hike number 3.  The Audubon Trail near the Columbia River.  It was short, but well marked and we had paved trails to walk on.  

While waking on these trails I noticed several raised lines.  This was from tree roots that were growing underneath and pushing up.  

It reminded me of what scars look like sometimes on our bodies.  They can represent things that we have gone through and healed from.  They can be reminders of where we have gone and where we are headed now.  

Another observation about traffic using a traffic circle is that the traffic continues to move.  It isn't stopped, it isn't just sitting there watching others, it doesn't feel this is the end for them.  

As Christians, we should never be stopped, never just observe.  I was reminded yesterday during worship that Christians are not the destination, but on the journey.  We may have scars, but we are healed.  We may get stuck, get our bum bumped, but God refuels and refocuses us.  We may even hurt others - but God forgives.  

Several months ago God showed us a new map for our future, we were to begin a new adventure.  As I mentioned earlier, Satan has been throwing things in our way to cause problems, to give us frustration, to make it hard to read the traffic signs. He wants to keep us going in circles in the "silly" circle.  We don't want to take the wrong turn, or get stuck in the circle.  We do have scars.  We do have current pains.  We do feel stuck sometimes.  But we are depending on God to get us off at the right time.  We believe in His healing, His grace, and His perfect timing.  

Remember to laugh today, watch the traffic and trust in Him.