Cross Roads

(Yuck, I haven't written in a while, what's with the horrible new format? When did they change it? =P)

I have an over active imagination, I know this and it does have its draw backs. Like not being able to sleep because you just know that that noise that woke you up is some crazy maniac who just escaped from prison who is looking for a house to sneak into to use the phone to call his crazy buddies to come and pick him up. So, in just a few seconds a face, most likely missing some teeth and with a gnarly scar somewhere is going to pop up out of no where and crawl over your bed(Which you always put right under a window!stupid, stupid, stupid)and collect his buddies and have a crazy man convention right there in your bed room.

Yes, that actually happened, not for real, but I laid awake for 2 hours one night after something banging outside my window woke me up. I wasn't going to turn and look at the window. So, I just laid there with my back to the window coming up with insane scenarios as to what had made the noise. It was the cat by the way, me and the cat have finally come to an agreement. I let her in and out when ever she wants and I get, um I get, well I get woken up multiple times a night by an 10 pound animal who had decided I am her slave..........

But anyway, back to the reason for this post. Of course at the beginning of the year you are thinking about choices and what you would like to see for this next year. I don't make resolutions(those are so last century) I just set goals for myself and promise I will do them. I have always had this picture in my head whenever I come to a cross roads in my life and it helps me sort through the pros and cons. I am finally done with the final edit of my book and it's ready to be sent off into the world and I felt like writing something, so here we go!

The air is warm, almost too warm but then a cool breeze will blessedly come and I am once more happy with the world. The path I am walking along is narrow, it looks like at one point it might have been a road, for every once in awhile a patch of asphalt will show through, but the woods have taken back the land which was once theirs. Wild flowers bloom along the side of the path and ferns crowd the edges of the shade.

I forge ahead not really paying attention to what is going on around the next bend, but when I get there I am forced to pause and think. The path splits off here, one way it looks much like what I've been walking along previously, a narrow forested path meandering it's way through a Sherwood like forest. The other is different and a little scary, it's an old stone bridge, made long ago by people unknown.

On the other side of this bridge the forest changes dramatically, it becomes much drier and the sun appears much stronger. I sit on a conveniently appearing log and ponder my choices. Do I stay with the safe and familiar or do I venture into the unknown? Sometimes the choice is easy, but others times I sit a long time on that log. As I learn more about each direction the landscape changes slightly. Maybe in the familiar direction a stranger steps out of the trees. While over the bridge an old friend appears and waves for me to come on over.

Road signs appear along the sides of the road telling me things about each way, the good and the bad. I venture a little along each path testing the waters but am not ready to commit quite yet. I finally make my choice and as I walk towards my path of choice the other path fades from view and when I look back it is one seamless path again. Sometimes I mourn the loss of the second path, what ifs fill my mind, but there is no turning back, regrets will get you no where. Sometimes things that made the other path seem so delightful will show up along the path I have chosen other times the what if stays in my mind forever.

God has laid out this path for me to walk and has given me the best map anyone could ever ask for. He has fully equipped me for the dangers and pleasures ahead. So, I will forge ahead through the swamps and meadows of life, knowing that God will always be right there with me. It's nice to never be alone, isn't it?=)