Potholes and Bumps
Cathy Irvin

Life has a lot of twists and turns -- like a winding road that seems to go on and on and you feel sometimes as if you will never reach your destination. We get so caught up in wondering or worrying where we are going or how long it is taking to get there that we don’t enjoy the ride.

But we shouldn’t get too upset even when we miss turns in life. It is certain that we will hit a rough place or fall into a hole or two along the way. It has been said, 'Life is what you make it.' So ask yourself: ' Am I an optimist or am I a pessimist?'

This is the age-old test -- do you see the glass as half full, or half empty?

It is an easy assumption that we are all going to experience the ups and downs, twists and turns, detours and all sorts of trials along the way, like potholes and bumps in the road. However, we must manage to get out of or go over them.

Jesus told us to not think it strange when you fall into divers temptations. Yes, we will have trials and when they are over we will move on to our mountain top experiences in life and than travel again to the valleys at another point in time.

The choice we have is that we can stop along the way and take a breath of the fresh air from time-to-time and maybe smell the roses, or we can grit our teeth and see all the problems and not the view from God’s perspective.

I have had my share of troubles, but as I look ahead I don’t have time to go back to those places in my mind. I am enjoying the journey I am on and grateful to the Lord for being with me as I travel.

I can see the blessings in my life sort of like the train ride in the latest Christmas movie “The Polar Express” where the conductor had a destination and sometimes things happened to keep him from making it in the time frame to arrive. I noticed that he constantly looked at his watch and you could see his determination, but he made it despite all the obstacles.

Is there a lesson here for us? Can we just enjoy our journey as we travel down life’s highway? Yes, we can if we realize that it is one day at a time that we venture out and that the Lord is guiding us. He wants us to enjoy our travels in life, so we can rest in and trust Him and certainly we are told not to worry.

We can get a positive outlook and pray when those trials come along. Give our cares to the Lord and He will help us out of our troubles. Remember, we will hit those potholes and bumps, but the entire road of life is not that way. So enjoy the ride and pull over from time to time to rest and see God's panoramic view. There are so many blessings in it, and oh, that final destination that awaits will be worth it all -- when we see Jesus!

Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7 New King James Version)

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6 New King James Version)

cbn