(Stop)Light at the end of the tunnel

As a precursor...I am currently sitting the the airport, trying to get out of Houston. My USAirways flight out was delayed until 8-something pm. By necessity of me getting to Hot-lanta ASAP, I am now booked on a Delta flight and have a good 3 hours to kill whilst I wait. (I think I might be going through a conversion away from Star Alliance and it feels weird but good.)

Last week, I went to visit my grandma who lives in the country. Seriously the country, she has beef cattle, chickens, vegetables...the whole enchilada. It was great. Driving out there, I reminisced about my childhood and all the times I went to visit my "Nanny". There's this tiny little brick building that it actually a housing "thing" for what I can only assume is a water pump....when I was a kid, I thought it was "ye old schoolhouse". On the way out, I drove past hundreds of heads of cattle and I can remember yelling "HEY COW" out the window as a toe-headed little kid. (I was adorable.) I also drove over the old creek that my cousins and I would walk to in the summer. We would always try to steal a street sign...we had a collection.

Once I got to Nanny's house, we had a blast. We made a fresh lunch, did a puzzle (which was a thorn in my side because I lost a edge piece for 2 hours), talked, laughed, waited for the rain (which never came) and watched some great TV....namely "So You Think You Can Dance". Nanny and I both love it. Needless to say, we had a great day together.

After the show, I had to drive home....not a bad drive at all (less than 45 minutes), but a DARK drive. It's so flat out there in the country that you can look at the horizon even at 9 o'clock PM and still see a bit of the sun. That's flat. As I drove, I felt like I was playing a game of Frogger....I kept hitting huge bugs that exploded on my windshield as I tried to dodge them. Right after I thought that thought, I realized frog after frog was jumping into the road...and I was hitting them. Oh the irony. Here's the kicker:

There's this one stretch of road that is VERY VERY long. And flat. And dark. No streetlights whatsoever. I was driving with my brights on and being safe. In the distance on this road, you can see a flashing red light. Once you get there, you're pretty much back in the 'burbs. But this road is looooong. I saw this light for miles...blinking and teasing me. I forgot how long a road it was. It seemed to take FOR-EV-ERRRRR (said in Sandlot voice) to get to. I kept thinking I was there, but NO...I was not even close. Eventually I made it to the light, made a complete stop and continued on my merry way back home. I felt silly that I was so impatient - I've made that drive a hundred times. But it got me thinking....

How many times in my life do I see the "light at the end of the tunnel" and I can't wait to get there? I don't know about you, but being patient is hard and sucks at times. I know the end is there, I can see the light, but it seems to go soooo freaking slow. ("A watched pot never boils", as Nanny said that day while I impatiently waited for the tea to be ready.) But the catch is, the hope IS there. The peace IS there. And on the journey down the road, there's so much to see and experience. (Like old childhood memories, or a great Texas sunset or frogs leaping for their lives.) Maybe you can see your own flashing light. Don't forget that God has things in store for you along the drive. Yes, he has something amazing planned for you, but chances are, you can't even imagine how great it'll be until it happens and you think back and THANK GOD for the trip.

So take it from me, a fellow traveler along the road in the dark - keep driving. That light is gonna sneak up on you when you least expect it and God is gonna surprise you. Stay faithful, enjoy the ride and pay attention on the drive. Or the flight. Take the time to sit and enjoy it. Like me. Right now....I'm chilling at Starbucks in IAH enjoying the pop-emo-scene kids hanging out...enjoying a dandy laugh from God. Hope is there, it's found in Love made present and perfect on the Cross. Thank God for light and the journey.

"I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on, there will be an end to these troubles but until that day comes, still I will praise you, still I will praise you." - Never Let Go