where waves grow sweet

After several years of trying to manage pool tiles that refuse to stay put, the pool company that installed them agreed to rip out the offending glass tiles and replace them with new, hopefully-more-durable porcelain tiles of our choosing. We happily headed out to check out our options and made a decision in record time. But giving a “final answer” is always hard for my non-committal self, so I figured I’d pop over to the tile store a second time to make sure there were no better options.

By the time I was ready to head out the door, it was mid-afternoon and closing time was quickly approaching. Already racing down the road, I asked Siri for directions and was told to turn left at the light. “Why on earth would I go the long way to the freeway when I’m in such a hurry??,” I thought. “So lame!” So I ignored the instructions and chose the quicker way, feeling very clever for outsmarting my ignorant technology.

Except, on that day and at that time, it was not the quicker way. Not only was the middle school getting out, creating a backup, but there was a fresh accident blocking off half of the road and creating additional chaos. I wove my way through some side streets, trying to make my way around all the offending cars without breaking (too many) traffic laws, and thankfully made it to the store before closing time. After choosing the very same tile we’d already agreed upon, it’s questionable whether the outing was even necessary, but I did learn a lesson about trusting my GPS to see a bigger picture than I can. There are no guarantees that this will translate to a smoother journey next time, especially since I don’t fall into the “quick learner” category, but one can always hope.

On the drive home, when I was feeling less rushed and enjoying the ride, I couldn’t help but think about getting to the destinations in life I’ve deemed important. I always want to get “there” quicker and often think I know how best to accomplish it. I definitely would have hustled my way right past my single mom role to become a married mom, rather than the journey of 14 years it took to get there. Despite my insistent urging for God to hurry it up, the many possible scenarios I provided to him (in case he was short on ideas) and the times I tried to create my own path, He saw the bigger picture and kept me on track. It turned out that the delay was essential for me to grow up, heal from some rough stuff and be ready for a lifelong partnership. I’m happy to report John was worth the wait! And the journey to get here was an adventure that bonded me to the Lord in the ways that only a long road trip can.

There have been other times when I was insistent on a destination, like the tile store, that turned out to be completely unnecessary. Fortunately God knows all that. He sees the big picture. He knows where we will get tripped up. He often lets us choose our own way so we can see it play out and acknowledge the limits of our humanity… and ultimately trust him to get us where we need to go at just the right time and in just the right way. But no matter where we go, how we get there or how many detours we encounter along the way, of one thing I am certain: Any road trip with the Lord is an adventure worth taking.