Sometimes ... We Have To Detour
Last Monday, Salt Lake was hit with a massive snow storm. It was a little unexpected; I mean, we knew there was going to be a storm, but we hadn't really had any snow up to this point, so it totally caught us off guard. I went out to catch the early bus, since I figured I should probably try not to drive if I could help it, and I figured the early bus would get me to work barley on time in this snow storm. Well, turns out, that bus was actually stuck somewhere further south, so I decided to just drive myself - how bad could it be? ....*shudder*.... I really didn't want to be late to work - I hate walking in even a minute late. I usually get to work half an hour to 15 minutes early, because I get stressed having to rush. Anyway, I started driving to work. I live on 13th, so I usually just take that road straight up to the U, but unfortunately there was a fire along the way, and they shut the road down, so I detoured.... in a blizzard... with badly paved roads... and ended up getting stuck 4 times in the snow, having to get dug out by multiple people, including a slew of high schoolers (I was stuck by East High, and I kept hoping that Zac Efron would come out... I know. Wishful thinking). 3 hours later, as I was still making my way into work, and as half of my coworkers were barely getting there, I made the decision to turn around and go home. My job was not worth the stress of the drive.
The whole day I just kept thinking about how accurate that mess was to my life. Let me explain. That morning I had tried to be responsible and do the logical thing by taking the early bus, but the bus never showed up. So often in life I try to do what logically makes sense, but when other humans are part of the calculation, it's hard to make a logical decision because their emotions so often play a part of life.
Because what logically made sense didn't work out, I decided to go down the road less traveled (literally and figuratively), and drive myself to work, even though I am terrified of driving in the snow. How often does the Lord direct me to go down a path I would not normally go down? I feel like my life as it is is very different than the life I had planned on when I first moved to Salt Lake. Someone asked me the other day why I moved to Salt Lake, and I bluntly said, "Because I thought I was going to get married... and then that didn't work out, so I figured out my life in a different way, and now here I am." There were many reasons I moved to Salt Lake - the biggest being because I felt like this was where I needed to be. It didn't make sense, logically - all my family was in New Mexico at the time, and I had already been away three years! I was ready to go home, not move to Salt Lake, a city I'd only ever visited to see Temple Square and the airport. And yet, I worked up the courage and have had the most wonderful adventures here!
As I drove down the road to work, and had to detour because of the fire, I was reminded of how so many other people's circumstances and decisions affect our lives. Sometimes we want to go the direct path, but because of other's agency, we have to detour, and it takes us longer to get to our end goal than we planned. Isn't that interesting? People always make a big fuss about how it's their life, and they're not affecting anyone, but really their actions do! People, whether they are mean, or nice, or hurtful, or caring, can affect us, and can detour us. I can think of many people in my life - men I've dated, girls I've called friends, who have caused me to detour, and I can see all the life lessons I've had to learn because of it.
As the roads got worse, I kept thinking, I should turn around! This is too scary/too hard/too insane! I can't make this drive! I can't live in Salt Lake anymore! I can't go any further! I was really scared. But, I kept having this thought go through my head, every time I would think that. The thought was that this is how trials are. They're hard, and scary, and look impossible, and we never feel equipped enough to conquer them... and yet, when we put our trust in Christ, and when we lay our burdens on Him, and look to Him, our fear turns into faith, and we can overcome anything.
The first time I got stuck, I was on a hill. *Ugh*. I'm never driving on that hill again in the snow. It was awful. I sat there for like 20 minutes, unsure of what to do. I called my parents, as I really didn't know what else to do, and had them help talk me down from having a heart attack. Eventually a nice mom and her daughters stopped by, and a man came out to shovel his sidewalk, and they helped move my car to what we thought was safer ground. I thanked them all, said a prayer of thanks to Heavenly Father, and got back in my car, to continue my drive.... only to discover I was stuck.... again. With more freaking out, and more prayers, another man finally stopped and helped push me forward, with the help of some high school kids. I drove a little way down the road, and stopped my car, because I knew at that point I needed to wait until traffic slowed down before I could move on. I called my parents again, called my work, said a few more prayers, got stuck two more times, had a bunch of high school students push me free both of those times, and finally turned my car around and headed home, where, exhausted, I fell onto my bed and gave another prayer of thanks.
As I was sitting there, praying, I just thought of how great all those people were for stopping and helping me in my time of need. I was so unsure, and terrified as to what to do. I grew up in Albuquerque, and was born in Phoenix - I'm not a winter person! I crave the sunshine! This was hard! I kept thinking about how I couldn't have gotten out of there without the help of all those wonderful people. That's when the best connection to life was made - the people who have lifted me when down, the ones who've comforted me in my stressed out manner, the people who have not abandoned me because of my imperfections! All of you - Bishop and Sister Keddington, Chelsea, Suzy, Natalie, Lyndsay, Jenni, Jess, Kandace, Anneliese, Heather, Rach-face, my parents, my siblings, my coworkers.... there's too many to list! You guys have all pushed me, helped lift me up, made sure I don't give up, and encouraged me, even when I've felt so lost I was ready to quit. You all have figuratively helped push me out of the snow bank; have encouraged me to keep moving forward; have given me tips as to what to do in hard situations; have listened to me when I've been freaking out!
As I look back at this year, and all the changes in myself that have come about, I cannot help but think of all the wonderful people the Lord has placed in my life. As Christmas is tomorrow, and I've been contemplating all that Christ has done for me, I've come to the conclusion that I have been greatly blessed in my life. In times of trials, the Lord does not abandon us; sometimes He sends people to answer our prayers, and we must be open to letting them into our lives. Thank you, all of you, for being willing to push me out of my figurative snow banks. I would not be the person I am today without you, and without Christ and His atonement. I am not grateful for trials, but I am grateful for the lessons I've learned, the people I've met, and the experiences I've gained because of them. May your Christmas be as full as mine with the love friends, family, and Christ lighting the way! Merry Christmas!
The whole day I just kept thinking about how accurate that mess was to my life. Let me explain. That morning I had tried to be responsible and do the logical thing by taking the early bus, but the bus never showed up. So often in life I try to do what logically makes sense, but when other humans are part of the calculation, it's hard to make a logical decision because their emotions so often play a part of life.
Because what logically made sense didn't work out, I decided to go down the road less traveled (literally and figuratively), and drive myself to work, even though I am terrified of driving in the snow. How often does the Lord direct me to go down a path I would not normally go down? I feel like my life as it is is very different than the life I had planned on when I first moved to Salt Lake. Someone asked me the other day why I moved to Salt Lake, and I bluntly said, "Because I thought I was going to get married... and then that didn't work out, so I figured out my life in a different way, and now here I am." There were many reasons I moved to Salt Lake - the biggest being because I felt like this was where I needed to be. It didn't make sense, logically - all my family was in New Mexico at the time, and I had already been away three years! I was ready to go home, not move to Salt Lake, a city I'd only ever visited to see Temple Square and the airport. And yet, I worked up the courage and have had the most wonderful adventures here!
As I drove down the road to work, and had to detour because of the fire, I was reminded of how so many other people's circumstances and decisions affect our lives. Sometimes we want to go the direct path, but because of other's agency, we have to detour, and it takes us longer to get to our end goal than we planned. Isn't that interesting? People always make a big fuss about how it's their life, and they're not affecting anyone, but really their actions do! People, whether they are mean, or nice, or hurtful, or caring, can affect us, and can detour us. I can think of many people in my life - men I've dated, girls I've called friends, who have caused me to detour, and I can see all the life lessons I've had to learn because of it.
As the roads got worse, I kept thinking, I should turn around! This is too scary/too hard/too insane! I can't make this drive! I can't live in Salt Lake anymore! I can't go any further! I was really scared. But, I kept having this thought go through my head, every time I would think that. The thought was that this is how trials are. They're hard, and scary, and look impossible, and we never feel equipped enough to conquer them... and yet, when we put our trust in Christ, and when we lay our burdens on Him, and look to Him, our fear turns into faith, and we can overcome anything.
The first time I got stuck, I was on a hill. *Ugh*. I'm never driving on that hill again in the snow. It was awful. I sat there for like 20 minutes, unsure of what to do. I called my parents, as I really didn't know what else to do, and had them help talk me down from having a heart attack. Eventually a nice mom and her daughters stopped by, and a man came out to shovel his sidewalk, and they helped move my car to what we thought was safer ground. I thanked them all, said a prayer of thanks to Heavenly Father, and got back in my car, to continue my drive.... only to discover I was stuck.... again. With more freaking out, and more prayers, another man finally stopped and helped push me forward, with the help of some high school kids. I drove a little way down the road, and stopped my car, because I knew at that point I needed to wait until traffic slowed down before I could move on. I called my parents again, called my work, said a few more prayers, got stuck two more times, had a bunch of high school students push me free both of those times, and finally turned my car around and headed home, where, exhausted, I fell onto my bed and gave another prayer of thanks.
As I was sitting there, praying, I just thought of how great all those people were for stopping and helping me in my time of need. I was so unsure, and terrified as to what to do. I grew up in Albuquerque, and was born in Phoenix - I'm not a winter person! I crave the sunshine! This was hard! I kept thinking about how I couldn't have gotten out of there without the help of all those wonderful people. That's when the best connection to life was made - the people who have lifted me when down, the ones who've comforted me in my stressed out manner, the people who have not abandoned me because of my imperfections! All of you - Bishop and Sister Keddington, Chelsea, Suzy, Natalie, Lyndsay, Jenni, Jess, Kandace, Anneliese, Heather, Rach-face, my parents, my siblings, my coworkers.... there's too many to list! You guys have all pushed me, helped lift me up, made sure I don't give up, and encouraged me, even when I've felt so lost I was ready to quit. You all have figuratively helped push me out of the snow bank; have encouraged me to keep moving forward; have given me tips as to what to do in hard situations; have listened to me when I've been freaking out!
As I look back at this year, and all the changes in myself that have come about, I cannot help but think of all the wonderful people the Lord has placed in my life. As Christmas is tomorrow, and I've been contemplating all that Christ has done for me, I've come to the conclusion that I have been greatly blessed in my life. In times of trials, the Lord does not abandon us; sometimes He sends people to answer our prayers, and we must be open to letting them into our lives. Thank you, all of you, for being willing to push me out of my figurative snow banks. I would not be the person I am today without you, and without Christ and His atonement. I am not grateful for trials, but I am grateful for the lessons I've learned, the people I've met, and the experiences I've gained because of them. May your Christmas be as full as mine with the love friends, family, and Christ lighting the way! Merry Christmas!
Comments
Post a Comment