Getting Lost-Being Found

I absolutely hate getting lost. Now that I see that statement, it seems kinda funny because I don't know many people who like to get lost. But I really hate it.
Last week, I set out to meet a friend at a new beach. I am always up for finding a new, fun, beautiful spot in this great state that I now live in, so I said yes. Little did I know that I would A.) set out to the wrong destination, but then 2.) even when I did get the right destination that I would continually get lost around every corner.
I don't mean to sound like a drama queen but it was exhausting! By the time I finally got there the sun was coming down, and I seriously was so irritated. In the midst of getting lost I had a moment where I thought, maybe I should just turn around and go home. It didn't help that my 7 year old who is almost as impatient as his mother when it comes to getting lost, kept saying... "Maybe we should just go home!"

Well, this got me thinking of the life lesson or the spiritual life analogy here.
Sometimes in life I get lost. I mean, I know I am FOUND for all eternity, but there are moments, seasons where I feel lost.
There are times in life when you question. Questions are okay to ask... they prove we have a mind. It's who we get our answers from that shape us.
I think these times come very randomly and for no apparent reason.
It's a feeling. Feeling is okay... it proves we are human, it's what we do with them that matters.

Like right now for instance.
I have had this nagging feeling of being lost again.
I am at a point in my life where I am wondering am I doing a good job being me?
Do you ever ask that question?
AM I doing a good job being me?
And then I quickly think what would be the definition of good?
Will I look back on what I have been given and be proud of myself?

I have been reading the book of Joshua in the bible.
I am past the point where God tells Joshua "Be strong and courageous, don't be afraid. I go with you." 1:9
I am past the point where Rahab hides the spies and because of this her whole house hold is spared. 2:14
I am past the point where Joshua and the people of Israel have seen God's hand move over and over on their behalf. 6:16
I am past the point where Joshua prayed for the Sun to Stand Still and it DID! 10:12(read it people it really did)

AND

Then I read this the other day;

"Joshua asked the Israelites, How long will you be SLACK to go in and possess the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you?" Joshua 18:3

This is after the land has been given, the boundaries have been set, the victories have been won, cities have been captured, THE SUN HAS STOOD STILL, and yet.... they SLACK?

They weren't lost. They found the right destination. They had clear cut jobs to do. But still they SLACKED?

I read that and thought this is exactly what this feeling of being lost is like for me. I have been given everything, and I DO mean everything that I need to succeed in this my life, and yet I SLACK!

Why?
For this I have no answer.

I only know that just like when Isaiah asked me, "Can we just go home?" that there is no going back.
Not when you have looked this long.
Not when you have spent that much gas.
Not when you have hoped for the destination to end all destinations.
There is no turning back, where else would I go?

21:44


24:15

Getting Lost, and Finding THE tree

This year we made the trip out to the woods for the infamous tree. We have done this before and in theory this idea of cutting down the tree is really great but in reality with crying babies, cold children, or children who are hungry, or children who are wet cause they fell down in the mud or ice or whatever....not so great. This year was different.
We went very spur of the moment and with some pretty great friends. It was a beautiful drive out to Frenchman's and I forgot how much fun 4bying(sp?) with the man can be , mostly because of the smile it puts on his face(he really does need an off road toy, shh...don't tell him I said so). The kids were really great as well with lots of laughs and no mishaps it made me believe that we might actually start this tradition back up again.
Anyway, back to what I wanted to blog about.While we were out there though there was a patch of trees that I got tangled up in all alone (don't know how that happened as I am always telling the kids not to wander off) and at one point it got pretty hairy and scary(not really but I am adding that for dramatic effects). The trees were all dead and so close together and I had got way off the trail from everyone else and I had no idea where I was(not afraid because of my photographic memory, I have never been truly lost in my life, probably why I really wasn't afraid) and I began to think what would it be like to really be lost out there. Strange thoughts to have on this day but there I was having them and the conclusion I came to is that I would wait awhile and listen. I would listen for the voices of other people who I knew weren't far off. This got me thinking of how often when we feel lost, alone, or afraid we can listen to voices, (now for those of you sarcastic folk don't go thinking , "Great , Noel's really gone and lost it now, telling us to listen to voices) the voices of those who know their way and are not lost and maybe have been down this road before. After all this thought of being lost, I was tired of pretending like I was lost and also I could hear the voices pretty strong and close by so I decided to go find them.
I think in the end that is all we have to guide us in this journey we call life, the voices that have gone before us that have left their wisdom to try and help us avoid the mistakes they have made. They call out to us in all different ways and in all different settings but when we are lost sometimes I don't think we take the time to stop, and listen.