Don't jump prematurely - FIND JOY IN THE JOURNEY

This past week, I dreamed that I was riding an elevated train and jumped off at one of the stops to gather some things that I thought I'd left behind.  However by the time I got to the bench and turned around, the train had already pulled out of the station.  If you're a City girl like me, you'd know that there are usually local and express trains.  If there are 9 stops along a route, the express train would only gather riders at 3 out of the 9 stops, but the local train would stop at every site to pick up and let off riders.  In the dream, I honestly don't recall if I was on a local or express train, all I remember is that I jumped off prematurely.

I made several mistakes.

1. I didn't let anyone know that I was getting off. I just jumped off, thinking that I could make it back to the train before the doors closed.  Had I mentioned to someone that I needed to retrieve something off the bench, they could have held their hand out or used their body to prevent the doors from closing.
2.  Not only did I not inform anyone, I didn't pick up my purse or cell phone....those were left in the chair on the train.  So I was left standing on the station platform with no identification and no way of communicating to anyone that I might need help.
3. In my arrogance I thought that I could handle what I needed to handle by myself.  I didn't need anyone because I had this all figured out in my head.  Well NOT!  I screamed at the train and ran to the end of the platform until it was no longer in  sight.

I awakened with my heart racing, flushed and feeling lost.  I was trying to figure out what the dream meant.  I immediately said that I was going to blog about it, but I still hadn't made sense out of it.  What did the dream mean?  All I knew was that I had jumped off too quickly and was ultimately left behind.

Later in the week, my husband and I received a thank you note and an engraved wooden gift from a former student that said "Find the Joy in the Journey".  My mind drifted back to the dream and the train.  Hmmm....Find the Joy in the Journey?!  Suddenly it all made sense to me.  I have been going around trying to jump off the local train because it seems to be going too slowly.  If I were on the express train or the fast track, I'd have the money that I wanted, the career/ job/ business that satisfies me, no family drama, the dog would greet me and kiss my feet (oh yeah, Arby already does that!)....everything would be wonderful (or so I thought). BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT GOD INTENDS FOR ME OR FOR YOU.   There is a process that all of us need to go through and we MUST be patient.

The point about the two trains is that the destination doesn't change.  The end of the line is the same for both the local and the express trains.  The thing is many of us get so wound up in the notion that we were supposed to have arrived YESTERDAY; when God is saying "slow your roll"  there are some things that I need you to see along the way.  So many of us are so eager to do our own thing and follow our own agenda, that we are willing to jump off at any stop because we think 'out there' is better than what we're experiencing 'in here'.  My standing on the platform crying and being left behind was an indication that when you don't follow the process, you are on your own.  Yes, the local train might take a little longer but maybe God has someone that He needs you to meet and minister to on stop #4.  Perhaps there's a blessing for you on stop #7, that you'll need at the end of the line.  If you are in a rush to be on the express train however, you will miss out on all of these experiences.

Our lives should be about setting our minds on the ultimate goal, but learning how to find joy in the journey no matter how long it takes.  Finding good people along the journey is also a good way to stay on track.  Find a trusted friend whom you can share it with, so when you do need to jump off for a split second, there is someone there looking our for you and can call for backup, if you need help.  Stop isolating yourself thinking that you have all of the answers.  Ma'am, Sir... go take a seat, because you don't.  God created us to rely on him, the conductor, to get us to our final destination; but He has also provided you with some great treasures on the local train.  So sit back,  relax, close your eyes and enjoy the ride...Find Joy in the Journey.  I'd much rather do that than standing on the platform and crying as I'm being left behind.

Now walk it out...