[Nevertheless] Just Where You Need to Be

After two days lamenting a busy schedule and horrible weather, during which I also found myself in such extreme pain that I debated whether or not a trip to the emergency department was necessary, we hiked. Because that's what I do when I don't feel well, apparently. I can either feel crappy at home in bed, or in the woods. I chose the woods.

We started out in the wrong direction, found ourselves on the wrong path, took a path we thought was one trail when it turned out it was a completely different trail, and then finally found our way to where we planned to be originally. This added nearly a mile to our hike, but no matter.

We reminisced about the last time we had been on that hike - it was on a Tuesday, fifteen and a half or so years ago. Our oldest two were singing, "every man 'neath the vine and fig tree will live in peace and unafraid ..." as we marched through the forest. Our cell phone rang and my parents reminded us that it was the first night of Tuesday Night Sunday School - and we were off like a shot down the trail, with just enough time to get cleaned up and into fresh clothes and on our way to church. 

This time, it's just the two of us and we're able to take our time. 

Suddenly there's movement and noise off the trail to our right. A sharp-shinned hawk and a Cooper's hawk were fighting over something. Had we not taken our unexpected detours, we wouldn't have been witness to such a display, wouldn't have seen these incredible creatures. 

Sometimes in life, you take the wrong path, get a little lost along the way. Nevertheless, God makes sure you get back on the right path, finding yourself just where you need to be.