Life Is a Highway

I have a bit of a tradition when I take road trips. I make iPod mixes for the trip and each mix starts out with the Rascal Flatts version of Life Is a Highway. It's an upbeat song that's catchy and seems fitting for any long drive.

I spent a lot of time on the highway these past five days. A lot! Close to as many hours as it took to drive from MN to NC. On Friday I drove from Charlotte to Orlando for a seminar on youth ministry. It seems like a long distance to drive for a seminar but I knew it was going to be worth it, especially with my position as the interim youth director. I spent Friday through early Sunday afternoon at the conference and then I drove back to Charlotte. And the drive home was even longer. Probably because it took me over an hour to drive the first 20 miles back. Probably because I was tired from the long day on Saturday. Probably because of a late night with some friends at the conference. Probably because I knew that I was going to be back in Charlotte for less than 12 hours before I had to head back on the road to an intern/supervisor retreat.

Either way, it was a long drive on Sunday and I was hurting. I had my Cherry Coke Zero and my iPod mix but it wasn't enough. Thankfully, I also had my cell phone. I made calls and received calls with friends from back home and all around the country. I talked life, relationships, faith, school, vacation plans, and baseball (Go Twins!) with them. It was exactly what I needed to keep going and make it home and then make it to the retreat and back again today.

Life has been a bumpy ride lately. My future destination isn't quite clear. And yet, I have to keep driving. I have experiences to give me that extra energy when I'm feeling tired. I have my friends to entertain me and encourage me along the way. And I have a great navigator in the form of God. So, I guess I just have to keep on driving...