A Glimpse.

I know the path the Lord has us on is pre ordained. I absolutely believe that the Lord has hand crafted our steps to get us exactly where he wanted us to be. My head knows that, but my heart has had a second thought lately. For the first time in a very long time...I've wondered what our life would have been like if we had taken this path, or that path. I guess, through reconnecting to my early childhood friends, then college friends, and now even friends from our early adulthood, I'm able to see, in hindsight mostly, all the different paths that my friends have taken. One of my elementary school friends posted pictures from high school....and it hit me like a mack truck..."that would have been my life if we didn't have to move". I moved from New Orleans to West Monroe in 8th grade. It was pure torture. I had such a major cajun accent...and I was picked on ruthlessly, so I overcompensated for it... and became the biggest country hick you can imagine. I remember right before we moved, I was about to try out for cheerleader, etc. And then we had to move to north Louisiana, which is truly like a different country compared to south Louisiana....it just doesn't even compare. None of that is particularly relevant, but I will say...those pictures kind of took my breath away...and I'm not altogether sure why. Maybe because I've always wondered what those elementary friends were doing? I really have thought about them so much over the years. Maybe it was strictly because of the 'what if's' it brought to mind. But as I was thinking about that, I then remembered some of my college friends that I have recently reconnected with. Great people in college...the ...you know the type I'm talking about....the kind you wish you were, but weren't. Now they are definitely the 40ish professionals, doing great, drinkers who love a good party. I have to say, I was really shocked. That's not the path I would have ever guessed they would have gone down. Now, while the decision to move from New Orleans to Monroe wasn't my own. What we've done with our adult lives has been our very own personal decisions. How easy could it have been for us to go that route?? Living the life!! Please don't misunderstand me...they are having a ball and a half!!! I'm sure alot more fun than we have a whole bunch of the time!! What small little steps have we taken that have put us on the path we are on. There were several, several decisions that we made as newly married couple that I look back on and could really let myself get down about. Major missed opportunities...some because of fear, and some because of ignorance. Totally on my part....I had a plan, and a change in the plan scared me to death. I have felt really bad over a few of them several time...but I always go back to the fact that I have to believe that whatever the reason, the Lord knew, and has guided us on this path. I guess I got a glimpse....maybe opposite from the one in Family Man..I just got it backwards. What if Roy had gone the politician route? (yeah..I bet that surprises alot of you!), or the doctor route. What if we had all the money in the world, but had lost our faith. I don't want to be raising my children in an environment other than one that is pleasing to Him. I don't want to be chasing what the world tells me to chase. I want Him...and His guidance, and His ways for my family. Wow...what a glimpse...what a gift. Truly a gift.