Detours....

I spent the evening in St. Paul tonight, which was great because St. Paul recalibrates me and inspires me. And, if I'm honest, I've been in need of a little inspo, so I took the opportunity.

And that's where the first of many detours come in. First, I wanted to go to the new spyhouse, and I did, except that it's literally a closet and it was overrun by college kids who I can only assume by their disheveled appearances are either in the throes of finals or just super mega hipsters who don't shower and are next level organic.

And either could be true because I just read Into the Wild and maybe they did, too and they're all on some transcendental journey.  All millennial hipsters aside, it was too crowded for this 30 something private school teacher who was just there to work on some churchy things.  So, took a detour over to Ninas, which i love, but wasn't feeling it. So over the Wabasha Bridge, I went, to the ever faithful Amore Coffee.

This is where the real detour comes in. Normally, I just take the High Bridge to Amore but it's closed forever. (Not really, just for a bit. They're fixing it so people don't die, i think. Whatever it's inconvenient). This bridge issue forced a detour over the river and through the woods...actually it's probably more over the river and up a bluff? I don't know landforms, I'm just taking a guess. All i know is that it's poorly lit, windy, and basically something you'd see in a horror movie.  Needless to say, I was annoyed.

I finally arrived at Amore, got minimal work done for reasons that had nothing to do with the atmosphere or the detour, and then I headed back from whence I came.  This time going down the bluff...(i don't know, it just might be a hill, how do you know if it's a bluff?) But then right there, through a clearing in the trees were all the lights of the riverfront/downtown/cathedral/capitol. I AM OBSESSED WITH THE CITY AND IT'S SKYLINE.

It was beautiful and I had a stop and take it in for a second. I almost never go that way because the normally the bridge isn't under construction so I rarely get this view of the city.

And i'm smart enough to spot a life metaphor when I see one. My life has not gone as planned. I'm not married to a nice boy and i don't have kids. I'm not teaching in the inner city, Dangerous Minds style (oh, hey 90's throwback). i don't have precious little house in the city with hardwood floors and built-ins.

I don't know if that will actually ever happen. I've taken some detours and without them, I would not have this view of life, and people and Jesus.

Well, damn. In this time, (advent, duh). I think it's important to acknowledge that this is not the life God intended for us. So we wait, we prepare our hearts, for Jesus. In that waiting, we have expectant hearts which are met by a tiny baby. Not exactly what we wanted, but exactly what we need.

Our view needs to shift from our plans, our missteps, our expectations. We need to look through the clearing and see Jesus, coming on the horizon. A promise kept. A new path born which will lead to the cross.

Because of this baby, how will we choose to see this season? how will it change the way to see out lives?

I don't know, but i'm waiting to find out what this season has for me, and maybe you too if you're open to it.

Also: My advent playlist is so good.