Hours in the Wrong Direction...

I did something the other day I have never done before. I was embarrassed, I was confused, I was shocked, tired and laughing right by myself SO hard.

In my family, there is a joke about "the gene." Basically it is these random, slightly crazy, little flighty things the women in my family have done and it seems to be genetic. The list of stories is forever long and hilarious, sometimes scary. I haven't had any major episodes of this "gene" before. I thought I might be safe, it appears I am not!

I had been in Nashville working/recording the past 6 days. I had a gig the next day and was ready to get home to see my family and my barn. I am used to long drives. Gas up, listen to my nerdy podcasts and I'm good to go.

My husband said, "Why weren't you using GPS?!" I said, "I DIDN'T NEED IT!!" I have made this drive plenty of times. I knew where I was going. It is literally a straight shot most of the way down I-65.

Of course, he said, "Obviously you did need it....." <---- My eyes rolled in the back of my head because there was nothing I can say to that at this point- "Yes, you are right." was not coming out!

Here is what happened to the best of my knowledge ...

I stopped to eat dinner just outside of Birmingham. I decided I would eat inside Panera instead of while I was driving because I was ahead of schedule, feeling great, and it'd be quick.

I get back on I-65. As I am going through downtown Birmingham I reach the spot where all the different lanes take you different directions. I must have been in the wrong lane and slightly veered on to I-59- maybe it was major- maybe it was slight, I have no idea!

As I am driving completely "in the zone" I notice different things here and there and think "Oh, that's cool. I've never noticed that before."

I keep driving.

I thought "Where was Hoover? I don't remember passing it." Thought maybe I just missed it.

I keep driving.

The biggest one that made me feel so stupid were the road signs that said "Chattanooga ?? miles" and I thought to myself "Hmmm there's no Chattanooga, AL and I've never noticed that being on a sign on my way home before."

The first 2 times I saw this sign should have been RED FLAG enough.

I STILL kept driving!!

I truly don't know what I was thinking.

The final thing that got my attention was the fact that I should have been almost home and I hadn't even made it to Montgomery yet.

I looked down at my dash that said I was traveling NE when it should have said S.

My stomach and my heart dropped.

I was horrified, but I knew everyone was expecting me home soon. I called my mom even though I figured she was probably asleep. I think I felt there was safety in "the gene" that she would understand! Scott and my parents would have all preferred me to get a room, but I was ready to come home.

1:30 AM, way too many hours late, I finally made it home safe and sound.

This whole episode got me thinking about so many lessons...

How many times in life do we see signs we are on the wrong road, but we keep driving??

We see flashes of things that are wrong or unfamiliar and rather than investigate we wait until we are miles and miles off track to finally REALLY look up and make changes.

Our pride tells us we can't admit we are wrong.

We think we can't let anyone know we got lost.

We think we are too far gone to turn around.

I could have kept driving just so I didn't have to make that embarrassing call about the mistakes I made, but I would have never made it home - in life would have never found my true destiny.

I would have ended up in Chattanooga which ironically I have a song that I wrote that I play at live shows telling a story from when I was a kid and our Suburban and luggage were stolen in Chattanooga. The chorus is "We're never going back to Chattanooga, Tennessee though I'm sure its a fine place to be..." It's kind of funny to think I was on the wrong road headed straight for Chattanooga.

Back to life ...

Sometimes we just have to make that u-turn. We have to swallow our pride and say the mistake I made will not keep me lost forever and I will find my true destiny. I will laugh at what I can, shake off the dust, and get myself on the path that I NEED to be on for my life or my family or my destiny.

I usually like to reference Psalm 37:23 when something is inconvenient and frustrating. Maybe God has a reason or a purpose for it so I will just roll with it. He directs my steps.

Psalm 37:23 (NLT)

The Lord directs the steps of the godly.

He delights in every detail of their lives.

We can always know that he has a plan for our lives and it's a good one.

Make that u-turn today if you need to.