Introretrospective

My 10-gallon gas tank faithfully bore me a total of 330 miles today.

First on the list of visits was a dear friend in Rocklin, CA. I meandered to this little town northeast of Sacramento early this morning, arriving around the time I'd usually wake up on any other Saturday. Three wonderful hours were spent catching up with this friend and her toddling son whom I haven't seen in over a year. So fun, so refreshing.

Then I jumped across the river (drove 35 miles) to El Dorado Hills and spent a few hours - and dinner - with family. After a precious time of chatting with my aunt, scampering around with my cousin's little boy, and munching happily with aunt, cousin, and kid, I hit the road back home.

This time, I turned off the music.

And was almost hit. But that's beside the point.

It's strange how friendship offers perspective, family offers a mirror, and quiet solitude lets it all fall together. I don't know if I have a grasp of what God has worked in my heart, but I know His precision is dependable and His intuition supreme. Something difficult to grip is the idea of not understanding, not controlling or even knowing. After all that introspection and retrospection (looking in and looking back) I'm no clearer about what my God sees ahead, but I am all the more confident that it will work out. It will bring Him glory. It will grow me.

Too often we see our situation and ourselves from the inside looking around. When we have those valuable introretrospective times, it lets us see things from the outside and the finish lines. This is also a valuable role of the Word of God... which I think takes us then to the next logical place, of seeing all this in light of the Sustainer and gives all the praise to Him, where it belongs! How great is our God!

(By the way, my car is not leather-interiored Audi as shown above. The photo was selected for dramatic emphasis, symbolizing the road "trip" experienced this day. For a more accurate rendering of my car, click here.)