The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Pick Your Roads, Don't Meander

by Dessa Rodeffer
Quill Editor/Publisher

20 October 1999

It's hard to take control of your life. However, if we don't get our priorities in order, we can become stressed, overloaded, worn out, grouchy, and eventually unsuccessful in about everything we do.

How do we become accountable for our day's activities? I find it's something I need to do daily. If you do not, you will find it is hard to stay on course. Just like checking the road map keeps you on the shortest way to your destination, so can checking your goals keep you on course for life.

Choosing roads spontaneously can give us some exciting adventures, but, the roads we travel on may take us in circles, lead us through mazes, over some bumps and potholes, around steep ravines, and even into some dead ends and fatal crashes.

It is far wiser to check out the map constantly to make sure you are making the right choices for the direction you wish to go.

It is helpful to have an accountability partner who will help keep you on course. It may be irritating to have someone ask if we have double checked this and double checked that all the time, but this is what a caring individual does for another.

It starts out being your parents, but sometimes it can be your grandparent, your sister or brother, your best friend, your coach, your teacher, principal, minister, or even your boss at work.

Their questioning or advice may be annoying, constant, and unsolicited, but it is only because they are interested in the outcome of your decisions, and your climb to success. Left alone, we can take detours that look interesting, educational journeys that seem good for us, and harmless side trips. What they may be doing, however, is pulling us farther and farther away from our goals. They all may be good things, but they may distract us from accomplishing the things we feel are most important in our lives.

Take account of your day's activities, so you won't be setting a pattern so far off course that it will be hard to get back on course.

Life's little demands can turn into a series of stress and overload and eventually guilt, but if we carefully weigh everything we do and say, we could avoid most of this from happening.

We will always make our share of mistakes, just like everyone else. In the long run, however, most will not notice if we admit them, say our regrets and make adjustments as soon as possible.

If not, those who think they are headed on a warm southern trip may find themselves getting a cold shoulder. There may be great adventures for awhile, but it will probably be a long lonely isolated adventure in the end.

To better chart our course for tomorrow, take time to carefully take account of yesterday's activities. Ask yourself why you made the choices you did and, ask if they helped you get closer to your goals or pushed you away from them.

We can't have it all, so we must pick and choose the things that are really important to us. Then we will be sure to at least end up with what's really important to us in life.

As you build your character let it be a strong one. In the end, it should be something we can be proud of and can share with our children and grandchildren:something that our friends will be proud of. Most importantly, something that is in align with God's plan for us.

Take control of your life by letting God take control of your heart and your mind. In that way, you will take fewer detours, hit fewer potholes, and reach your final destination.

Your road map is the Bible. Your supporters are the people who share your beliefs and will encourage and help you reach your goals. With a good team like that, you can take control of each day with confidence:Happy traveling.