Carol was on auto-pilot, I could tell.  The kids were scampering around, getting ready for school.  While lunches were being packed, Carol was sending out reminders, “Do you have your homework?  Those clothes don’t match.  Don’t forget that you have practice after school!”  She’s multitasking like a maniac.  I’m just waiting for the day when one of the girls comes home from school and asks, “Mom, you made me a Sun-Chip sandwich?  Is that even a thing?”  

Of course, Carol and I are getting ready for work as well.  The vehicle doors are left wide open as multiple trips back and forth to the house are made.  Finally, the kids get on the bus, and Carol and I are off to work.  

About 2 hours later, Carol calls me, laughing, and says, “Hey honey, you won’t believe this!  On my way into work this morning I stopped at the gas station to fill up.  When I finished, I turned around to get back into my van and a cat was sitting in my seat, just looking at me! 

“Really, you found a cat in your van?  What did you do?” I responded.  

“I just shooed it out and drove to work.  It must have just jumped in there while I was pumping gas!” 

“Are you sure?  Did you see it jump into your van?” I asked.

“Well… no, but where else would it have come from?”  

I let her dwell on her own question for just a bit, then asked, “How about when you left the van doors open at home as you were getting ready this morning?”  

“Oh… oh… oh no!” Carol started laughing even harder than before.  The neighbors like to let their cats run free.  Those cats like to leave “gifts” on our porch.  Carol just came face to face with the sudden realization that maybe, just maybe, she had accidentally taken one of the neighbor’s cats for a ride across town and then “shooed” him into a new existence.  

Good luck kitty.  

There are many times when we, as Christians, listen for God’s leading then do as we are led, only to feel like we’ve jumped on a “ride” that takes us to places we’ve never expected.  What I’ve found is that, although those adventures may not be profitable, or end the way we want, or even progress at a pace we like, we always add something new to ourselves, our character, in the process.  It’s as if God’s primary goal was to add something new to our lives from the beginning. 

So jump in.  Get on board.  Listen to the Spirit.  You may end up in the last place you’d expect, but at the end of trip, God’s goal may have been to add to who you are from the beginning.  

Pastor Travis Montgomery