Blog 107 – 9.1.15

In my travels I have had the privilege of being in all fifty States and eleven countries other than the United States of America. Each of the fifty states and countries has many things to commend it and Indiana is no exception. One of the first business trips I ever took as an inspector was to Columbus, Indiana. For those of you not familiar with the state that is just south of Indianapolis. That city was first called The Crossroads of America because of major highways crossing in it. The whole state later came to be referred to as The Crossroads of America.

Much has been written about being at the crossroads and what difficult and important decisions are to be made at a crossroad. Balderdash, that is a big word but much nicer than the one I had in mind. Let us consider the options one may take at a crossroad:

Stop – well you might want to do that and
look all ways before proceeding. But be
advised staying stopped too long can get
one rear ended or stuck but then that is one                                                                                      way to meet new friends.

Go forward – proceed, continue in the
same direction, but you might be thought                                                                                          too Progressive if you do that.

Turn right – the Liberals are not fond of
this choice. It is okay to be right and
stand for the right but leaning right or
turning to the right makes you seem too
Totalitarian.

Turn left – (or hang a Luey as my
Australian friends say) though the Liberals
might like this choice the Conservatives
will hate it. Left is a code word to them
and means Red, not in the new Red
sense like Red State – Republican leaning
State, but Red like in the old sense, Red
China or Red Communist.

Turn around and go back – the Born-
Again Christians particularly like this one.
I learned in Bible College that the literal
meaning of the word translated in the
New Testament as “repent” is “about
face” which for you non military people is
taking two right turns at the same time or
for you lefties hanging two Lueys will get
you heading in the same direction, the
opposite direction or back where you
came from.

But which way to go? That is the question. I am of the slightly skewed opinion it doesn’t really matter. The Romans had a saying, “All roads lead to Rome.” I think more accurately,
All Roads Lead Home.

I have heard it said that if you are lost it doesn’t matter which road you take. But if God is truly All in All – Everywhere and Everything can one ever truly be lost? One of my all time favorite Christian songs says:

He was there all the time
There all the time
Waiting patiently in line
He was there all the time.

Christians think they have a special corner on God, on Truth, on Love. So do Jews, Muslims, Hindus, in fact all religions do. Maybe they are all right. James says, God is not a respecter of persons. That means He/She has no picks, no favorites. LOVE like the warming sunshine and the cooling rain falls out of the heavens upon each and all of us no matter if we stand at the crossroads or which direction we are headed on the highways of life.

Don’t see it that way? It may be an idea that is too Progressive, too Conservative, too Catholic, too Protestant, too Christian, too Jewish , too Muslim, too Hindu, too Buddhist, too Mormon, or too Unitarian to get your mind around. I apologize if I left anyone out. I think/believe no one is left out, but that is just my opinion…Be encouraged home is just around the next bend for some of us and not far down the road for all of us. You can get there from Indiana or wherever you are. Enjoy the journey.

Your friend and fellow traveler,
David White