It isn't much fun to be sick. I work at a high school and as winter break drew closer, students and staff flooded our little clinic with every contagious sort of cold and flu. My office is next door, but I made it through without so much as a sniffle...until the first day of vacation. But not just any vacation. This was my Jubilee birthday celebration at the beach!

I didn't have time to be sick. There was still laundry, packing, and planning to be done. But sick I was...very sick. I slipped in and out of feverish sleep, able only to pray, "Lord, please make me well...or take me home to Jesus." (I never said I was patient.)

Then a miracle occurred. My sons came to the rescue. They helped finish the laundry, pack the suitcases, gather everything needed for our ten days away, and even load the car. And the next day I awoke feeling better, but very weak.

My will to get to the beach was great, but I knew I couldn't drive for six hours. No worries, my sons had the trip planned out. They made me comfy in the backseat with pillows, a blanket, and my book bag. Then they took their positions---Reagan, the older, as pilot (driver) and Taylor as co-pilot (navigator).

As his Dad always does on our trips, the pilot said a prayer for safety to our destination, adding for a "glorious" time together at the beach for "Mom's Jubilee". Then we were off. The beach was waiting for me and I felt better already. I barely paid attention to our drive...until I heard these words from the pilot: "Oh shoot, I think we're on the wrong highway!"

I sat up, looked around, and read a few signs. Sure enough, we had missed our exit. Without a thought, my pilot and co-pilot were following the route they always used driving back and forth to college. They had actually been on auto pilot! No problem. They realized their mistake. The pilot took the next exit and had the co-pilot recalibrate the GPS to make a course correction.

It was one of those grand learning moments God gives us in the midst of living life out loud! But my sons were frustrated, embarrassed, and felt they had let me down. They began pointing fingers. That's when I said, "Stop! Nothing happens by accident. Fortunately the mistake was noticed early, and even better, someone was willing to admit the mistake early on to prevent a more difficult course correction."

As we all settled down, Taylor, as usual, cracked a joke and we all laughed at ourselves. We turned around not that far off course, made our way back to the right path, and arrived at the beach just about 45 minutes later than anticipated---safe and sound.

Life is like that. We head toward our "God destination" to do His will for His purpose...but then turn our auto pilot on. We live as we always have, only to discover we're off the course God intended. It's frustrating and embarrassing. Sometimes we blame others. Other times we beat ourselves up.

But God says, "Stop! Just turn around and make your way back to my path. I'll walk with you! Aren't you glad I warned you? Don't be upset you were headed in the wrong direction. Be glad you now walk in the right one." Such is repentance---turning around, correcting to the true course, heading back along the only way that will bring us to where we need to be...the loving arms of our Heavenly Father.

John 14:5b-6: "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered,I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.