Compass My Path: April 2012

Saturday I had this grand plan to head out to the Fashion District in downtown Los Angeles with my daughter via the Metrolink. Included in this plan was to meet my father at Union Station who was going to drive and serve as guide/scout for dress shops. We were scheduled to meet at 3:00pm and be on our merry way.

My daughter and I arrived a bit ahead of schedule and grabbed a quick bite to eat from a sandwich shop and waited for my dad to show up. We waited. And waited. Then waited some more. It was a sunny LA day so the heat was on! By the time we grew weary of waiting it was only 3:28pm but it felt like forever o'clock. I had guessed he was stuck in traffic but then was fearful he had found something else better to do and blew us off. The latter is totally uncharacteristic for my dad nevertheless I lost faith and gave up on him.

Being me, I decided to proceed without my dad's assistance assured that I could find my way around because, shoot, it was my will to do so. So, by gosh, proceed I did! I asked a security guard for directions and rushed my daughter off to the Metro Red Line heading to the Fashion District. I saved the day!
After disembarking from the train at 7th Street as directed I was excited to finally start our planned day of Prom dress shopping. To be sure of which way to go I asked a Metro information person which way to get to the Fashion District from where we were. He said we need to go back to Union Station and catch a bus. The heck I will! Go BACK to where we started? Being me, I thanked the gentleman and told him we would go upstairs to grab something to eat. Yes-sir-ee, I did. That guy was wrong and probably should be retired from his position! Being me I thought that fool must be crazy. I was wise in my own eyes.

Leading the charge I grab my daughter by the hand and we head upstairs to start what has now become an adventure. At about 4:00 pm I get a call from my dad asking where we were. He said that he arrived at Union Station at 3:30 and had been waiting for us since then. He apologized for being delayed and said he would then meet us where we were. (Had I listened to the Metro gentleman I would have returned to Union Station to find my father waiting for me) I told him we were at the intersection of 7th and Figueroa and we would wait for him there. So we waited. And waited. Then went to Starbucks and waited. And waited some more. In the mean time the Dash E headed to the Fashion District passed us up twice. So once again I lead the charge and my daughter and I race to the Dash bus stop. We were no longer waiting for my father, we were waiting on what would hopefully come sooner. So we waited. No longer excited; we become tired of waiting and discouragement begins to settle in. After a little while my daughter is ready to go home but I want to hold out for a few minutes longer. Finally I concede to give up and then my daughter says "there's Papa! I must not have understood what she said because she then pointed to the direction from where my father was walking to meet us. Yes, there he was! Twice he had been delayed in traffic but, still, he showed up. After all the waiting he served as our guide through the Fashion District as he had promised. In addition to that, he took us to The Grove where apparently, according to my daughter, they have the best Forever 21 ever. He then treated us to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. The best part, for me, was spending time with my father. Something I would have missed out on if I had given up on him.

That's how it is with our Heavenly Father. He dispatches His angels to bless us but oftentimes we give up waiting and narrowly miss our blessings. Do not give up on the Lord. He will never forsake you.

Suggested reading Daniel 10:10-13

Compass My Path

Monday, April 30, 2012

Waiting

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