...across the room to Silver City.....""

I love doors and doorways and like to take pictures of them when I see one that especially interests me as this one did. The picture didn't turn out well but I still remember the feeling of standing here, looking at this doorway and wondering what the history of this place was. I hope it was a haven, shelter, refuge and safe place to walk into.

As I got on my bike to resume our ride for the day I remember thinking about all the doorways I've walked through in my life. There have been many. So many were great experiences and opportunities to learn and grow.

Some of the doors I walked through were painful experiences and as I thought about those I was asking God to clarify some things for me that I do not understand. I asked Him to speak specifically to me in order for me to be in that place with Him where there is nothing standing between me and God that would block our communication and fellowship. I knew that I was dealing with some things in my life that are not pleasing to Him and I wanted to be forgiven and made clean in those areas.

He brought to my mind a passage from the book of Proverbs 3:5,6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and he will make your paths straight."

I have to admit that I simply do not understand everything in my life and sometimes I have to just let things be and trust and believe that God will direct the outcome of the parts I do not understand in the way that it needs to happen. My part is to acknowledge Him in everything that I do and say. That's the tough part.

For instance today we stopped at a place to fuel up our bikes and I ran in to use the washroom. I looked around and saw no washroom facility signs so I asked the clerk where they were. She said "Oh, it's broken!" My eyebrows automatically rose to my hairline and my lips mouthed "Don't you ever have to go?" "Oh," she replied "I have a washroom through the back office where you can't go!" I said "PLEASE! You've GOT to be kidding!" as she pointed to a restaurant across the street and said "But you can use their washroom!" I wanted to scream "I HAVE JUST PURCHASED FUEL FROM YOU. You won't let me use the washroom but you would like me to go to the restaurant across the street where I do not want to eat because I just had lunch and use their washroom! Do you not even feel the slightest twinge of shame suggesting something like that?" etc. but I heard that little voice inside me saying "In ALL your ways, acknowledge HIM" and I had to ask myself how that applied in this situation. I don't know what their policy was. I don't know if the toilet was broken. She probably just works there and is not the owner. I have no idea and it doesn't change anything. I had a choice to make and I chose to walk out without making a scene and I'm glad I did.

The Word of God is sharper than a two edged sword and it cuts right through everything. Just when we think we're a special case or start making excuses for ourselves that Word cuts our excuses into bits and exposes them for what they really are. So often we want to make an exception for ourselves for what we would consider wrong for everyone else. But if we actually acknowledge God in everything we do and say He really will make our path straight.

At the end of the day, that's what really counts!

The picture was taken in Silver City.