Dead Ends?

I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,

To present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12: 1-2

(New American Standard Bible)

             

            Two of my most frightening experiences had to do with dead ends.

 It was late when the meeting in Kingwood, Texas ended, but I assumed finding the freeway would be no problem. Wrong! After some driving, it soon became apparent the road was leading me deeper into an isolated area. Having just seen one or two cars, my suspicion was that this dark wooded section was a place where drug deals went down as well as other undesirable activities. Wanting to quickly get out of there I pulled into the first place that would allow me to turn around. Realizing this was actually a dead-end, fear raged as I quickly turned around and drove away before anyone could block me.  

            The second time happened a number of years later in Sulphur, Louisiana. After traveling all afternoon while ignoring hunger and my blood sugar dropping, I finally arrived in Sulphur to spend the night before a five-hour drive the next day. Sleep would not come as my body reacted to the low blood sugar. Knowing this would not get better without real food, I went looking for a Waffle House. After taking a wrong turn, I once again found myself in an isolated area where the only place to turn around was a dead end. In those moments my driving instincts changed to one accustomed to racing.

            Thought: What could these long-ago memories say to us today? Those events are reminders that in every season of life, lurking around the corner is the possibility of taking a wrong turn and ending up in a dead end, or doing everything right and still ending up in a dead-end situation.

            A friend I will call Melissa told how in her youth she was in a good job with potential for growth. While feeling disappointment about the pay, another job offer came her way. Lured with the promise of making bigger bucks, she ignored those inner warnings and accepted the new position. Too late she realized there was another person they had wanted for the job and when this woman became available, Melissa was fired. Her next job could only be described as horrible with pay lower than the first job she’d left.

            Melissa ignored those inner warnings about leaving her job, while I disregarded the low blood sugar that made me weak. Not acknowledging those signs led us each to a dead end.

            But what happens when you plan and do what seems to be the right thing only to end up at a dead end? I’m sure there were people in the late 50’s, 60’s and even 70’s who planned for their future. Some went to work right after high school while others got vocational training or college degrees only to find themselves displaced by computers or working in a computer-led environment alien to anything they knew.

            New bosses have different expectations, a relationship ends, life as you knew it no longer exists because of______? As has been experienced this last year with the Pandemic, life as we know it can rapidly change.

            Does this become the dead end that negatively alters our hopes and dreams? Possibly, if we let thoughts such as believing there are no alternatives; problems will be solved only when others change; it’s impossible for anything good to happen; it’s not fair, and the list of negative beliefs that will keep one at an impasse continues.

            The following two stories are of women who chose not to be defeated by their dead ends.

            I had the opportunity to meet an amazing woman several years ago. One of the things that made this individual special was her reaction to a dead end. As did many during the depression, she had to drop out of college to help her family. Several years later she married, but her husband, a veteran of WWII became disabled. With a family to support, this woman refused to succumb to life’s problems. Her daughter tells how her mother, who didn’t drive, walked daily to a business school in their city in order to get a certificate.

            This type of response may become heroic, but it’s also a sacrifice and a difficult challenge. Many might think while walking on a cold, rainy, morning, why couldn’t I have been able to finish school? Or perhaps at the end of a tiring day of school while facing a hot humid walk home, the thoughts might gravitate toward It’s not fair. For some, this would be the decision to quit.

            But this woman persevered. After getting the business certificate she found a job and by retirement was not only a much loved and respected employee, she was also the head of four departments. The success didn’t stop there. Her daughter, inspired by her mother’s determination while understanding that sacrifices is a part of achievement, went on to have a successful career of her own and now her children, motivated and helped by what they saw in their grandmother and mother are successful people giving back to this world and living a legacy they can look back on with pride.

            Another exceptional woman I met told her story. As a young mother with a child and few resources, their future looked bleak. Refusing to bow to poverty, but with no other alternative, she turned to the Welfare system. Not wanting to become dependent on government aid, she got a job in the welfare office and learned successful work habits. Taking that office experience to another level, this motivated person found training in a different field and after two years got off welfare for good. Her story went on to include a successful career that she can remember with pride, and her path is also a testament to others that a dead end does not have to be permanent.

            The above stories illustrate how two different people took their potential dead-end situations and fought for a better way. Nothing like this is easy. Sacrifice of any type be it professional, money management, eating differently, anything that leads to a desired goal has its difficult and painful moments, but if we’re willing to do the work, it can be a journey that takes us away from defeat into a more victorious way of living.

            Dead end or new beginnings?

 

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;

From whence shall my help come?

My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 121

 (New American Standard Bible)

           

           

           

           

           

 

 

 

 

           

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