Lost - A Lesson

Last Wednesday Carrie, Kate and I were meeting Alyssa at Georgia Tech to switch cars. Alyssa is at Teach for America Institute this summer, and had just arrived the previous day to begin her 6 weeks of work.  Carrie was going to spend the week the with the Pascual family in Stone Mountain. (That is a post I'm sure Carrie will write in the future).  I had directions to meet Alyssa and make the switch.  I'm not very good with the maps on iPhone, even though Alyssa had sent  the address in a text message.  I looked up the address on google maps and wrote out directions.  Carrie was helping me navigate.  All was going well as we got off at the Howell Mill exit and began looking for the next turn.  I knew the mileage to find the street, but it didn't match up.  I couldn't find the street.  Carrie called Alyssa and thus began our adventure in being lost.  

I'm fairly familiar with Georgia Tech as Kate has been to the campus for swim meets.  The address I had didn't seem to be leading me toward what I knew to be the Tech campus, but it was the address Alyssa had sent me.  

Alyssa was asking questions about where we were, Carrie was responding. Alyssa told us to go to 10th Street and turn...but we didn't know which way.
We made the wrong choice. Did I mention we are directionally challenged?? Alyssa kept telling us to look for certain roads, make certain turns. The voices escalated as we continued to circle the same streets with the same results - lost!  Carrie went back to the address in the text and clicked on it - Alyssa's suggestion- it continued to take us to the wrong location.

This went on for about 15 minutes. Eventually we found her, standing on the corner of Hemphill and 10th Street - definitely in the midst of the Tech campus.  We exchanged vehicles and few items Alyssa had requested.  She was on a lunch break and short on time. Everyone was short on patience.

We made it to I-75 and to the Taproom without any issues.  The Taproom is the new coffee shop that Jonathan Pascual has recently opened on Hosea Williams Drive in the Kirkwood Community of Atlanta.  This is where we were meeting Sarah and the kids so that "Camp Carrie" could commence.  

I texted Alyssa that we made it without getting lost.  She asked how far it was from Tech, as she wanted to visit soon.  I went back to my maps to get the route from the address she had given me (yes, the one that got us lost). When I looked at the map, I realized the address she gave me was definitely NOT where we finally met her.  I sent her a text saying there was something wrong with the address I had for her.  A few minutes later she tells me that she had sent the WRONG address.  I had 855 and the correct one was 555. If you know anything about Atlanta, the streets do not always run in a straight line. 

What did I learn from this adventure?  To get where you are going you need the correct information. 

• God wants us to have the right information. When we try and follow what we think is right, even when someone we trust gave us the information, we can be wrong.  God's Word always has the right information, but we often interpret it incorrectly.

• He desires for us to ask Him. Often we need to call someone to get back on track.  I'm glad I can call on God and he always answers.  Sometimes we have to continue to call to get the right answer, it's not always immediate.

• Sometimes despite the right information, we make the wrong choice.  This happens daily in my walk with the Lord.  I'm am thankful for his grace and mercy when I make the wrong turn.

• Patience and love is key in any situation.  

Being unable to find Alyssa was frustrating, but with patience, love and a cell phone we finally connected!