Every street in the neighborhood,
except one, is a Shadow Wood something; (Lane, Trail, Drive, etc.)
Two major thoroughfares border the
Shadow Wood Community on the east and north. Spirit Lake Road intersects with
Winter Lake Road about half a mile after traffic passes one of the three
entrances to Shadow Wood.
The other day I happened to be in my
front yard, and lo and behold a complete semi-truck and empty fruit trailer
rolled down Shadow Wood Trail, turned left onto Shadow Wood Lane, and continued
north to Winter Lake Road; bypassing the normal truck route, and traffic light.
It happened again today. Two more
heavy, non-descript trucks rolled down Shadow Wood Trail, and, subsequently,
followed the same pathway the driver of the fruit truck had chosen.
It was evident that all three truck
drivers decided to save a little time. And rather than driving a half mile past
the entrance of Shadow Wood, turning left at the traffic light, and driving along
the perimeter of my subdivision, they took a short cut through our quiet little
neighborhood.
As scripture puts it,
“These things ought not to be.”
I mean, bad enough that the 6 or 8
hundred residents of Shadow Wood have to watch humongous, noisy trucks invade
the settledness of their sanctuary. However, in the scheme of things, this is
just a “cosmetic issue.”
The underlying issue is what these
gargantuans are doing to the streets of Shadow Wood Trail, Shadow Lane and
Shadow Wood Drive; pavement which was never meant to support 80,000 lb.
vehicles, not to mention the corresponding poundage on the drainage system
which runs beneath these streets.
Shortcut
Pt. 2
I probably should divulge the agenda
for my blog. I don’t mind telling you
that Part 1 merely serves as a metaphor for where I want to take you.
Shortcuts
Life is full of them. Everywhere you
go they virtually “jump up and say, ‘boo.’”
The woman who has adopted the “bar
scene” lifestyle, and leaves with a different guy every night; substituting
short-term satisfaction for long term results. Or to flesh the previous phrase
out a bit… substituting short-term satisfaction (and potentially sacrificing
her personal safety) for what might have been more productive, long term
(relational) results.
Shortcut
The man who sits in an internet café in
Nigeria (or somewhere else) and poses as a woman whose father has recently
died, left his entire fortune to his sons, and has denied her a share of the
wealth. And would the recipient of her email please assist her by paying half
her lawyer’s fees, and, if so, she would be happy to share the wealth, if and
when her share of said wealth is bestowed upon her.
Shortcut
The real-life young immigrant with the
initials A.S. who committed himself to be the most powerfully sculpted man on
this or any other planet, and who, as a result of his untold time and efforts,
(and a significant quantity of steroids) was awarded the title of Mr. Universe.
For anyone who is familiar with this body builder, actor and former governor,
you are all too aware that at the age of 50 he submitted to aortic surgery, and
at the age of 70 he experienced a heart attack and required major surgery. (And
it goes without saying, A.S. no longer boasts the most impressive physique in
the history of the world).
Shortcut
The honest to goodness evangelist who
has “put himself out” as someone great, who has what has been characterized as “a
direct line to heaven,” who regularly promotes his miracle water which is
capable of curing a host of ailments (for a donation), and who has in the past almost
magically called people out of the audience “by their name and their need.”
Suffice it to say P.P.’s scheme “went to hell in a handbasket” when a savvy
reporter managed to intercept the voice of the evangelist’ wife, as she spoke
to him through the auspices of a tiny receiver he wore in his ear.
Shortcut
Or to make the whole thing a bit more
practical, the young man or woman who feels compelled to achieve something
good, and positive and worthwhile, and something which they believe God has put
it in their heart to do, but who in the end “just settles” in favor of
something mundane and mediocre, whereby allowing their God-given goal to remain
theoretical; simply because he or she doesn’t (for whatever reason) do the
things which must be done… to get the job done.
Shortcut
Afterward
As a counselor I urge my clients to
strive to become “People of Excellence,” and to refrain from the mindsets, and
lack of commitment, and lack of necessary effort which results in mediocrity.
In one of the apostle’s epistles, we
read,
“We
serve a God who judges men according to their actions.” (1st Peter 1:17, McDonald
Paraphrase of the New Testament)
It is time for the people of God to
assume the rights and responsibilities of the people of God. I think the
foregoing passage of scripture speaks volumes, and challenges us to avoid…
short cuts.
by William McDonald, PhD. Copyright Pending
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