Mile Markers

I like to travel and be in exciting places, but the actual journey isn’t always the most thrilling. This is especially true when you are stuck in slow moving traffic. The most frustrating times are when things slow down for no apparent reason. You may inch along the interstate for 30 minutes and then suddenly everything is back up to speed without any visible cause. This doesn’t even begin to address my frustration with slow drivers (I know—I have issues) and the way they impede my forward progress. Even with smooth moving traffic, I get bored on a long trip if the scenery doesn’t change. It seems as if I won’t ever arrive at my destination, even though mile markers along the way let me know I am getting closer to where I want to go.

I need to make sure there are some of these mile markers in my life as well. The journey of growth and progress I’m on don’t always move forward at the pace I want. Sometimes it feels as if my progress is impeded and I can’t always see the cause. In other times the routine of travel becomes a bit ordinary and makes the journey feel even longer. Perhaps the key is to keep those mile markers close by—short term goals and ways to measure progress that let me know I’m moving forward. I’ve got to set these for each area of my life if I want to be encouraged on the journey. These small markers help me to realize I am making progress even when the destination seems far away.