Taking the Road Less Traveled

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood and looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth.  - Robert Frost

Sometimes I wonder.  I wonder what my life might have been like if God had not called me to youth ministry at the age of 18.  I might have taken a standard 9-5 office job and had a much more stable existence.  I almost certainly would have made more money.  I might have been able to maintain better relationships with my friends my own age, who often had a hard time understanding why my life revolved around teenagers.  I would have had to deal with less midnight phone calls, less traumatic family situations and less pressure to appear to live a sinless life- which, as I should have known, is not possible.  I most certainly would have spent less time on the road, sleeping in strange places and trying to keep students out of mischief.  I often think of the Robert Frost poem The Road Not Taken and realize how little I could see as I looked down the paths of life at the time when I chose to follow my calling.  I was so young and I knew so little.  I know my life would have been very different.  There is no question about that.  The real question is this- would my life have been better?  Sometimes I wonder...

Me and Alex, 2005.  And Stephanie's back, too!

And then I have a day like Wednesday.  I met two former students for lunch here in Tampa.  One of them, Stephanie Greife, I have had several lunches with over the past few months.  The other was Alexandra Smith, who I had not seen in over 5 years.  The two of them had once been very good friends, but had also drifted apart and not seen each other in several years.  Given the years apart and what had transpired in my life during that period, I had no idea what to expect.  It could have been quite awkward.  We met at Moe's at 11:15 AM, and it took about 30 seconds for me to realize there had been no reason to worry.  We began to talk like old friends- actually more like family, because indeed that is what we had been in our youth group days at Wesley Memorial UMC.  Alex was supposed to leave around 1 PM, but she cancelled her appointment.  We talked about struggles, relationships and what had happened in each of our lives since last we had been together.  We told old stories.  We laughed hysterically.  Each of these young women talked about how the memories we share together are among the most important times of their lives, a beacon of hope when things seem darkest.  And at the end of our time together- some 4 hours after we began- we made plans to do it again next week, hopefully with a few more lost members of our family.  My soul was lifted, and I was blessed by their love.  Alex showed me, as so many former students (including Steph) had before her, the true meaning of grace and forgiveness.  And they both reminded me that while my life's work had not been normal, it was significant.  

As I lay in bed that night, my mind racing with so many memories and so many stories, I thought again of The Road Not Taken - and I laughed out loud.  Following Jesus will always take us down a path that others will not understand.  My life's work in youth ministry  brought me (and my family) more love, joy and satisfaction than I could ever begin to explain. There are literally hundreds of former students all over this country who I am blessed to know and love as my extended family.  And we are all connected in the name of Jesus.  If I gave up some money, stability and normalcy to pursue this less traveled path, I was blessed with far more in return.  So to finish Robert Frost's thought:

Two roads diverged in a wood and I- I took the one less traveled by

And that has made all the difference.

I am no longer a youth pastor.  But the road less traveled continues on, and I cannot wait to see where it will lead me next.  I just know that I have an amazing extended family to travel with me.  And if you happen to be in the neighborhood of Lee Garden's Chinese Restaurant in Tampa for lunch this Tuesday, come on in.  It's been true with every group I ever worked with and it's still true today- everyone's welcome!  That's the way God's family works...

Because of Jesus,