Feelings and Choices

Choices not Feelings
     I left the group, that I'd been with for 4 days, today... me heading for Nashville, TN while they drove home.  My excitement for a planned adventure turned to loneliness for a few miles (I'm a people person).  News from the homefront of my son's bumpy departure for Colorado intensified my urge to turn around and go home. What I did was choose to work my travel plans and drive on.
    Tonight I've just returned from downtown Nashville where hopping from live music group to live band was part of the plan.  I made the plan months ago.  I set aside time for a 1600 mile exploratory drive between two meetings, one in Ohio, the other in Texas.  I'm glad I did.  I'm glad I drove through my morning loneliness.  That was a choice!
    I want people to find joy like I have, so I choose to pursue a vision, a calling, and plan that includes taking people to conferences.  It includes time to drive and think.  It includes exercising my leadership in ways that feel risky and necessary.  Without following the plan, there would be no joy.
     When do you choose to pursue your choices, plans and visions even when you don't feel like it?  What happens?

Miscellaneous Thoughts for the Day
    Thanks to the PFUMC team for their willingness to make choices that can change the world.  Thanks for sharing life with me.  What a gift!  (Hey did any of you take any pictures of the group?)
    Staying in a hostel is an experience in culture, life and adventure.  It's also a bargain.  I like both.
    What Nashville country western bar bands taught me about worship leadership.  The best band was like a good worship leader, they engaged all of us in the place and got us involved with our voices, hands and hearts.  I saw several other bands that played well but they didn't connect.  The best band was comfortable with their gifts, leaving them able to focus on their relationship with the audience.  That made the difference.  The others just seemed to be working too hard to entertain leaving those houses almost empty.  The first band's place was elbow to elbow with strangers exchanging smiles and howdies.  A little thing.  A huge difference.
    Tomorrow is Memphis, TN and I'm hoping for some blues, music that is.  10,000 Joys on your journey.