Recently we were in Alabama, experiencing a new place and new grace to do it.  On the morning of our departure, after a very wonderfully intense 5 days, I awoke early.  I wondered if the alarm would go off in time, so I kept checking the clock from time to time to make sure I didn't miss my awake hour.  Sure enough it went off on time.  While I was waiting for it, I began to rehearse all the things I needed to do to make this day work out:  get up, take my shower, pack the rest of my things, spend time with our friends with our friends before leaving them, driving back to Huntsville, finding out where to return to car rental.....about that time the Lord said to me,  "Stop".  That got my attention.  Then He changed my vision perspective.  He showed me that I first needed to simply see myself at the end of the day safe and snugged in my bed in our home office in CT.  What a wonderful thing that was to look forward to after walking through travel experiences in new places all day.

I began to reflect on just what happened.  Instead of micro-managing my day from where I started, I was able to flow with all that needed to be done, knowing where I was ending up at.  The normal kinds of stress in days like this disappeared, the vision of the end of the day was my expectation.  So what ever it took to get there was able to be done in faith and expectation in being there.  Though this is a relativly small event in my life, it was a great lesson that the Lord gave me, and I expect to use what I learned more and more.   So here is what I learned.

1. Vision is all about where you expect to be in the future
2. It is more about the end than it is the start
3. With clear vision, the details of the journey don't consume us lest we forget where we are going
4. Because we know where we are sure we will be, the difficulties along the way are easier to handle
5. Seeing the end from the beginning gives us courage for the beginning, no matter how far we are from where we are going, or how long it will take, or how many new things will have to be done to get there
6. Being sure that what we believe will keep us from stress of worry, fears and doubts

Don't lose the vision God has given you, and it will be the reason for why you do what you do each day

The rest of the story:  We arrived safe at our CT home on that day, and as seen at the beginning of the day, I was safe, secure, and in my own bed at the end of the day.  And my day was life giving, safe and secure all the way all the way as well.  

Thank you, Lord, for the lesson.  I pray that those that read this will benefit as well.