Uh huh... yup, I'm going there.

It was Christmas Eve several years ago, and Dad and I were doing our traditional shopping for Mom. We met at Wal-Mart and Dad gave me the list that Mom had made and we started making our way through the crowded store, looking for non-populated nooks and crannies to work our way to the racks in the women’s department and then onto other various sections of the store and finally a pass through the food section to pick up a couple of things that were forgotten in a previous Wal-Mart run.

We were forced to make our way down the dreaded baking aisle! I am not sure why it is that baking supplies are in great demand on Christmas Eve. The picked over shelves caused a panic in shoppers as they feared that the one magic ingredient that they were in need of, would be sold out. I was among several who left a cart at the entrance to the aisle. I yelled to my dad, “I’m going in!”

I did survive the baking aisle and we were able to get everything that we needed, but it had taken over 2 hours and we stood studying the list and the contents of the basket making sure that we had picked up everything on the list. We did not, under any circumstance, want to come back! As the time passed and this 20 minute shopping trip made its way past the 2 and a half hour mark and had now become a shopping excursion, my bladder was about to burst. It had reached capacity about half an hour in as I gulped on a 32 ounce diet coke that I had left from our fast food dinner at the beginning of the outing.

As the urgency grew, I kept thinking that we were almost done and I could wait until we checked out. There were people absolutely everywhere and I just wanted to get done and get out of the store. Finally, we got into the checkout line and I was literally crossing my legs and trying to do some sort of Lamaze type breathing to control my desire to release. One thing that you should know is that my dad is a funny guy. Of course, I had shared with him that I was about to pee my pants and so he was rather entertained to stand in the line for 20 minutes and see if he could make me laugh.

Every time that I made my mind up, to make a dash for the bathrooms, the line would move. I don’t remember why, just now, but there was some reason that I needed to stay in line with Dad, Mom must have given me a coupon, or there was not a price tag on the jeans that we wanted, but there was on a different size that I had brought to the check stand with me… I can’t remember, but it was important that I be present for the checking out process. So I waited.

Finally as our checking out transition came to an end, I told dad that I was headed to the bathroom. I was now moving swiftly, dodging in and out of shoppers in the area between the check stands and the front wall where the bathrooms were. I darted into the door on the left and made my way to one of the two stalls that were situated a good distance from the door, against the far wall. My eye was on the prize and at this point, I wasn’t bothered with logistics but was only concentrating on making sure that there were no feet under the wall. I darted in and am fairly certain that an audible sigh accompanied the release. It was such a relief after waiting for so long.

I got myself together and walked out still straightening my clothing, and automatically went to the sink to wash my hands. I stood there with the water running and went to pump some soap, when I noticed them, there next to the sink, and it took just a minute to click into my mind exactly what I was looking at… urinals. When did they start putting urinals…in…the…women’s…. oh no… I’m in… the men’s bathroom!!!

I prayed on the spot- thanking God that no men were in the bathroom, it truly was a Christmas miracle with the amount of people in the store. I walked out, doing that, I’m cool… walk, hoping that no one would see my exit, until I looked straight ahead and saw my dad, who had been at the end of our checkout lane several rows away as I entered the bathroom and had witnessed my entrance but was too far away to do anything, was- no joke, standing a few feet in front of the door, totally (not even joking a little) fully bent over the cart, lying across the full basket laughing just as hard as he could, tears running down his cheeks, and unable to talk.

Dad! I scolded in my embarrassment, “What would you have done if a man was going to go in there?!” His response through chokes and sputters and tears, “It is the men’s room,” he could only speak in short sentences because he had little air to work with in his state. (Side note, when we got to Mom and Dad’s about a 10 minute drive away, Dad had already texted my mom and both brothers to get this story in circulation as soon as possible.)

As I look back on this story, of course I laugh and think fondly of my dad and his love of anything the least bit embarrassing and his gift of remembering it at all the family gatherings so we can all laugh and get ribbed about it, but when I stop and think about it, there is something that stands out to me. There were signs that I not only missed but totally disregarded. There was the huge writing on the wall, “Restrooms!” That one I saw, but I assumed that I knew to go to the room on the left (the setup of my local Wal-Mart). I knew what I wanted and I walked straight through that door with a blaring male figure in bright blue positioned right at eye level, pushing it open in a quick swing. I walked past 3 URINALS hanging on the wall!!!! URINALS!!! For the love of Pete! They were not hidden or camouflaged, or the same color of the wall so to blend in, they were bright white urinals against a tan wall, big as you please, and I didn’t notice them. My eyes were only on the stall, the place where I would finally find relief.

Can you relate? Have you set your aim on something and moved forward with no confirmation or direction? Or maybe you felt a distinct sense that God wanted you to pursue something, but instead of waiting for His signs or direction, you thought that you knew the perfect steps to get the job done?

This is me- right here, standing on my tip toes as tall as I can, jumping up and down, and waving both arms, not out of pride, but confession, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty.

When something strikes me as a need or a task that I could do, instead of sitting back, praying, fasting, seeking God and asking for confirmation, I often jump right to “act.”

Now there are times when the matter is at hand and an “act” is urgently needed. But with most opportunities to minister- there is time to STOP. During this time, Pray or pray and fast while diligently asking for God to lead us in this decision. Read the Bible, and wait for a prompting or a time of not being able to stop thinking about this ministry and/or feeling the weight (burden) for those in need of the ministry.

Next YIELD- when we feel that we should move forward, we should continue our prayer, fasting, and reading the Bible, and asking that God would send confirmation. God is God and He may choose to confirm a calling in many different ways, I suppose, so I do not want to say that this is the way that He always confirms, He is all powerful and all-knowing and this may just be the way that He knows clicks with me. When I am completely where I need to be and am in the mind of understanding that God wants to communicate with me about a ministry need that He may or may not ask me to step into an active role with, I spend my time thinking about this inwardly and do not discuss it until I have clarity about it. By doing this, I am not swayed by other people’s opinions, good or bad, and when someone out of the blue mentions the very thing that I am praying about- I know that God is speaking to me and giving me confirmation in the matter.

When God shows us, that the next step should be action- there is that big ‘ole GREEN LIGHT! We can step out in faith that we have been observant of signs showing God’s direction and GO!

It is important, that even when we know that we are exactly where He wants us, to watch, listen and look for signs that He may give us along the way- encouraging us to take a different turn, step back and wait, or He may even detour us for a time.

Ultimately, we must trust Him and stay close.

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” Psalm 32:8 (NLT)

For He is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to His voice today. Psalm 95:7 (NLT)

Heavenly Father, I come to You now asking for forgiveness for those times when I have ignored the signs that You have put before me to lead me, and instead thought that I knew what was best. Please guide me as I pursue a closer relationship with You, to watch, wait, and listen for the signs that you place before me. Help me to take them to heart and have the courage and faith to step out and follow You. It is in Your name that I pray, Amen.