Prone to wander

It was a beautiful day to spend in the bright sunshine lost in a corn maze with hundreds of children under the age of eight.

My daughter’s class went to Maize Adventures for a field trip.  It was out “in the middle of no-where” and it was a little community with the setting being an ‘ole timey town” back in the 1800’s.  The main attraction was a 12-acre corn maze.

So, me, along with another mom and dad and 4 girls including my daughter set off to find the clues to help us discover who captured the Farmer (like the board game Clue). 

As we began to search for the clues, we hear music playing…good ‘ole bluegrass music with the banjo blaring on the loud speakers perched on the tall tower at the end of the maze.  (It reminded me of one of my suitemates in college who played her banjo for us at night…Rocky Top Tennessee our favorite!)

As we tried to keep up with the girls who were running through the stalks, I still enjoyed listening to it but the farther we went into the maze, the music got softer and softer until we could hardly hear it – plus the squealing of the kids being lost and finding clues took over the music.  It was fun to see the kids give reason for the decisions of whether to go to the right or left and work together until it got to the point when the dad  became the leader – on a mission- to find the way to the end or it might have never ended!

As we got back half way through the maze and closer to the end, we could hear the banjo calling out again.  There’s just something about bluegrass that puts me in a happy mood.  I started clapping my hands.  Then as we walked through thousands of stalks of corn 12 feet tall, I began to hear the banjo playing a familiar tune.  And then I heard myself singing… “bind my wandering heart to Thee; prone to wander, Lord I feel it…Here’s my heart, oh take and seal it; seal it for Thy courts above.”   I sang that hymn many times as my mom played the organ at the church I grew up in. 

But the words that stuck out to me which was relevant to me… “WANDER”.  I was wandering in the corn maze – not really knowing where I was going- leading a group of children.

I’m so prone to wander in my life, to turn on roads that lead to no where, that seem to go in circles…and not know where I’m going.

But there was a little comfort knowing others were with me and I was not the only one.  And then there was the music that brought me joy and made my heart dance and sing – in the midst of wandering.

What a gift…Jesus giving us the opportunity to have hope and joy in the midst of the times we are wandering and feeling aimless in life.

Jesus…dwell and be in the midst of me because I’m still prone to wander in the maze of life.   Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it – seal it for thy courts above.

 

“Oh to grace, how great a debtor.

Daily I’m constrained to be!

Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,

Bind my wandering heart to Thee

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it,

Prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,

Seal it for Thy courts above.

“Come Thou Font of Every Blessing”    Robert Robinson in 1759

 

 

Thanking God for:

#1006  laughter with friends at Tim Hawkins

#1007  being prone to wander and God redirecting

#1008  in a corn maze with Libby

#1009  clear blue sky on an October day

#1010  silence in a sun room

#1011  starting a new blog…not by my strength but HIS alone!

#1012  Simply Remind Me