I am little behind on my Signs of the Week posts, but school is back in session and it seems I am busier than ever. Sometimes I worry too much about posting when I should be focused on being my best self.

I found these gems on a sign back to back in front of the First baptist Church along  M55 in Prudenville, Michigan over the Labor Day weekend a few weeks back. I found a couple more that’ll have to wait for another week or so, depending on what I find in my travels this coming week.

This is the other side of the sign, it was on the sunny side, facing west.

I was reminded that detours can be good, even if they don’t seem to be at the time.

Yesterday, while volunteering at Loaves and Fishes on my normal Saturday morning shift I got to talking with a fellow volunteer whom I have worked with many times before – at east the past couple of years…..the conversation went like this…….

Me: “What do you do when you are not volunteering at Loaves?”

KS: “I work in IT.” What do you do?

Me: “I teach middle school science?

KS: “Really, where?

Me: “Scullen Middle School…”

KS: “Really, I have 6th grader at Scullen…..”

Yep, and she’s in my class, my tenth period class which is my last of the day and a great way to finish every day.

It’s a small world and sometimes our detours are really good things.

I am wrapping up my sixth year of volunteering at Loaves and Fishes. I started volunteering because I wanted to be a positive example for my son, who’d landed in a tight spot and needed some community service hours. He volunteered and served the hours he needed, but has since moved on to other things. Things he should be focused on – marriage, parenthood, building his career, and other things a late twenty-something should be paying attention to.

And me a sixty-somethings? I am doing what I should be doing with the detour, practicing for retirement and staying active in the community.  I get as much if not more from my time helping others get what they need to thrive.

I have a few more years before I hang up the chalk for good, but I am always learning, always thinking, and always being curious. Making the Days Count, one day at a time, and trying to look at things differently, even detours.

Have you ever  had a detour that turned into a blessing?

And by the way, if you missed my post about my visit to the Netherlands, check out Operation Market Garden…