"And miles to go before I sleep..."

     One of my favorite poem quotes.  Though the whole poem is great.  This line is as succinct as it can be.  Yet, we really don't look at life from this point of view.  Yes, we count the days, months and years in our kids development and entrance into adulthood.  We also look at life from a "goal completed" mentality.  Then when we reach certain milestones (like turning 30, 40, 50, 60) we tend to pause and look back.  Rarely do we look forward to both the journey yet to be taken and the end being sleep.  But there it is in black and white.  "And miles to go before I sleep..."

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening
by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

     There is a "pause" in life that we all make where we evaluate what was, what is and what is to be.  Attempting to avoid this time and place in your or my life leads to missed opportunities, lengthened lesson learning and disappointment should we pause too long.  While I pause and look over my life, as I sometimes do, I sometimes stop to long to contemplate what was, is and is to come eliminating the immediate experiencing of life.  It's the movement and not the pause that continues the journey.  Movement forward that is.  For to move backwards or to not move at all are counterproductive and unnecessary.  The Bible tells us to "put our hands to the plow and not look back."  The Bible tells us that we have sufficient evil in this day that we don't need to stop, dwell and find more evil.  The Bible tells us to look for that glorious day of His coming.  The Bible tells us to "leave" what was, "obey" our calling, and to "surrender" what doesn't matter. 
     The line before states "But I have promises to keep."  These promises are what determine the road we will travel, how long we will pause in someone else's woods and whether or not we move on to that day when we will sleep (die physically).  The resurrection will find us before Christ.  What will that be like?  We won't know if we remain "paused."  The miles are not for the weak of heart or will but are for the strong of heart and the committed of will to not our calling but His calling.  Shake off the nostalgia, don't dwell on the present and press on towards that goal for which you and I have been called.  It won't be long.