"Mom, you did it again!"

The total dismay in my daughter's voice as she realized we were lost only increased my feelings of frustration and anxiety. She was right. I had, in fact, "done it again." I had forgotten to look at a map to get directions to her recital. We were again "taking the scenic route," and were going to be late.

Life is often thought of as a journey. But many of us put more time and effort into preparing for a short vacation than we do in planning for our life journey. Because of that, we sometimes wind up "taking the scenic route" in life.

This book takes a look at one of the most basic tools necessary for a journey-a map. In life, our "map" is the internal collection of values and beliefs that we rely on every day. Therefore, it is extremely important for us to be sure it is a good map. If we try to go through life without one, we often wind up making bad decisions and spending precious time on unnecessary (sometimes painful) experiences-in other words, taking a scenic route.

As long as I can remember, the phrase "along the straight and narrow path" has been an analogy for life. But it is not easy. I have strayed off the path more times than I want to admit. Some of those times have been because of mistakes in my map, but other times have been because of sheer pigheadedness on my part.

I would like to show you parts of my map and talk about some of my scenic route experiences. Some of these are painfully embarrassing, but I hope you can identify with some of them and that my experiences can help you.

Matthew 7:13-14. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (KJV, emphasis mine)