Monday

Ahh - the best laid plans ...

So we went out golfing yesterday morning, and had a great time on the front nine, but by the time we started the back nine - it was sleeting. After one hole we decided to call it quits.

So I returned home drenched, and the plan of playing in the sandbox in the afternoon was rained out. Sierra decided not to take a nap (never a good choice), and the afternoon was quite different than I had planned.

Isn't that the way it goes sometimes. We have these plans in our mind. We have our ideas. And then something comes along, and what we wanted to do is changed. So we have to adapt and come up with new ideas, new plans.

I have some friends who have a really hard time when their plans have to change. They have it in their mind that this is the way and the time to do something, but then something else comes up and they have to adapt. They do not do well with that.

But change always happens. We are not in control of everything around us (just live with a three-year-old for a while:). So I guess the question is - how do we work with the changes that occur in our lives in the best possible ways?

For me, this has to do with slowing down during these times. I need that time to reflect on what happened, why the change occurred, and what is the next step to take. Sometimes this has to do with little things (like Sierra not taking a nap) and other times it is big things (like moving, losing family members or friends, etc.). With all of these changes, I need the time to get perspective, and see what is the best way to move forward.

I also have to remind myself that change is good. Change brings new opportunities, new ideas, and new relationships. Without changes in my life, I would not be where I am. These changes have helped me to see God in a new light - as one who opens different doors at different times, and gives me the gifts to walk through those doors, excited to see what is next.

So yesterday, after the no-nap time, we had to come up with new ideas, new plans for the afternoon and evening. So we did, we adapted, even went for a drive just to get out of the house for a little bit and watch the rain come down while we were in the car. That change gave Sierra and me and another way to bond, sing some silly songs, and have some fun. This morning she wasked when we could go for another drive.

So today, My prayers focus on change - for us to be open to the changes that come, and that we may celebrate these changes by seeing them as the gifts tat they are.