Planny McPlannerson

I am a woman who likes to know the plan. I thrive on plans.

* Each new semester, the first thing I do is turn to the schedule in my syllabus and write down the assignments in my planner so that I am prepared from the get-go.
* I have a schedule set with Finn and it helps to keep both of us sane.
* When I sing a solo at church I check and double check with Matt the counts of when I come in so that I can know exactly.
* I like to know when things start, when they end, and I am nearly never late.

Last week, my husband and I helped out our pastor and his wife by having their sons stay a couple of nights at our house. Matt was the one who had the schedule in his hands, so for awhile, I was at his mercy. I would ask him questions like, "What do we need to get for breakfast?", "What time do they need to wake up in the morning?", "Do they need to shower?". And he would give me each answer as I asked. The schedule was being revealed to me bit by bit.

It was an utter relief to me when he handed me the schedule. I studied it, making sure I didn't miss a thing, and immediately felt like I had a better handle on the next couple of days.

I am nearly always looking ahead, planning for the next step. One step at a time is difficult for me.

Sometimes I am amazed at my own ridiculous-osity.

Because I am always looking at the next step (or steps) in front of me, it often robs me of the joy in the present moment. Like how I find myself already dreading the fall and a busier schedule. Every time I hear the word August, my stomach drops because I already dread its promised chaos.

As God is a God who knows what I need, He has been gently nudging one message my way repeatedly the last couple of weeks.

It all started when I was perusing Pinterest last week and came upon the following quote:

"Chances are you can handle whatever is happening in this moment. That is all you'll ever need to do."

That thought seems so elementary, but it really was revolutionary to me. So I don't need to be prepared in advance for every scenario? I don't need to stockpile emotional and mental reserves in case of an emergency?

I would love it if life came with a road map. Graduate high school? Checkpoint. Graduate college? Checkpoint. Get married? Checkpoint. Have a baby? Checkpoint.

It is so tempting to gaze forward, planning and dreaming and imagining (or planning and dreading and worrying). But when I get too caught up in that, I complicate both the future I am striving for the present I am living in. It is enough to have the plan given one step at a time........trusting.

"What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiatve, God-provisions. 


Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." - Matthew 6:31-34 (MSG)

"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." - Matthew 6:31-34 (NIV)

(I love both versions so I had to post each!)

All that God requires of me is one step at a time. Therefore, that is all that I need to require of myself - it is arrogant of me to do otherwise, as though God doesn't truly have my best interests at heart. If I waste time studying the mountains in the distance, trying to prepare how I am going to scale them, I may stumble upon the easy path I am on now. I may miss this moment and its gifts.

In doing that, I may miss everything.