Not My Plans? by Gynis M Belec

I am an agenda person. I love my agenda. I have to have my agenda. Writing my plan for the next day, is one of the last things I do before I drift off to dreamland. If I don’t have a completed daily agenda, my day seems fractured and incomplete.

So last week, when my day did NOT go as (I) planned, I contemplated going back to bed. But, instead, I chose to whine. It was at that point that I noticed I had missed something a day prior, when I returned from an out of town event. I had not heard about the terrific winds that played havoc in our area. When I arrived home, the weather had settled and I only learned about the unwelcome winds that gusted in my absence after the fact, so I looked outside - straight ahead. All seemed well.

When I happened to step on our back deck the next morning, I realized that I perhaps should have looked left, too. Our portable canvas and metal storage shed that had stood solid for four years, was now uprooted, upended and had obviously been lifted up in the air, over the fence and was now upside down in the neighbour’s yard. The contents were scattered and strewn. We hadn’t noticed and it seemed our lovely neighbours hadn’t seen it, either.

But I sure did this morning.

“God. Seriously? You know how much I have to do today.”

My agenda was full. I began to whine. Company was coming and the last thing I felt like doing that day was battling with the bulky, mangled metal and canvas monstrosity. I had to make meat pie and apple crisp. I needed to get my Dad up and I had deadlines. But I also had to get outside and figure out what to do.

The neighbours weren't answering the door. My husband wasn't answering his phone.

My moaning intensified. 

“Why me, God? Why now, God?”

Do all things without grumbling or complaining. Phillipians 2:14

That still small Voice came a-whispering again.

“Glynis. Seriously?”

My mind drifted to James 1: 2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Then I remembered Texas and Florida, and Las Vegas and Somalia, lost children, exploited women, persecuted men ... my silly mangled metal and scattered contents didn’t seem to matter anymore.

I left a text message for my hubby to call when he got a second. I got Dad up and ready to face the day. He was up in good time and we weren’t in a rush. The telephone rang. My husband would be home in a few hours. Just enough time to whip up a meat pie and apple crisp. Company would be coming soon. The kettle was on.

And my day continued. The meat pie and apple crisp were delicious. We enjoyed our company. Hubby came home just in time to enjoy some dessert and then we headed outside and worked together to clean up and toss out. Dad had a nap. I met a deadline and all was well with our corner of the world.

 Tonight, I will write in my agenda again. I will copy some of the things I didn’t get done the day before. But I will also, perhaps write – at the top of my to-do list Proverbs 16:1 [NLT] We can make our own plans, but the LORD gives the right answer.

Glynis lives, loves, laughs and does an awful lot of reading, writing, publishing and praying in her home office. 

        How thrilled Glynis is to be part of CHRISTMAS WITH HOT APPLE CIDER - an anthology filled with a wonderful assortment of Christmas short stories, memories, drama and poetry. 

                     www.glynismbelec.com 

The Best Laid Plans by Glynis M. Belec

 Our home had been on the market for almost a year. We thought our plans were good ones. Downsizing seemed like the right choice and a good financial decision. Since we had been dealing with some health issues and needed to start thinking about a bit of a change, the plan seemed perfect.

 But nothing happened. We had a few nibbles but little that led us any further than getting our hopes up for a few brief frustrating moments. We agonized over what was the right thing to do according to God. Why wouldn’t He want us to do what seemed the most sensible thing? Sell the house. Get rid of ‘stuff’. Reduce our debt load. According to budgeting gurus we were making all the right decisions. Why wasn’t our house selling? Turns out, God did know what He was doing and He was about to make things very clear.

Then my father had a heart attack. He had been managing decently in his own home, although my sister and I had been taking turns caring for him and making it possible for him to stay there. It was a lot of work, but we knew Dad valued his independence and we did whatever we could to keep him happy, well-fed and safe.

But the time had come to make a decision. Dad knew he needed more help. And there was no way he would consider any type of extended care. His military background demanded certain things! Besides, I had made a promise to my parents when I was young, to take care of them in their golden years.

 Dad was hesitant, at first, to admit that change was necessary. I can’t say I blame him. In Ecclesiastes 3, the words poetically describe how there is a season for everything. Not only that, there is a time for every purpose under heaven. I’m thinking that not only Dad was shifting seasons, our purpose was shifting, too. It wasn’t going to be easy for any of us. I had to give up my tutoring. Dad had to give up a measure of his freedom. The decision was made. He would move in with us.

It meant many changes. And quick ones, yet. Dad needed to sell his home. We talked about listing it, but then we thought about trying to sell it ourselves. Things happened. A phone call was made and before we knew it, Dad’s house had sold within the day. The day? Are you serious, God? That was my first reaction. We had had our abode on the market for a year with nary a bite and Dad’s home sells at the click of a phone. It didn’t seem fair.

But God isn’t in the business of listening to my complaining and tantrums. Because He knows the big picture and has a way of working all things out for good, He sometimes wisely overrides our plans.

 And work it out, He did. We soon realized what God was up to. If we had sold our house we would definitely have bought a smaller home and downsized considerably. And if that would have happened we would not have been able to have Dad come and live with us.

It’s been almost two years now. Dad is nearing ninety.  Things are working out well. We all had sacrifices to make as we shifted seasons together. But when I think upon how God worked it all out I am reminded of Isaiah 55:8-9. 

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

                I’m not going to argue with that.