wait
Yesterday I had a plan. Fortunately some friends had a better plan. I knew it was a better plan because I felt it deep down, at heart level. It wasn’t even my plan, it was theirs, but it resonated in my being. I was envious of the simplicity of what they were about to experience. Usually when someone tells me about their planned activity, even if it’s a really good one, I can only manage a polite “Oh that’s nice”, kind of response. This was different. Yesterday, my first reaction was an envious “I wish we could do that today”. It hung precariously close to whining. The plan wasn’t complex, in fact its simplicity was what was attracting me. I could have easily done it, except for one small complication. I had my own plan for the day.
Those of you who know me, know how much of a dilemma that could be for me. It was worse though. Not only did I have a plan, I had a timeline that had to go with the plan. Let me explain. I am in the midst of remodeling a guest room. Time is running short, and actually getting shorter with some unexpected, but very welcome guests. In the infinite wisdom of my plan, I would need all of yesterday afternoon to solidify my chances of completing this project. The clock doesn’t stop after all.
Now to their plan….They were taking a ferry across to an Island with a daughter and some dogs. It was fairly simple, hang out as a family in the sun along the water and take in a lavender festival. I didn’t even know that lavender had festivals. Well it does here. Now you must understand that yesterday was one of the most beautiful days of the year. They had graciously invited us to come along, but the pull of my plan was strong. “The Plan” for me is like “The Ring”. I both love and hate it. As much as their plan resonated within me and the thought of a carefree afternoon with good friends, good dogs, and some good food thrown in was pulling me, it was still a difficult decision to make.
What finally put it over the top was our own daughters willingness to go along. This was really the hand of God pushing me away from my plan. She rarely gets to or wants to spend much away time with us. She works, she has friends, and sometimes we’re just not cool enough. I get that. However, she’s leaving in a month for school in another state and then the time will be pretty much gone. Her yes to the plan became my yes. My own plan would have to wait. I wasn’t sure how it would wait, but I was sure that it would have to.
I’ll have to tell you that the experience was every bit as good as it had sounded in the first place. A ferry ride itself is an experience all its own. The natives here might be a bit less impressed, but I’ve not lost the enjoyment of the ferries. We were able to wander through a couple of lavender farms that were part farmers market and part renaissance fair. Artists, craftsmen (and women), musicians, and of course lavender filled our afternoon, along with scrambling down a trail to the waters edge to watch the dogs take a much needed swim.
It worries me a bit that I nearly missed it. I stood on the edge of boredom yesterday looking over with countless others and nearly stepped into it. Like many, I nearly sacrificed the important on the altar of the urgent. I almost became another who never saw what Gods plan was because I was blinded by my own. It probably has helped my cause that I’ve spent a good deal of time lately reading the early parts of Genesis and rediscovering God’s original plan for us before “urgent” arrived. There’s more to life than sheetrock, tape and mud. He happens to be more interested in husbands and wives, daughters and dogs, lavender and islands. Everything else can wait.
Those of you who know me, know how much of a dilemma that could be for me. It was worse though. Not only did I have a plan, I had a timeline that had to go with the plan. Let me explain. I am in the midst of remodeling a guest room. Time is running short, and actually getting shorter with some unexpected, but very welcome guests. In the infinite wisdom of my plan, I would need all of yesterday afternoon to solidify my chances of completing this project. The clock doesn’t stop after all.
Now to their plan….They were taking a ferry across to an Island with a daughter and some dogs. It was fairly simple, hang out as a family in the sun along the water and take in a lavender festival. I didn’t even know that lavender had festivals. Well it does here. Now you must understand that yesterday was one of the most beautiful days of the year. They had graciously invited us to come along, but the pull of my plan was strong. “The Plan” for me is like “The Ring”. I both love and hate it. As much as their plan resonated within me and the thought of a carefree afternoon with good friends, good dogs, and some good food thrown in was pulling me, it was still a difficult decision to make.
What finally put it over the top was our own daughters willingness to go along. This was really the hand of God pushing me away from my plan. She rarely gets to or wants to spend much away time with us. She works, she has friends, and sometimes we’re just not cool enough. I get that. However, she’s leaving in a month for school in another state and then the time will be pretty much gone. Her yes to the plan became my yes. My own plan would have to wait. I wasn’t sure how it would wait, but I was sure that it would have to.
I’ll have to tell you that the experience was every bit as good as it had sounded in the first place. A ferry ride itself is an experience all its own. The natives here might be a bit less impressed, but I’ve not lost the enjoyment of the ferries. We were able to wander through a couple of lavender farms that were part farmers market and part renaissance fair. Artists, craftsmen (and women), musicians, and of course lavender filled our afternoon, along with scrambling down a trail to the waters edge to watch the dogs take a much needed swim.
It worries me a bit that I nearly missed it. I stood on the edge of boredom yesterday looking over with countless others and nearly stepped into it. Like many, I nearly sacrificed the important on the altar of the urgent. I almost became another who never saw what Gods plan was because I was blinded by my own. It probably has helped my cause that I’ve spent a good deal of time lately reading the early parts of Genesis and rediscovering God’s original plan for us before “urgent” arrived. There’s more to life than sheetrock, tape and mud. He happens to be more interested in husbands and wives, daughters and dogs, lavender and islands. Everything else can wait.
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