Scrapping My Plans

Hello friends,

How do you start your days? Do you begin by making a plan? I generally begin with a plan, normally on paper but sometimes just in my head. It has things like: "Wash towels", and "fold laundry", "clean the kitchen", "vacuum living room", "bathe the puppy", "read Bible study book" etc. And then as I accomplish these tasks, I scratch it off my list with satisfaction. I don't always finish my list, my plan for the day and then I tend to feel like I'm a failure and beat myself up. I'm learning to let go, to be okay when I don't get it all down. As long as I know I've been a faithful steward of my time, I know everything is okay. I'm trying to live with open hands. I have a "Plan A", but most of the time, God has a "Plan B". I'm learning to trust in His Plan B when my Plan A has to be scrapped.

There are times when I can't accomplish everything on my plan because of sinful choices, but instead of succumbing to the temptation to give up the rest of the day because of my laziness or lack of discipline, I am learning to confess my sin and repent, then moving on with my day and starting anew. And when I look back on my day and regret that I couldn't do all I wanted to, I'm learning to see the difference between God's Plan B and my sinfulness. Some weeks are harder than others. Monday morning last week I woke up energized and ready to be faithful with my time. I accomplished much last week. This week? I woke up later than I wanted because I stayed up too late last night and then my day got started slowly. So today I'm choosing to confess my laziness and deny the urge to let my entire day go to pot and use the rest of the time I have wisely.

So far, the dishes are washed, the bed is made, the rice is cooked for dinner tonight, I've worked out and showered. To go? The floor is covered in leaves and dirt tracked in by the dogs, there is a pile of clean laundry on the bed and piles of dirty clothes in the laundry room. So off I go to use the time God has given me wisely.

Anna