Sunday, August 24, 2008

Plan A, B, and Beyond!

Thanks to the computer age we now live in, I was able to work at home on a lazy, rainy day in Louisiana. It was a school holiday, so I wanted to be available to spend some time with my school age grandkids. Four of my young grandkids spent the morning with me watching movies in my game room—a perfect activity for a rainy day. I answered emails and finished a few deadlines.
By noon, the kids were restless. The clue was when I went into the game room to ask what they wanted for lunch and found three of the four with pillows in their hands and that look in their eyes that said, “Attack!” Time to do something else, I decided.
So, I called the other grandkids that were not at my house already and arranged to take seven of them to the movie Also, a perfect activity for a rainy day. I buckled everyone in and off we went to see the latest kid movie. The rain poured as we drove to the movie theater. Once again I thought I had made the perfect choice for the day. But, so did several hundred other moms and grandmas. The parking lot was full as I searched for a parking space. I rushed everyone out of the van, into the rain, and into the movie lobby. It wasn’t until we reached our destination did I see the sign: SOLD OUT! Not what I wanted to see.
I quickly surveyed the other movies and times, hoping for something just as good as our first choice and starting NOW. No luck. Now the kids had that panic look in their eyes that told me I needed to think fast. I had seven kids, rain outside, and all their moms had gone on to do other activities for a couple of hours. We ran back to the car with me thinking of Plan B-the Jungle Gym. The Jungle Gym is usually not open on Mondays, but I began praying that someone in charge over there knew this could be a money making day for them and they opened anyway. The Jungle Gym is our local indoor park facility where the kids can do what their slogan says, Run Wild. My prayers were answered, the gym was open, and kids had a great time running wild for two hours.
Here’s the lesson. Don’t be afraid of Plan B. As a matter of fact, embrace it! Very few of us get to live our lives in Plan A and many of us are so far down the alphabet that even Plan B is a distant memory. The important thing to remember is that you serve a God who is in every plan of your life. From A to Z, He’s got you covered. I know sometimes it’s not easy. Perhaps, you have three kids when you thought you would only have two. Or maybe you have to work when your dream was to be a stay at home mom. Or, your husband’s job moved you away from your family or an illness has you living life from the sideline instead of on the playing field. Whatever the scenario, trust God when He says to you, “I know the plans I have for you! I have plans to prosper you and NOT to harm you…I have plans to give you hope and a future.” So, if you find yourself on Plan B or even Plan Z, know that God is in on those plans!

Have a great day.

Hugs, Chrys

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