plans

I’m not much of a planner. I don’t need to fill my days with things to do and I don’t need to know where I’ll be in five years. This morning, I read:

[quote]Rest in Me, My child. Give your mind a break from planning and trying to anticipate what will happen. Pray continually, asking My Spirit to take charge of the details of this day. Remember that you are on a journey with Me. ~Jesus Calling by Sarah Young[/quote]

Surely, I can do that. But today, I had plans. I had my day planned out. I had an appointment this morning, then lunch with an old friend downtown, then off to the gym before I pick up the kids.

On my way to my appointment, out of nowhere, a bee or wasp flies into my face, getting stuck behind my glasses and stings me right underneath my eye. Picture it now… crazy woman, flailing about on a busy street and boy, did it ever hurt! There goes my day. Was this what you meant, God, by allowing You to take charge of the details of this day?

While at my appointment with my herbalist, I met a lady who was visiting for the week and needed a way to boil her herbs. She only had access to a microwave where she was staying and boiling herbs can take hours on the stovetop. I remembered that I have an electric herb pot I could lend her, so despite the throbbing pain, I went home and got the pot. My good samaritan act for the day and she was so thrilled. And good thing I had cancelled lunch with my friend, as my face began to swell. Otherwise I’m not sure I would have made the same choice given my time restriction.

I think that’s what God means by letting His Spirit take charge of the details of this day. Making choices throughout the day that would honour Him. I could have let the thought pass as I rushed about my day, hurrying towards the next thing. But I was able to pause and show kindness towards someone in need.

Today, I needed a bee sting to make me pause. I hope tomorrow, I can remember to pause on my own.

How do you handle unexpected changes to your plans?