Change of Plans!

I couldn't wait for today to get here! I intentionally kept my Friday morning free ~ and was looking forward to 4 1/2 hours of Bible study time (before recess duty at school) ~ and then an afternoon plan of fun with my two girls and our good friends! What a Fabulous Friday it would be!! I went to bed almost giddy, so looking forward to a fantastic day filled with all of my favorite things!

Imagine my surprise when my littlest daughter Sarah woke me up at 6:00 AM this morning with stomach troubles. Noooo! I was able to help her, and invited her to snuggle back in bed with me for a bit. In the mean time I was praying like crazy! Praying first, of course, that God would heal Sarah's little rumbly tummy, but also begging God to heal her quickly so that she could go to school. Having a sick daughter didn't really fit into "my" plan! An hour later, when it was the real time to get up for school, Sarah was definitely too sick to go (or do anything else, for that matter!). "My" plan was getting tossed right out the window!

As I was holding Sarah close this morning, I was reflecting on the changes in my day. My hours of studying the Word was replaced with cleaning up lots of messes (I won't go into detail!), watching Nick Jr, and lots of snuggling with Sarah. It felt as if I was suddenly given a "detour" on my daily journey. (I looked up the definition of detour: a deviation from a direct course. Yep, that about sums up my day!) And I realized I had a choice. Either I could go on the detour and find the joy in the ride, or be a grump about it all day long and ruin it for everyone! You know what I decided?! I would surrender my plan. And I was choosing joy!

And I did - I enjoyed every minute of holding my Sarah, resting with her, watching cartoons and reading stories. In the midst of yuckiness and sickness, I was full of peace and patience and joy. (Thank You, Lord!)

I also thought of other "detours" that God has brought my way. Thinking my life would go one way, and then a phone call, and suddenly my life was on a drastically different path. Planning for a job opportunity to last forever, and then the sense that my call was at home. Watching friendships and relationships head in a different direction than the "direct course" we had wanted. Life is full of detours, isn't it??

My dad was just given a detour. His company announced last month that they are closing up shop and moving to Mexico. He will be unemployed by the end of the year. Definitely a deviation from the direct course he had planned! My dad was just thrown a detour.

What about for you?? Have you encountered a "detour" recently? Maybe it was an unexpected health concern or illness? Or relationship trouble? Maybe it was a job loss or job change or financial challenge? Or maybe in the midst of traveling down the path of life, you somehow turned the corner onto a detour filled with hurts and loss and unexplainable sadness.

My hope is that for each one of us we will look for and find the joy in the detour. Even though we do not know what the future holds, thankfully, we know Who holds the future. And He is good and faithful and true! And He doesn't make mistakes ~ ever! So let's fasten our seatbelts, take our hands off the steering wheel, and sit back and enjoy the ride ~ wherever He may take us!

Dear God, We acknowledge that You are in control of all things. THANK YOU that even when things don't make sense in our lives - You know what You are doing. Please reveal Yourself to us in new and fresh ways! We want to follow You wherever You may take us ~ for Your purpose and Your Glory Alone!! In Jesus Name. Amen.

Oops....gotta go...my daughter Amanda is throwing up now! Looks like another "detour" for tomorrow! So much for our fun, hockey filled weekend!!........