I’m a Planner – Really I Am

Proverbs 16:9

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

This post comes up every year around this time of the year. It is an important time in my life as you will read.

I am a planner. I plan almost everything! My wife would say – at times – that I over plan. I remember learning to plan family vacation routes with my father. We would put the map (yes – a large paper map) on the hood of the car or even on the dining room table – and map out our route. We would plan the turns and the breaks we would take – all through the trip to our destination. The things we wanted to see – and places we planned to visit. Often – the plan went off without a hitch. Most of the time – if you plan well – you will have success. Surprises come – but – a well thought out plan typically enables us to overcome most surprises.

I plan things – even day by day at times. I often wake to ask myself and my wife – what is on our schedule for today? I plan almost everything! For instance – I was planning on being retired on July 1^st of 2021. I had plans to play golf – work at the golf course – travel with my wife – spend more time with our children and grandchildren. I certainly didn’t plan on having heart surgery on June 1^st of 2021 before that retirement. Yet – God not only provided the BEST surgeon for my procedure (a long story – but I had my surgery 2 months before he left the practice he was with and all of it was put together inside 2 weeks from the time of my heart issues) – but – at one of the leading heart hospitals too. It was a complicated double ablation surgery – but I was home that same evening. After one week of taking it easy (meaning no driving or going up and down stairs) – I was good for a closing revival at First Church on June 13^th thru 16^th of that year.

I plan almost everything! Little did I know at the time – the bishop would come calling and thru her DS on our district – she asked me to take a church in retirement. I had friends and family tell me – this is not retirement. I’m now in my third year of honoring the bishop’s request – and she has granted me a fourth year – and my personal and family plans have been adjusted. It has been interesting for sure. Anyone who knows me knows I am a workaholic – and my new plan to work less hours so there is time for other promises was met with skepticism (well founded by my track record) at first. So far – if you asked my wife – she would tell you – I have been more present with her than ever before and I have been home most evenings too. I’ve also been more present with our children and our grands (an 8th one in arriving soon).

I plan almost everything – day to day! Two major changes to my plans – heart surgery and a new appointment. It has taken some time and probably will take even more time for this plan to come together – even as I am in my 3rd year of the plan heading into the 4th year – trying to walk it out. The surgery went well with no negatives results. I have healed well (I’m typically a fast healer – see previous devotions about my two rotator cuff surgeries). My surgeon recently gave me a clean bill of health (other than the typical – you could be doing better if you lost some more weight) – I believe I have proven to my wife and children that I will take more time for them – even as I try to give fully of myself to Trinity. It has been a sweet ride for sure.

I plan almost everything! Here’s today’s passage – Proverbs 16:9 – In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. The one thing I have relied upon through all of this and even for the better part of my life is this – God has this! Susan – from our church – often says it this way – God’s got this! Nothing catches our God by surprise. God – being the Sovereign God that He is – knows all and sees all. God knows every step I will take before I take it. God has plans for me that He has yet to reveal to this simple man – who claims to be a planner.

I plan almost everything! Yet – my trust is not on my ability to plan – but rather – on my God’s ability to carry me through the planned and the unplanned. EVEN if I had died on the operating table (worst case scenario) – I would have been in the hands of my Jesus. If that happened – I urged my family to not grieve for me – but pray and to continue to know that they are in the hands of a God who has plans for them.

I plan almost everything! What about you – dear reader? Are you a planner? Do you have plans for this weekend? For the rest of this summer? For the rest of your life? I pray your plans go well and that they are pleasing to our Lord. I also pray – that if or when something unplanned happens – you can rely on the Lord to carry you through the changes in your plans. I pray I will be able to allow God to be God – and for this planner to realize I am in the palm of His hand. By-the-way – if you are a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants type – I pray you also handle life’s changes with the grace and strength offered by our God!

Just something for us to think about today as we go on our way.