Wait a minute...that wasn't in the plan!

I plan my day. I am sure most of you do too. So if you are like me, when you wake up in the morning you have hopes and plans for the day. And also if you are like me, those hopes and plans very seldom play out as you had expected. Something goes awry somewhere along the way. Most of the time for me, that moment comes when I step out of bed.

In a perfect world, my day would begin with a cup of coffee and a fabulous workout. Follow that up with a super tasty breakfast and delightful greetings between the family before the kids joyously head off to school. I continue my day with some slight cleaning, as my house would already be pretty clean from everyone doing their chores the night before, you know, without complaints. I transition into my afternoon with having a few meals prepped for the upcoming days, errands completed, a book read, all while teaching and spending time with my littles at home. Then dinner would be almost done as my kids and husband come home and we would share laughs over homework and dinner. Finally, I would finish off the day with everyone tucked gently into bed, happy and ready for sweet dreams.

I know, right? Totally unrealistic. And through that paragraph, I know you were shaking your head, or giggling a little bit because you know in your heart of hearts, that specific scenario is simply just not how it works 99 percent of the time. Or ever. You are bound to have a hiccup along the way, somewhere.

Having given you an example of what I plan in my head my day to look like, I'll give you an example of the type of day that I can expect to have. I can just about bet that a wrench will get thrown into my plan at any given time. I sit on the edge of my seat just waiting because I know it's coming. Chaos will be knocking on my door at any moment. Getting ready to pile on one thing right on top of another. These are the type of days when all you can do is just tilt your head to side and say to yourself, really? Is this really happening?

So, I start off the day with waking up late. I immediately begin running around getting everyone and everything in order and sure enough, someone misses the bus. No doubt, either their shoes were missing, breakfast wasn't finished, or they simply couldn't find their library book. Whatever the reason, I now have to drive the kids to school. So I load up the car. To continue all of this already day-going-not-as-planned madness, I add in a flat tire, sprinkle on a dash of carsickness, and stir in a pinch of on comes the gas light. Now, since I have a nice heaping pot of frustration and anxiety going on already, here is the main course. I am sitting at the gas station, with a child covered in vomit and crying in the back when I realize -  I. Forgot. My. Purse. Meaning, no check card, no money.  And it's only 9 am.

So what should I do in a case like this? How should I react to my plan completely veering off course headed for a cliff right at the crack of dawn?  Well, if you are like me, you want to fall to the floor kicking and screaming then curling up in a ball and go to sleep since you still have the rest of the day to deal with. But alas, I suppose it's probably not the most practical nor mature reaction. In reality, I think I need to step back a minute and just think about my situation.

If I really dig down deep and ponder all of these events that just keep coming at me, I need to ask myself one question..In the light of eternity, in the grand scheme of things will these set backs really matter? Will it really matter if my plan didn't work out? To that I answer No. These things, and my silly plan,will NOT be a big deal in 5, 10, 20 years even. However, how I react to these set backs IS a big deal. My attitude does matter. My reaction as a person and most of all a Mom, is very important. My children watch everything I do, AND my reaction to everything. They sit and wait to see what example they are to follow when things don't always go as planned. So while I want to throw the biggest temper tantrum you have ever seen this side of the Mississippi- it most certainly is the biggest mistake I could make. My children are sure to follow suite and mimic my every move. Therefor I have to find the rational way to respond. That rational way is to be calm, thankful and grateful in every circumstance. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)  Simply put, I need to put my big girl shoes on and keep truckin' forward. God's got my back. And while it will still be tough, particularly in the scenario I shared above, my children will be equipped to deal with their own issues the proper way if I lead by a good example.

I will still plan my days. They will still look fabulous in my mind. You can bet your bottom dollar that they will still get messed up somehow. But I also know God's plans are higher than mine, so bring it chaos. I will still continue to thank God for my many blessings and keep on, keepin' on!