Making Plans

Planning has always been a wise part of living an organized life, accomplishment of goals, and preparing for the future. While there are those folks who live day to day with no concept of putting things in order, it seems foolhardy in light of the complexities of navigating one’s life.

Over the last few months, however, planning seems continually interrupted by the significant changes that affect every facet of being a “good” planner. Around the Church I attend we seem to be uncertain about what to do next. Our normal schedule, activities, outreach, and fellowship have been lost to making sure we are following the “rules” and avoiding the vagaries of the pandemic.

From a personal perspective, heading off to see the distant family members is fraught with challenges. Planning the annual vacation seems to be a loss that will continue for the indefinite future. Even leaving the house for a trip to the grocery store, the library, the bank, demands more attention than ever before. The nearly annual trip to Maine, Colorado, Oregon, and various other joys, has been thwarted by an inability to  plan without considering the consequences for making a mistake in judgment.

The “New Normal” is a topic of conversation that slams the planner into a fit of rage on one hand, and despair on the other. One asks the question about planning for 2021 or 2022 only to discover that the “new normal” allows for continued uncertainty for an unspecified epoch.

The alternative is to plan as usual. Distinguishing the outcome of those plans includes a plethora of reasons to be vigilant. Will the plan work, and everything turn out without problem? Will the plan be shot down by new rules and regulations? Will the plan collapse into a nightmare of despair due to fear of an unexpected result?

Well, here is the answer for those looking for an answer: There is no answer! All of the above, or none of the above may be the future. It is easy to say that God is in control – harder to believe. The reality is He is! No question!! So the question becomes can we trust Him? My answer is yes! Unequivocally yes!!

I think I will start re-planning that trip to Maine, and the 111 day cruise around the World.