God's laughing

Did you ever start a sentence with, "I am planning to . . . . " And as you go about your day, according to the PLAN, you are suddenly hit with something that wasn't part of your original plan. This happens often to me. There is a saying that goes something like, "tell God your plans, and he will laugh." I am sure God laughs loud, long and often at me.

When it comes to most things, I am a planner. I don't like the feeling of flying by the seat of my pants. I like to know what I will be doing, though when isn't as important. The details can be sketchy, but the overall plan is important.

As a homeschooler, I spend months perusing curriculum, deciding on books, thinking about how to best utilize them. I plan out the beginnings of our school year, with the hopes that if I plan well, it will go well. (Can you hear God's chuckle?) This year has been especially important to plan well - - with the addition of a baby, I am sure that these plans are going to get off course. So planning has been a big part of life right now.

Since I am certain God's laughs at me often, I try to hide my plans. It only works if you tell him, right? Recently, we had a visiting priest come. Part of his homily was on prayer. He said that in order to have a relationship with God, we need to pray, listen, plan and then act. "What was that?" I thought. "Plan?" Then he focused a little on the listening part. I think, then, I realized where I went wrong. Sure, I pray, I plan and I act - - but how often do I listen? Perhaps if I was a better listener, my plans would be made in accordance with God's will and not my own. Perhaps God would laugh less, and send more graces to see my plans work. What a revolutionary idea for me! Rather than say to myself, "Does God really care how we plan our school day out?" Perhaps the answer is "how does God wish for our school day to go?" I have become certain that God does care. He cares about the learning my children receive or don't receive. He cares whether dinner in on the table. Sure, He leaves some of the details up to me, but He wants to be part of the planning, so then He can also be part of the acting. While I sure this doesn't necessarily mean that all will go according to plan, it probably means that I will be better prepared to handle it when it doesn't. And, if it really is His plan, He will do what it takes to see that it does work out.

God Bless!