“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” ~John Lennon (1940-1980), English musician, singer & songwriter
If I told you what kind of life I’d planned for myself versus the life I’m living now …
Wait. Let me do just that.
Life I’d planned for myself: Single woman. Hotshot reporter for the Washington Post. Living in a fun apartment in the center of Washington, DC.
Life I’m living now: Married. Mom of four (and the fourth was my “quite a surprise caboose kiddo”). Proud owner of a journalism degree that gathered dust while I mastered motherhood. I had a lot to learn. I’ve lived on the East Coast. On the West Coast. In Turkey. On the Gulf Coast. And now, I live in the Rocky Mountains. Author of both nonfiction and (gasp!) fiction.
Those long-ago plans were tossed aside as I embraced what God brought my way. He must have laughed at the look of surprise on my face. If God keeps photo albums, the captions under my pictures are probably something like, “Got her again!” and “Stunned — but she’s gonna love this.”
In Your Words: How has life interrupted your plans?
Comments 16
I planned to be a fashion or graphic artist in Charlotte, NC or Columbia, SC. I have used my art degree (yes, art — my daddy hit the roof) a little bit, but the economy had a lot to say about earning a living from it. I sold notecards and exhibited in a couple of galleries, but that’s it. So I went back to get a masters degree in education and had a great career as a corporate trainer. That is, until health issues sidetracked me and I became disabled.
But, you know what? God had other plans. He put a love for writing in my heart long before I had to stop working. There’s a saying down here in the South: “God is good all the time and all the time, God is good.” It’s true. 🙂
Thanks for the sharing the multiple detours God has taken you on, Angie … and I admire how you’ve persevered through them all and discovered dreams in all of them!
I love your well-flavored life summary, and yes, God has sometimes left me mouth-open w/ the perfect squelch.
🙂
So glad there’s photos of you and me in my life photo album, Dee.
I think we have a little something in common, Beth. I tend to say “never” and then viola, I’m living in the never and probably God is laughing. So, these days I like to say “I’ll never…” regarding the things I actually want. Somehow I don’t think God falls for my reverse psychology!
Well, it’s worth a try, Melissa.
Celebrating with you as you happy dance about signing with an agent. I knew it would happen for you, friend!
Beth, of course, I had to comment on this one… I love to talk about detours 🙂 My life has been very much the opposite of yours. I grew up wanting a large family, at least two kids (and maybe four or five). As an only child, I guess I was drawn to the opposite of what I knew. But God had other plans for me, as He did for you! I was never able to have children… nor were we able to adopt (we tried). I know in His wisdom that God has me on the right path — and He has blessed me richly with many other things, a fun career, good friends, extended family, and now the chance to see a book published! Despite the disappointments, God has seen me through!
Ah, embracing the detours, even when the hold disappointments. That’s living life honestly, Kathy — and beautifully.
That would be a fun photo album to see. For twenty years I fully expected to homeschool my children. I am a huge advocate for homeschooling – I was homeschooled for six years myself. But I’m not homeschooling right now. I would love to do it one day, because my heart is still in it, but with two year old twins boys I’m actually looking forward to having a year with both older girls in school and just me and the boys home together. I can’t tell you how difficult it was to make that decision and how surprised literally hundreds of my friends and family members were when we put our oldest in school, but I knew without a doubt (or at least without big doubts) that we were doing the right thing.
You made the right choice, even though you were surprised by it. Brava, Gabrielle.
All I can say is that God works in mysterious ways. Always for the good. I can’t complain.
Well, you could complain, Loree … but you choose not too.
😉
The Waldo Canyon Fire interrupted my plans this month. My family were planning on visiting me from out of state this week and next. We were planning on going camping next week with them too. It was a lovely plan. I was so looking forward to it. But alas, no. My “anxiously awaiting their arrival” transitioned into “fearing for the life of my husband and daughters” then into “I think we lost our home” to “our home is safe” to “I think we lost our home” to “our home is safe” to “our home definitely has smoke damage” to “maybe it doesn’t have smoke damage.” Et cetera, et cetera. You get the picture. Now I’m left with picking up the pieces of broken plans. Cancel camping reservations, try to make new camping reservations for the end of this month (not happening). Trying to get new dates for their travel. All the while, grateful I still have a home. A home with no smoke damage. Friends willing to help us at every turn, even when they were going through the same thing we were. (Yes, that would be you Beth.) Other friends who opened up their homes to our fractured selves. Acquaintences showing the loving kindness of Christ and others doing the same, but wishing to remain anonymous. Suddenly, I didn’t mind my husband has been unemployed for 3 months. I didn’t mind that the challenges in “my ministry” (read parenting) seemed overwhelming at times. I learned that whatever life deals me, I will have God sending His children out to comfort me and catch me when I fall.
So thankful We traveled this Waldo Canyon Fire detour together, Sonia. It made it easier.
I have no idea what to say, other than I’m so thankful that I am on this side of grace and not wandering the world, wondering if anyone out there cares. I’m so glad He knows His plans for me.
Life is an adventure, and I’m so glad God can take our bad choices and bring good from them. Great post, Beth!