Thanks for this Claire - it couldn’t have been more timely if it tried to be. We just came home from a scary five days in the hospital for our youngest, and not only was I griping because it was stressful and panic inducing, but also because it happened on a weekend when our calendar was *very very full* as opposed to other weekends we have coming up that are basically empty. I’m the kind of person who plans her week out at the start of the week and shakes my fist at the clouds if anything during the week throws it off schedule (because you know, with two kids under six your week is very definitely always going to stick to the plan 🙄) so I’ll be bookmarking this one and coming back to it often ❤️.
Oh he’s ok now, thank you! If you could throw in a prayer some time for a random follower’s son (his name’s Jonathan) we’d appreciate it, but the doctors said he should be good now 😊.
Sometimes, when I begin to filll up my calendar, I wonder if the good Lord above isn't watching and waiting for the moment to say, "hold my beer."
Regarding the Zoom with Ericka, I'm bummed to miss it BUT, I just learned that I'll be taking a class with her next semester as part of the Sexuality and Gender Graduate Certificate. Woohoo!
Claire, you are speaking to my heart. This is what 80% of my spiritual direction is about right now. I've found it helpful to explore why I'm so convinced my plans are so fool proof and God's (the creator of this incredible universe) are not. Praying for humility, and trust and a stronger, more intimate relationship with this God who loves me more than I can imagine and who is utterly dependable.
And one silly analogy I sometimes use to put things in perspective: I think of a worm, who is tunneling his way through soil just living his life. And the bird comes down and pulls him away from everything he knows and swallows him without a second thought. This seems devastating and horrible and tragic to the worm, but when you look at the whole system of creation, it's a beautiful thing. It's necessary for the entire system to live and thrive. I realize that could sound like we are all just cogs in God's master plan which is NOT my intent. Rather, we don't know the whole story, but we know enough about God that even when things are hard and seem to us to be terrible, we can trust that there is goodness in them. Our suffering is meaningful - it has goodness and purpose, which to me is the basis for hope.
This was amazing! I struggle so much when plans that are completely inconsequential for my change and have an honest issue with letting go. So like you, my word for the year very much represents that. After 8 months I'm still a work in progress but isn't that so much better than not being a work at all?
Slight change of subject, will the zoom meeting be recorded by any chance? It'll be the middle of the night for me so I won't be able to attend unfortunately
Thanks for this Claire - it couldn’t have been more timely if it tried to be. We just came home from a scary five days in the hospital for our youngest, and not only was I griping because it was stressful and panic inducing, but also because it happened on a weekend when our calendar was *very very full* as opposed to other weekends we have coming up that are basically empty. I’m the kind of person who plans her week out at the start of the week and shakes my fist at the clouds if anything during the week throws it off schedule (because you know, with two kids under six your week is very definitely always going to stick to the plan 🙄) so I’ll be bookmarking this one and coming back to it often ❤️.
Oh, man--I hope everything's okay!
Oh he’s ok now, thank you! If you could throw in a prayer some time for a random follower’s son (his name’s Jonathan) we’d appreciate it, but the doctors said he should be good now 😊.
“God’s better might be an ache that you live with for the rest of your life”
This is a really good point, and a really good way to put it…..
This was So good
I'm favoriting it ✨️
Both the maturity of faith of understanding His Will and the idea of plans vs idolatry of said plans
Sometimes, when I begin to filll up my calendar, I wonder if the good Lord above isn't watching and waiting for the moment to say, "hold my beer."
Regarding the Zoom with Ericka, I'm bummed to miss it BUT, I just learned that I'll be taking a class with her next semester as part of the Sexuality and Gender Graduate Certificate. Woohoo!
Claire, you are speaking to my heart. This is what 80% of my spiritual direction is about right now. I've found it helpful to explore why I'm so convinced my plans are so fool proof and God's (the creator of this incredible universe) are not. Praying for humility, and trust and a stronger, more intimate relationship with this God who loves me more than I can imagine and who is utterly dependable.
And one silly analogy I sometimes use to put things in perspective: I think of a worm, who is tunneling his way through soil just living his life. And the bird comes down and pulls him away from everything he knows and swallows him without a second thought. This seems devastating and horrible and tragic to the worm, but when you look at the whole system of creation, it's a beautiful thing. It's necessary for the entire system to live and thrive. I realize that could sound like we are all just cogs in God's master plan which is NOT my intent. Rather, we don't know the whole story, but we know enough about God that even when things are hard and seem to us to be terrible, we can trust that there is goodness in them. Our suffering is meaningful - it has goodness and purpose, which to me is the basis for hope.
This was amazing! I struggle so much when plans that are completely inconsequential for my change and have an honest issue with letting go. So like you, my word for the year very much represents that. After 8 months I'm still a work in progress but isn't that so much better than not being a work at all?
We will be works in progress until we're dead, I'm afraid!!!!
Indeed!
Slight change of subject, will the zoom meeting be recorded by any chance? It'll be the middle of the night for me so I won't be able to attend unfortunately
The audio will be recorded and published as a podcast!
Great! Thank you!
Just lovely. I will also refer back to this. Planning is my way of life, and letting go is so hard and oh-so good.
Thank you for this article, your raw honesty, and telling the truth about the idol of control! And pointing to the only solution to let go of it.