Maybe I was somewhere between 4 and six years old? I made a decision of something I was going to do, so I walked through our little open plan living room with multi-colored orangey shag carpet. Stepped down one little step, passed my dad where he was watching the news (boring), then stepped up another little step in the dining room kitchen area where my mom was at the stove making dinner. I'm fairly certain some canned corn would have been in one pot, along with a recipe calling for ground hamburger meat in a skillet.
"Mom, I'm going over to Wendy's house." Wendy was a few years older than me and the coolest. We lived on opposite sides of a cul-de-sac where every house was filled with either an elderly couple or a young family. Wendy had a big black dog named Bosco that scared the ever-living out of me, but Wendy letting me play at her house was worth facing the fear. And, I decided right then was the time to get on my big wheel and go see what was up.
"Not now. We are getting ready to have dinner," mom said. Whaaatt? I'm not sure if I sassed her right to her face or not, but apparently, it was brewing inside of me. I turned from her. Walked back through the dining/kitchen area, stomped down the little step into the living room and over to my Dad.
"Dad, can I go over to Wendy's house?" He said, "I just heard your momma tell you no. So, no, not right now, dinner is almost ready." (Some of the recreated dialogue here may or may not be exactly accurate.) So, I turned from him. Started to stomp back across the shag toward the little step up out of the living room, when the evil spirit of back-talk overcame me, and I made a poor choice. I turned back to him and said, "Fine, now I hate you and momma both." You guys, my dad can get up out of a recliner so fast!! If recliner dismount were an Olympic sport....
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| This was not that moment, but the turn and hand on hip placement I am posing here may have been similar to give a little visual. |
I had a little time in my room with a bit of a bruised ego, self-indignation, and red backside to think about the turn of events that had just played out. And now, we have had years of using that line in much more light-hearted moments with each other.
I was making plans without their input. They already had plans for me. Plans for dinner with corn and hamburger. Plans to sit with me at the table and talk about the day. Plans to put a little pat of butter on my bread and pour me a glass of sweet tea. Good plans for me.
Maybe they would have let me go to Wendy's house all along when the time was right. But, I jumped ahead and wrecked it.
I had a conversation this week with a friend and we talked about making plans. We try to make so many plans based on our own understanding. Based on how cool Wendy from the block is. Based on where we want to be, in case we don't get to do what we want to do. We need money. We want purpose, and we try to figure out all the ways to make that happen. And, we make our plans.
We stop by Jesus at that stove making us dinner and announce our plans, and then when he tries to shepherd us from the recliner as he sees us walking toward trouble... we stiff arm and back talk because we wanna do what we wanna do. Or, we want to do what we think we need to do because we aren't sure he has the best intentions for us. I neeeed to go to Wendy's. That's where the cool is at. In my own understanding that is the right next move. Don't tell me no.
What plans are you making? Who are you talking to about them? His Word tells us He has plans already in the works, and they are good. Sometimes if feels like we should be taking a little more charge over our plans. Take a few big kid steps. But, you might miss dinner if you do.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5
He can only make your paths straight if he actually does have a destination planned for you. And, you will only get there if you actually trust him and allow him to lead. I wish I would have fully learned that lesson right there in that shaggy carpeted living room. But, it has taken a little history between us for me to learn that what He has is best and that He will get me where He has planned for me.
If you can identify at all, then reading all of Proverbs 3 may be encouraging to you today. Read Proverbs 3
Think about things, but let the Lord establish your steps.
