Planing to be Flexible with Plans

My husband and I have a colored coded Google calendar that makes my planning heart happy. I love opening up my phone and seeing the purple and orange events fill our days with fun. And if I'm being honest, I also love rewriting those plans in a hard copy planner for the simple joy and satisfaction of crossing items off the agenda. My name is Brittany Horn, and I am a planner, a doer. As Tom and I transition into the teachery bliss that is summer, I realize that out of excitement of the season I have already planned most of our free days. Plans to go to the pool, eat good food, make good food, clean up the house, fix and build things for the house, learn new things, meet new friends, be with old friends...they're all good things. In my planning frenzy, however, I have been convicted of two things:

1. My frustration when a wrinkle is thrown in my plans.  
2. My inability to soak up each moment and be tuned in to God during each event on the checklist.

I was completely aware of God's perfect plan and the beauty of that plan as my sister had a BEAUTIFUL baby boy just two days ago. I'm emotional and I haven't even held that little cutie yet! She went in for her normal doctor appointment and her water broke right then and there. We all made bets on when the baby would enter this world, but it is moments like these when you realize that God's perfect plans trump any plans that we make. We simply can't plan when a baby will take it's first breath or the emotions that will take us over in that moment, just like we can't plan what God will do with our days.

"The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord" (Proverbs 16:1).

Our God is good, he is perfect, and this verse only reiterates that He is Soveriegn. His plans can not be altered. *As a disclaimer: planning is still important and good. If I didn't plan anything, I may end up watching netflix or "instagramming" my life away, but how much more purposeful would that calendar look if I considered, if I submitted to the will of God and planned to be flexible in his guiding.

As always, Christ himself is our prime example. Jesus lived his life on earth in subject to God's will and his perfect plan. "For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me "(John 6:38). And Christ didn't just say that he was on earth to do God's will, he died on the cross to be raised from the dead! "My father if it is possible let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39).

I'm not even the tiniest bit as in tuned with God's will as Jesus (In fact, it weren't for Jesus, I would be nothing but dead in my sin), but He died for us so that we could know Him more. We can pray Psalm 143:8 as we plan, "let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life."

My prayer is that this summer will be a time of growing closer to God and making that the number one plan. Rather than hurry from one event to the next, I pray that I see God in each event. Finally, I need to be able to chunk my plans when they fail to meet God's plan for my day. Summer is a time for fun, but also a special built in time to grow closer to God and get my mind off of myself.  He is at work whether we plan on noticing Him or not.

God can't be just another color on the calendar. He is and alwasy will be the one who holds our plans and our days in His hands. So this summer is a time to plan to be flexible with the plans.

How Much More...

 

The Amazing T-Rex Anny Card

It was a few days before Tom and I's anniversary and I was picking up some buntinis for a friend at school. I had never been to "Nothing Bunt Cakes" to make a purchase and I quickly found out that people love their Nothing Bunt Cakes and they are an extra hot commodity near Christmas time. The line swirled out the door and the ladies behind the counter looked frantic. After about three samples (which seemed to be the only thing that was keeping people from erupting), I got to the front of the line and was told I had about a forty-five minute wait for the buntinis. There was a card store next door and I still hadn't gotten Tom a card for our anny, so I walked over to kill time. I love reading greeting cards. There is nothing like giving a card that is just perfect for the occasion. The bunt cake wait was worth it, because it led me to the T-Rex card!

Love and promise are had to quantify. For this reason, the idea of spreading our arms to show how much we love someone is silly. Put one of the biggest animals with the tiniest arms in this pose and it's just comical! There is no way to quantify how much God loves us either, but my eyes were opened to four "How Much More" passages this week that reminded me that God fashioned this life to give us a glimpse of his love and promise. Not only that, but he makes a sure promise that the glimpse that we get while we're here on earth is only a taste of what is to come. I hope that each of these "How Much More" passages is a reminder of God's goodness, love, and promise.

How Much More...Will the Blood of Christ:
"For if the blood of bulls and goats and ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of flesh, HOW MUCH MORE will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God." -Hebrews 9:14

• If the animal sacrifices made within the old covenant (Exodus 29 is one example) purified and freed sin, we can know that Christ's sacrifice (which he gave willingly) is more than enough to free the sin of all who accept him.

How Much More...Will the Ministry of Righteousness:
"Now if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance (God), which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious." 

-2 Corinthians 3:7-8 

• The ministry of death = the law which reveals sin and leads to death since we are sinners. If this law was glorious and reflected God's nature (Exodus 34:29-35), how much more with the new covenant, the ministry of righteousness, forgive sinners. The law had fading glory and was not the final plight for sinners. 

How Much More...Will the Heavenly Father Give

"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, HOW MUCH MORE will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" -Matthew 7:11

• I know not everyone gets this experience, but I have an amazing dad and if I'm being honest, he has spoiled me. Now that I'm older I see that he not only provided for my immediate needs, but we went up and beyond to bring me joy, comfort in times of need, teaching when I was confused, etc. If my dad, a sinner like the rest of us, could give good gifts, how much more will Christ (our creator) give us good gifts (James 1:17).

How Much More...Will God Provide

"But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not MUCH MORE clothe you, O you of little faith? -Matthew 6:30

• This verse reminds me of spring in Texas when the blue bonnets and Indian paint brushes cover the ground. God clothes even this earth which is fading beautifully! The analogy here is that if God takes care of the grass, which withers and is thrown out, how much more will he take care of us, his adopted children (Romans 8:15-16).

These are just four of many places that we find God's love and promise for us in His Word. There is no question that God loves his adopted children! There is also no question that He has a plan and that we can fully trust it. Not only that, we don't trust blindly, we get to read about God's promised plan in his Word, which is better than any greeting card :). 

Oh and if you're wondering...the buntini's were worth the wait!