Her Plans, His Plans

"Thus it is well that Jehovah trieth the righteous, 

for it causeth them to grow rich in God."

~C.H. Spurgeon

There was a woman with child who made great plans. The list she made was her vehicle to contentment and a deep sense of accomplishment. She'd cheerfully check off each thing done and would then be ready to welcome the new baby.

She dreamed of de-cluttered bookshelves and school boxes, organized closets and deep cleaned rooms, menu plans, and freezer foods. She expected to have lesson plans done for the year and cute binders lined up all in a row. After all, isn't this what the Proverbs 31 woman would do right before having a baby?

It would all be smooth sailing. Well, as smooth as life can be in a household of 10.

BUT God...

Well, He actually directs her steps. And He had a very different plan in mind. It started with a bit of a hailstorm.

The house was damaged and the trees were bare. The Woman-With-the-Plans felt a bit overwhelmed but was thankful for God's protection and His mercy.

The next day brought another blow to getting things done. "You need to replace all of your tires," the salesman said. And we had to admit that five years worth of driving on those van tires was something to be thankful for. Still, spending that much money on new tires when school books were needed and house repairs had to be done was hard to swallow. But the Woman-With-the-Plans praised God for His provision.

Meanwhile, sickness had been floating around this woman's house for almost a month. As baby's arrival got closer, she prayed even harder that all of the coughing and fatigue would disappear. As a precaution, she took her three year old to the doctor. This is one time antibiotics would have been a welcome suggestion from the doctor, but the Woman-With-the-Plans got more than that.

She got a ride in an ambulance since her 3-1/2 year old needed to be hospitalized for some complications from pneumonia.  She got a sassy nurse, swollen ankles, very little sleep, a far-away bathroom, an annoying financial rep. who wanted copies of id and insurance at 6:45 in the morning, and a bill for hospital food that no one even ate.

It was at this point the Woman-With-the-Plans developed a bit of amnesia. She murmured at her conditions and told herself if was too much. She spent too much time counting her crosses instead of her mercies. She fixed her eyes on those plans that continued to slip away instead of her God who is steadfast and faithful.

She had her plans, and He had his. Her plans were for organization and comfort and ease. His were for affliction and trials and purging. In the midst of it all, as He always does, He poured out great mercies that lessened the bitter taste of those afflictions.

~Our house suffered much less damage than many around us. It could have been so much worse.
~The insurance company looked at the damage last Thursday, and we had a check by Tuesday.
~Our brand new roof wasn't damaged at all.
~God preserved us from danger while driving with those worn tires.
~Our pediatrician was very thorough and helpful.
~ Claire got the hospital care she needed and was discharged the next evening. She's doing well at home and is still on oxygen.
~My Beloved was actually home that day Claire was admitted to the hospital, and he stayed with us both that night. What a blessing!
~The gift of available healthcare.
~The blessing of having other saints intercede for us!
~Sweet Ella has had to start antibiotics, but she's already feeling better.
~We have older, responsible children who manage everything quite well when we're gone.
~The emergency tech who took care of Claire in the ambulance was a Christian.
~The compassion that flows as result of your own afflictions to others who are enduring repeated trials.
~God showed me once again how deep my ingratitude runs and how easily my eyes shift from Jesus to my affliction, AND how He never fails to provide what we need and so much of what we want.

Claire with the big oxygen tank she uses at night. 

Her daytime one is much more portable. :)

"Our Lord in His infinite wisdom and superabundant love, sets so high a value upon His people's faith that He will not screen them from those trials by which faith is strengthened."
~C.H. Spurgeon

Most of the things on that list won't get done before baby arrives. But as my wise Beloved reminded me, "What needs to have gotten done will have been done." The same faithful God who directs our steps into afflictions that make us more like Christ will give me the grace I need in the days ahead to accomplish what He's set before me and let go of the rest. (Please, Lord, help me let go of the rest.)

"Providence carries our lives, liberties and concerns in its hands every moment. Your bread is in its cupboard, your money in its purse, your safety in its enfolding arms; and surely it is the least part of what you owe to record the favours you receive at its hands."
~John Flavel

What a great privilege it is in every trial to see what He has done and to record those mercies and declare them to our children. That's a much greater gift than the best-made plans that make us boast of our accomplishments instead of the mighty works of God.

With love,
Trisha