A LESSON IN LIFE’S MESSES

Life is messy.
Some of you may read that line and think, “Duh Brandon. I think you are a little behind.”
Truth be told, I might be.
There are times (and they come way more often than not) that things do not go exactly as planned. Our plans may conflict with someone else’s. The kids may have a different idea for nap time. Time may get away from us. We get fired. Family and work may pull us in different directions. Car troubles pop up.
I heard someone say this week, “If it’s not one thing it’s ten things.”
We just cannot always plan for everything. Now, don’t hear me saying that we should never plan ahead. Planning is good. Being prepared for the future is a good idea.
Go ahead and set money back.
Make goals.
Decide to reconnect with friends a year from now.
It’s a good idea for us to be thinking about the future. However, don’t be too frustrated when everything does not work out exactly as you had planned. More often than not, there are bumps along the way.
And that’s okay.
Those bumps or twists and turns make for great opportunities to grow. Our character can mature and develop as a result of these unforeseen circumstances.
The road may twist in a way that leads to even better opportunities than you could have imagined.
That is not to say the bumps are not difficult. Often they can be very trying. They can test us and push us in ways we don’t want to be pushed.
But when we face these trials as opportunities to grow, we can face them with a fresh perspective.
I will be the first to tell you I do not like change. I squirm at changes in my pace and sometimes I down right hate when things don’t go as planned.
But when I refuse to let it get under my skin, then I continue to take advantage of the opportunity. I come out of the situation stronger. It’s not easy. It is doable though and even good for us.
So keep your head up if you are facing situations different than you had planned. Keep pushing forward, and look to see what can be learned where you are.
It may surprise you how this can help you in the future.

