It was the first day back to school; that day that looms in our heads weeks before it actually arrives.

Now I don’t know about you, but I love September. A fresh start, new goals…it’s the fall version of New Year’s.

After a restful and enjoyable summer, I was ready to take on the busyness of the upcoming school year.

Little did I know what was in store.

Shut Out and Broken Down

As a commuter, I always have this fear that my car will break down. So far, I’ve been lucky to escape this misfortune.

On this beautiful, sunny, first day of school, however, my car lights began to flash, and within minutes the engine had completely died. Being the wise person that I am, I jumped out of my car to see what was wrong. The door swung shut and at that very moment decided to automatic lock.

There I was, shut out from my broken-down car in the middle of nowhere.

Now clearly, this was not in my plan. As I sat by the side of the road with a useless vehicle in 30C weather, I felt frustrated, annoyed, and weary.

My New Life Trend

You see, I love to plan. I love to make lists. I love to have organization in my life and know what my day is going to look like.

However, I’m finding as I get older, there seems to be a new trend happening. I faithfully plan my life, giving in to the temptation of believing that everything will go smoothly. Then, my perfect plans get interrupted by life’s “surprises.”

A bit naïve, isn’t it?

The truth is that, as much as I don’t want to admit it, life is brief and more fragile than I realize. Planning is, of course necessary, but the sin of presumption is in the assumption that I’m in control. That’s a bit of a mouthful, but I realize the simple message is that when you plan your life, be prepared that it may not end up how you imagined.

Annoyances Happen

In the end, the breakdown was really not such a big deal. A faithful husband came to my rescue, an experienced mechanic took care of the car, and I enjoyed a nice long walk through the Abbotsford countryside.

The reality is that’s life. None of us, including me, are immune to these daily annoyances. It’s when the big things happen that I need to trust and believe God knows what He’s doing.

It may not always be that simple though. This past year had challenges that I never knew I would face. Watching my father battle a severe stroke for the last four months has put a spin on how I look at my life plan. Plans are great and organization is wonderful, but life is going to get messy and it’s going to at times feel unfair. I’m sure I can hear a few resounding “amens” in agreement.

I can certainly plan my course, but the Lord will establish my steps and circumstances are going to come up that might feel unimaginable. No matter how well I plan, I will always end up where the Lord wants me. Even if it seems unfair or wrong at first.

As I embrace the uncertainty, I now look at it as opportunity to trust and see what the Lord reveals to me on this roadmap for my life.

Side Note: I smartened up and got BCAA.