My way or the high way...

In case you've missed me saying so, this is not my time of year. I haven't been thrilled about summer since it meant a break from school and being able to sleep in — a very, very long time ago.

It's possible that my appreciation for summer might change now that none of my grandlittles live minutes away anymore and summers out of school might be when they can visit — but I'm not there yet.

I'm trying my best to work with it this year, because griping about the weather is obviously a total waste of time and energy and because getting outside is good for what ails me, so I've adopted a new summertime routine.

The days I'm home all morning I head out to my sweetgum-tree-shaded backyard swing as soon as the sun comes up — with two baskets (one with pens and books, including a Bible and notebook, the other with my camera and lens), coffee (iced, of course, in a Mason jar)...


...and two battery-powered fans (don't laugh).

My goal is to stay outside, except for pit-stops and refills, until noon. No big deal, you might think, because I'm sitting in the shade with fans, and all, but that just keeps me from dying. You can still sweat like crazy in this sub-tropical, humidity-saturated climate just by walking out the door. 

(10 AM)

All that to say, in one of my backyard swing, iced-coffee mornings last week, the story I read in Jon Bloom's Not By Sight was pointed squarely at me. Preparing to lead the women's study at my church this fall, I've spent more than ten hours meeting and planning with other women on the ministry team over the past two weeks. I've probably devoted at least that many hours in study and prayer on my own, as well, and there are hours of preparation remaining. 

I'm thrilled about all that we have planned for the fall, and I can visualize how I hope it will unfold, but Bloom reminds me what I know, yet tend to forget: "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps." (Proverbs 16.9) 

God's ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8,9). They are frequently bewildering to us, but they are always better because God is orchestrating far more than we see or know in every unexpected event or delay. ~ Jon Bloom

LORD, I hold these plans for the women's study loosely, as wonderful as I think they are. You know every woman who will join us this fall. You know our hearts, hurts, and needs. You know infinitely more than I do. Please give us the wisdom to change what needs changing; and if you lead us in a different direction, I'll release all that's been planned and joyfully follow you.