There is a little chart inside my daughter’s bedroom, hung low on the wall at just her height. Princess pictures teach her how to get ready each morning and each night. Brush teeth. Brush hair. Go potty. Get dressed. Make bed. She rushes to use a neon blue dry erase marker to check each one off as she does it, morning and night, over and over again.
She’s learning how to get ready. To prepare for what lies ahead and she does each step with expectant joy knowing that in the morning it means a day of new adventures, and at night quality time spent with one of us as we read books before bedtime and make up princess stories. In the planning, there is room for the unexpected. And in the routine of getting ready, she’s learning healthy habits.
What am I getting ready for? What healthy habits am I teaching my soul so that I can make room for the unexpected ecstatic experiences? I thrive on a checklist, just like my little girl. I need the structure to help me get ready so that when the opportunity for spontaneity arises I can jump in with both feet. Read the Word. Worship. Pray. Give thanks. Cling to Jesus.
That’s my to do list, the one that will set me up for success. Getting my heart ready so that when the opportunities come I can see them through the clear lens of God’s plan for my life and not my own agenda. And I’m writing ahead for my 31 days series so I can take October to get ready for something else..something different. In the hectic, noisy, demanding write-at-night-and-publish-the-next-day routine I’m living in I’m having trouble hearing what God is saying about some ideas I’ve had. So I’m taking time now to plan ahead, to do the hard work of making margin in my mind so I can settle in and focus.
I’m linking up with Kate & the Five Minute Friday gals again this week – I love this prompt and the unexpected direction it took me! I’ll still be doing FMF during 31 Days…let’s just hope the prompts fit my topic 😉
I am such a Type-A person it seems I have a plan and a to-do list for everything and everybody to the point that I forget to leave the room for margin. Thanks for the reminder that I need to allow Him to move even if it disrupts my plans.
Yes, Crystal, I agree. Sometimes my own “not being ready” causes me to miss opportunities that He has planned. Our ill planning and poor time choices cause us to miss opportunities.
Thanks for these words of encouragement! 🙂
Such truth here: “I need the structure to help me get ready so that when the opportunity for spontaneity arises I can jump in with both feet. ” May we both ready ourselves in Him. Great post!
Thanks Karen!
I love your to-do list for getting ready! Here’s to being ready (even prepared ahead of time) so that we can get past the to-do lists and be ready for God’s plans for us–even if they come out of left field!
Yes! Our to do lists are great, but there are always Divine interruptions. Here’s to a day filled with great stuff to do! Chosen and appointed! 🙂 Jenn
“getting my heart ready, so when opportunities come I can see them through the clear lens of God’s plan…” I share your heart in this and so much appreciate your words. I find myself in a difficult place of waiting – waiting is hard for me, listening is hard for me, and I know He’s growing me and I will have learned something in this place…so in the mean time I continue to ready my heart.
Blessings!
Waiting and listening are SO hard for me, too! Praying for us both this morning 🙂
Love this! I love where this prompt took you as well! The term “margin” reminds me of “The Best Yes.” Have you read it yet?
I’m learning about the 31 days blogging challenge for the first time! You have me beat with planning! I can’t wait to follow you through October friend!
PS – I need the posters you have, just in a Batman theme for my lil guys! Possible?!
I have read it! So good 🙂 And a Batman theme is totally possible for your little guys – I made Madi’s in Canva, super easy!