The Art of Planning (and Learning to Let Go)
The Art of Planning (and Learning to Let Go)
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps."
— Proverbs 16:9
It’s early evening on a Tuesday, and the last of the dinner dishes are finally tucked away. The house is settling into that particular hum of post-activity quiet. My planner, an old friend filled with scribbles and color-coded triumphs (and a few missed appointments), sits open on the kitchen counter. There’s a quiet satisfaction, isn't there, in charting a course? In seeing a week, a project, a dream, laid out neatly before you?
I find immense comfort in planning. As someone who thrives on order and a clear understanding of what’s next, a good plan—whether for a crucial work deadline, a weekend with my husband, or just the groceries—feels like a warm blanket. It’s my attempt to minimize surprises, to create a predictable flow in the lovely, messy chaos of being a working mom navigating life with an adult child.
The Comfort of a Meticulous Plan
I can map out a week with the precision of a cartographer. Deadlines for my job, calls with my son, a date night with my husband, even the best time to tackle the weeds in the early summer garden before the heat fully settles in. I write it all down, assigning realistic slots, mentally rehearsing the transitions. It’s not about control, not entirely. It’s about feeling prepared, about making the most of the precious hours we’re given.
There’s a certain hopeful anticipation in it, too. When I plan a visit from my adult child, or plot out the steps for a new personal project, it’s an act of dreaming. It’s me saying, "Yes, I want this to happen, and here’s how I’m going to help it along." It feels responsible, purposeful.
When the River Changes Course
And then there’s the second half of that verse: "but the LORD determines his steps." This is where the quiet humor, and sometimes the quiet surrender, comes in. How many times has my meticulously crafted plan met an unexpected detour?
A sudden, urgent request at work shifts my priorities, taking over the carefully blocked-out afternoon. My husband will unexpectedly suggest we just ditch the dinner plan and pick up something, leading to a spontaneous, relaxed evening. Or, just recently, a lovely plan I had with my son got gently nudged back a day due to his own evolving schedule. It's not a disruption, not really. It’s just... life unfolding, often in a direction I hadn't quite drawn on my map.
It used to frustrate me, those shifts. It felt like a failure of my planning, or worse, a lack of control. But over the years, I've started to see these re-routes as gentle nudges. A quiet invitation to trust that there’s a bigger, more intricate map at play, one I don’t have access to.
Holding Plans Loosely
This isn't an excuse to stop planning, of course. We’re called to be diligent, to be good stewards of our time and talents. But it's about holding those plans loosely. It’s about doing my very best to chart a path, and then, when the unexpected arrives—as it always does—to breathe, adjust, and trust.
It often leads to something better, something I wouldn't have thought to plan for myself. A deeper conversation, a new insight, a moment of unexpected grace. The early summer light still streams through my kitchen window as I close my planner. The week might unfold exactly as I’ve written it, or it might not. Either way, I’m learning to find peace in the journey, one determined step at a time.
A Prayer
Dear God,
You know how much I love my planners. The satisfaction of a well-organized day is truly one of my simple joys. But You also know how often my neat little boxes get rearranged by Your hand, or simply by the beautiful, unpredictable flow of life You’ve given me.
Thank You for the wisdom in this verse. Thank You for reminding me that while I get to dream and strategize and plan with all my heart, You are the one who truly guides my feet. Help me to keep planning diligently, to show up and do my part, but also to truly let go when Your path diverges from mine. Give me the grace to embrace those detours, to see them not as interruptions, but as Your gentle leading. Help me trust Your steps for me, today and always.
Amen.
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