Tell God Your Plans…
You’ve heard it ‘round the tables: if you don’t think God has a sense of humor, then tell God your plans.
The implication is that things never turn out the way we plan them, which is often true, maybe even usually true.
Hidden within this joke is the recognition that there’s a huge difference between plans and expectations. It seems we addicts are really good at making our plans or expectations into demands. I’m reminded of an old cartoon of a baby with a scowl banging his spoon (yes, I’m sure it was a boy baby, which shows my inherent sexism) on the high chair titled “His Majesty the baby.” It’s a perfect picture of demand.
On the other hand, planning is absolutely necessary. I can’t get from here to the store without some planning. It’s always expectations that get me in trouble. This morning I planned to go to the bank and then to the clay studio. I do this particular trip almost every week and total time is about 15 minutes.
Not today. There was a huge truck blocking the street to the bank parking lot unloading lumber, complete with a guy telling us we couldn’t turn there. Ah, I thought, I’ll go around the block and down the alley and park in the restaurant lot and walk across to the bank. Which seemed like a good plan, except it’s a one way alley and I was headed the wrong direction. Another trip around the block and I found a parking place and walked to the bank, fuming. Traffic was snarled, as you might imagine and the whole trip took something like 25 minutes… not that much different actually, but filled with frustration. So much for my plans… and that’s what’s meant by expectations. They get me in trouble every time.
With love, and gratitude,
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POSTED IN: Experience, Strength and Hope
1 opinion for Tell God Your Plans…
Robin
Oct 7, 2007 at 9:26 am
I think the joke works best as:
“If you want to make God smile, tell him your plans.”
Peace!
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