No Showstoppers

So many times in my life, I’ve not trusted God’s plan. I thought I knew better. Let me orchestrate things. And by orchestrate, I mean manipulate. Manipulate people, places and things. Am I Still A Big Deal? 

I didn’t recognize this behavior until I was slap exhausted and against a brick wall. I wouldn’t have given up any other way. Why was I so tired? Why was I not at peace, always anxious? Because I was playing Jesus and for some reason I never could quite pull it off. 

Last week my extended family met up in Orange Beach for a week long vacation. We haven’t done that in a long time and everyone was so excited. Each day, leading up to the trip, I gave my self a pep talk.  Do not put expectations on anyone or anything. Relax and enjoy what is, no showstoppers. 

That’s what my expectations tend to do. If things don’t go exactly according to my plan, the show stops. No matter what other good comes, it wasn’t a success … I didn’t reach the original vision … the initial goal. Does any of this ring a bell? Take a look at how my over achieving usually plays out in Counting Sheep.

As life would have it, there were hiccups. My oldest son and my new daughter-in-law had a change of plans the day before we left. They didn’t make the trip. Our grandson didn’t make the trip. Todd’s back was hurting and he was uncomfortable. No Showstoppers, Stacey. 

One of my most favorite things to do on vacation is stop, be still and watch the sunset. It reminds me to stay in the moment. I’ve seen the Million Dollar Sunset from Petoskey, Michigan. I’ve watched the sun set on Lake Huron, in Key West on Sunset Pier, from Hawk Hill looking back over the Golden Gate Bridge, and of course Orange Beach. 

There’s a routine for beach sunsets. You bring your own chair so that you can remain in place after the umbrella guy has come and gone. Another must is a ham sandwich and Oreo cookies. Ready, Set, Go. But this time we were staying in a new condo, at a different bend in the coast line and the sun went down behind another high rise. I couldn’t actually see the sun. I was so disappointed. I thought I had gotten through this vacation without setting expectations but maybe not. No Showstoppers. 

I remembered the stunning sunrise we saw on my Girls Trip this past October. If I couldn’t have the sunset, I would watch the sunrise. So I waited until our last morning to make the trip down to the beach at 6:00 a.m. Claire Bear made the early trip with me. We had our blanket, coffee and phones. We were ready to watch magic happen. I had really talked it up. 

While we waited, we talked about Claire’s favorite parts of the trip. She had really enjoyed her new boogie board and riding the waves. She talked about how the water was too rough the first few days, and then too calm. The water was never just right. “But I knew the perfect wave was out there, I just had to wait for it,” she said. 

The phrase, I just had to wait for it, made me laugh. I repeated it out loud as we watched the sky turn amazing shades of pink. But we didn’t see the sun. The sun came up behind another high rise. Another expectation set and another disappointment. I decided instead of going back up to the condo disappointed that i would sit on the quiet beach and say my prayers. This was our last day, No Showstoppers. 

And at that moment, a great blue heron landed in front of me. I was shocked! It was so unexpected! I had never seen anything like it on the beach and so up close. I grabbed my phone so I could snap a picture … hoping that he wouldn’t fly away. Not only did he not fly away, he started to walk towards me as if I wasn’t even sitting there! And I heard God say, “You just have to wait for it.”

My expectations show a lack of trust. And I’m only disappointed in my expectations. never in God’s work. Thank goodness, I didn’t allow the sunrise to stop the show. If I would have stopped the show right then, I would have never seen the great blue heron. We had a wonderful family vacation. The things I least expected through the week, like a trip to Dairy Queen with my brother, is what brought me the greatest joy. 

“You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” Proverbs 19:21.