Letting Go of Routine

Ryan and I are very structured people, and we don't apologize for that. People ask us how we "do it all," and, well, first of all, we don't, but secondly, we do as much as we can because we're organized. We plan way ahead, we keep a color-coded calendar, we tend not to waste time, and we work hard.

Sometimes I envy those who fly through life by the seat of their pants, because organized living is work. It's getting up every day and staring at all that needs to be done and sliding tasks into time slots so by day's end, the balance of work and fun has been accomplished. Ahhhh, to get up at will and lay on the couch and read a book all day...right?

I don't think there's anything wrong with being organized, just like I don't think there's anything wrong with being a go-with-the-flow sort of soul. I believe the Lord made us with a beautiful array of personalities, and if we all approached life with the same plan, we wouldn't end up with nearly as many good stories, now would we?

But I do think it's wrong of us (organized and laid back alike) to hold so tightly to "our way" that we can't try life any other way, even for a minute. It's been an area of conviction for me lately.

Yesterday one of my friends texted me early in the morning and asked if I would pray for her son, because his class had a substitute teacher, and the change in routine created anxiety for him. And as I stared at that request on my phone, God nudged me and reminded me I knew a measure of how that little guy felt. My own week, which had been carefully scripted in full color code, had been changed multiple times. Extra appointments. New responsibilities. Canceled events. Filling in, helping out, meeting needs: all good things, but all things that changed the plans for the days and caused me to push aside my own work. And some of that work really needed to be done.

Yes. I definitely could feel a bit of the kiddo's pain. I decided to use the changes in my schedule as a great reminder to pray for this little guy while I prayed for improvement in my own attitude. I prayed that we both would learn to let go of our needs for routine and learn to accept the missions and lessons God had for us throughout our day. Missions and lessons that perhaps could only come through a change in plans.

 Chances are good, I'll always be a scheduled soul. Ryan probably will be too, and the fact that we are like-minded in that approach to life is one of the reasons we work together so well. (In full representation, Ryan handles changes to the day with a bit more grace than I do.) But I'm learning to loosen my grip a little, and I'm trying to embrace the beauty God has hidden in those unexpected changes.