The plan is.. there is no plan

I have a dear friend who taught me that no matter what our plans are for the day, you can bet something, or someONE is going to mess with it.. but if you look back, and you’re prayerful about it, you’ll see God at work.  I like that.

My aunt, when you ask her what her plans are when she’s visiting us in Canada from the Netherlands (she’s a hedgy one, I tell ya, plays it all really close to the chest, which I greatly appreciate about her!)  will tell you..

“The plan is… There is no plan!” 

There is great wisdom in this.  You don’t disappoint others.  You don’t disappoint yourself.  You leave yourself open to possibilities.. you leave yourself open to God working.

Today I had NO “to do” list.  (Day ?? of self isolation)  I woke up early with Bill who leaves for work at 630 am so we could video call my Uncle in Netherlands to wish him a happy birthday. That was a great start to the day.  After that.. there was no plan.. but it’s now 3 pm as I sit down to write, and I’m WHIPPED, cause i’ve been busier than a one armed paper hanger.  (note to self: look up the etymology of that one sometime)  

I chatted with some friends on line briefly, checking in.. and decided to start the day with a walk around our 1 mile block.  I did not see one single person, and only 1 car passed me during my entire walk.   This is usually a pretty busy time of day – but we’re a ghost town.

In spite of my weather station telling me it was going to rain all day, the sun started shining through as I sat down to my omelette/salad breakfast.

Salad for breakfast??  Sure why not?  Just a big handful of baby greens with dry fried grape tomatoes, and some balsamic & olive oil.   Someone (Hope?) gave these to me a while back and I found them yesterday when i was cleaning out my honey cupboard.  So yummy!  I need more if you’re reading..

Wait.. did you say “Honey Cupboard”?  What’s that?   With our new big kitchen.. when Guillermo is looking for something, it’s hard to say.. 3rd row over from the dishwasher, 2nd drawer down.. middle back.. so i have named the drawers.  “Tupperware drawer” “baking drawer” “tea cupboard”… and this one “Honey Cupboard”  I cleaned it out fully yesterday trying to find spots for the new jars of dry goods which share space with, you guessed it.. lotsa honey.  this isn’t all of it.. just what’s in this cupboard.  There’s more in the pantry.. lol.  I think we may have a Honey problem..

But at least the “Honey cupboard” is now organized.

I spent most of the morning outside, having my devotions, coffee, chatting with neighbours walking by, and face timing my mom who is at home.

Thanks to yesterday’s announcement about our hydro rates staying at “off peak” rates for the next 45 days, I decided to do laundry (usually reserved for weekends or evenings after 7 pm) and hang it on the line.. first time since October!    But that meant I had to clean the clothesline first..and then i poked around in my garden.. and you know the drill. 🙂

In between all that, I did some baking, and fully cleaned out my van.  Good job on a sunny day!   Considering that today had “no plan”.. .it was a pretty productive day, and I find myself tired in a good way, and very thankful.   The sky is turning cloudy and a bit threatening, so i need to head out to rescue our laundry soon.

Before I do, I don’t know about you, but I’m hearing of so many people in dire situations during this time of mandatory isolation and Covid-19.    New York is now the Epicentre of the virus according to a news article I read today.  That hits pretty close to home.  People are dying, and there can’t be funerals.  I heard one person say.. i may have to bury my spouse alone, and wait ’til all this is over before we can have a Celebration of life.  Families can’t grieve together.  Weddings are being cancelled/postponed, families are being separated due to quarantine, People who had simple freak accidents requiring immediate surgery are being separated from loved ones and having to face the hospital….  and I feel so helpless.  I keep asking.. how can i best Love my Neighbour in this time?

God –  please show me how.

If ever there’s been a call to pray, it is now.