“If You Want to Make God Laugh…”
“…tell Him your plans.”
I don’t remember much of any of my dad’s sermons; however, I do remember his last.
Parkinson’s Disease brought my dad’s vocation to an early close.
While my dad and mom were busy making plans for what their future would look like, God was having a good chuckle.
And my dad knew it—and shared it with his congregation—during that last sermon.
It’s always stuck with me.
Apparently it’s an old Yiddish proverb: “Make plans; God laughs.”
I like to imagine God cracking up quite a bit with all the life plans I’ve made.
At 46 years old, I sure have learned to laugh at myself a lot more.
Levity is a powerful tool.
So is trusting and embracing the process.
Last week I spent 522 words telling you about my 17-week training plan to get me to the start of the Twin Cities Marathon in October.
And, here I sit, 9 days later, writing this week’s blog nursing a sore hip that hurts to walk on.
Oh, the humor of it all: just as it begins, the plans get challenged.
“I know what you’re doing up there, God!”
Although my wife would adamantly disagree with me, I believe wisdom comes with age.
Younger versions of me would have been a wreck hobbling around yesterday.
Previous versions of me would have continued to try to push things.
A less wise version of me would have thrown in the towel.
I’ve learned a few things over the years, though.
Holding tight grips on goals is a miserable way to go through life.
And, besides, God is just up there laughing at you anyway.
So, what’s the solution?
Set ‘em. But hold ‘em lightly.
Because that allows you to immerse yourself in the process.
And when you do that, you’re able to trust and embrace the process.
There’s levity in it all, then.
Which gives you the space to simply roll with the punches.
“It’s all part of the process” I found myself saying with a smile multiple times yesterday and today.
I’ll take a little time off.
Pivot for a bit.
And just get curious around the journey of this whole thing.
We can’t control the outcomes, but we can control how we show up.
When we try to control the outcomes, we give God a good laugh.
And, maybe, when we gain mastery of how we show up, God gives a good wink and a nod of approval.
Onward.
P.S. Everything has worked out to this point. This will, too.