"Free day"

Whew, free day, I sighed.

Driving home from helping Dad at the feedlot, I noticed the lane to our house needed mowed. And what a great day to get outside and do it ... maybe later on I can get ____ done, too. Oh, and I'll have time to send that e-mail ...

Half an hour later, the phone rang. Instead of all the things I had planned, I spent the day driving and doing errands. It was a good day, with some great highlights. But last night when I got home, I noticed the two-day old to-do list on my dresser.

Nothing had been marked off today.

Oh, well. I have tomorrow!

I set my alarm an hour early and went to sleep reciting "No snooze. No snooze. No snooze." (Well, maybe not exactly.)

I was awakened when the light was flipped on and I heard Dad's voice. "What time is it?" I mumbled. He told me; my groggy morning math told me that I had slept an hour and a half past my alarm.

"We lost electricity last night during the storm. Come over to the feedlot as soon as you can."

Too late to shower. Too late to make the guys' breakfast. Too late for coffee. My early morning ambitions floated out of sight.

I realized God sees my to-do list. He sees my alarm clock. He knows my conscious (and even subconscious) plans and expectations.

And He wants them resting in His hands.

"You are my God.

My times are in Your hands"

(Ps. 31:14-15).

"My soul, wait silent for God alone,

for my expectation is from Him"

(Ps. 62:5).

Just as I wrote that, the phone rang. "Can you run and get parts...?"

God is faithful to remind me that it shouldn't be me controlling and planning.