A Change of Plans

Perry Noble

So this weekend was ANYTHING except for ordinary!

I had it all planned out!  First of all I did no cardio on Friday because I wanted to save my legs for the 20 mile run on Saturday.  I took it easy all day Friday & it was so nice!  I had planned to get up and run the big run on Saturday—the weather forecast was calling for rain (and thunderstorms—I love running in thunderstorms!) so I was excited—THEN I was going to go with ‘Cretia to her 10 year college reunion at Sullivan’s here in Anderson!  (I LOVE THEIR FOOD!)  And then, of course, I was going to get to preach on Sunday.

But—I had a change of plans.  Did you know there is a stomach virus going around?  I DO!!!

Friday afternoon I began to have this feeling like, “I am NOT hungry at all.”  (Which, if you know me, is NOT in my normal line of thinking!)  Lucretia and I went to supper on Friday evening & I knew I needed to eat something because of the run the next day…but I could not even finish my plate.  (Once again—unusual!)

After we ate we went by the church to check in on membership class & as I was standing around talking to people it HIT ME like a brick.  I literally felt like I was about to throw up—right there—all over the dude I was talking to.  (I can just see it now, “Thank you for joining NewSpring—whaaaaaaaa!)  I am not sure that is how you spell a throw up sound—but you get the picture, right?

So ‘Cretia and I left and I came home and laid down on the couch…I figured if I could just stay still then I would not lose anything—WRONG!  Let’s just say that the next several hours were not pretty…did you know the toilet flushes in a counter-clockwise motion—I do because my HEAD was in it!  After the last time I thought, “that has got to be it—there is nothing left in me.”

Boy was I wrong!!!

Not to drag the story out—but I lost eight pounds!  (This is a fact—I weigh the day before a long run & so I weighed before and after the “excitement” in my life!)  So—needless to say—I did not run Saturday morning!  (I know—what a wimp!)  All I did was lay around the house.  Lunch consisted of fruit and Gatorade.  (If all I had was fruit—you KNOW I was sick.)  And get this—I didn’t go to Sullivan’s!!!  Can you believe that?  I had already paid and everything—but I just could not go.  I could just see it, “Yeah, I’m Lucretia’s husband and the pastor of NewSpring—WHAAAAAAA!”

BUT—I began feeling a lot better about 2:00 this morning and knew that I would be ok!  I normally stand in the lobby between services but I just could not do it today because I didn’t have the energy!  However, TODAY was the perfect example of the fact that HIS strength is made perfect in our weakness!!!  Praise God He still uses cracked pots like me!

So I said all that to say this—many times our plans change.  I have to keep telling myself that I can’t control my circumstances!!!  LIFE happens—and the bad things that happen usually do not call ahead to make sure that we are not too inconvenienced by all that is going on.  So—when life happens…are you going to get bitter or get better?

I chose to get better this weekend!  I chose not to get bitter over the fact that I didn’t get to run—even though I REALLY wanted to.  (By the way—my legs are REALLY fresh again!)  I chose not to get bitter over the fact that I missed an excellent meal at Sullivan’s.  (By the way—I was able to get a lot of rest and go to bed early.)  I chose not to get bitter over the fact that I didn’t feel 100% today when I stepped on stage.  (By the way—God is always at 100%, no matter how I feel!!!)

Plans change—circumstances change—life happens…how will you let that affect your day today?  God is still God whether you are looking into a toilet (WHAAAAAA) or looking at the unemployment line!  He is not limited by our circumstances!  I was reminded of that fact this weekend…He reigns!  Things that seem to be over our heads are under His feet!  So don’t let circumstances get you down.  Even though your plans change—God is still God!  YEAH!