When Life Doesn’t Go According to Plan: Guest Blog with Writer S. Kim Henson
My novel, Catch a Falling Star, asks the question: Is life about accomplishing plans … or wishes coming true … or something more?
Today’s post is the second in the “When Life Doesn’t Go According to Plan” Wednesday blog series, 11 guest posts by authors and writers, including Deborah Raney, Rachel Hauck, and Susan May Warren, who explore the question: What do you do when life doesn’t go according to plan? Today’s post is by my friend, writer S. Kim Henson.
Preparing to start undergraduate classes, my husband arrived home after winding down the final week at his full-time job. But his excitement turned to confusion when he walked through our front door.
Instead of celebrating, I sat cross-legged on the couch, a box of tissues on my lap.
“Oh, babe, we talked about this already,” he said. He put his arm around me, trying to ease my fear. “We’ll be fine. Between me finding part-time work and the money you’re making – ”
He didn’t finish for my sobbing.
“I won’t be making any money,” I said. “I lost my job.”
Several weeks earlier, we’d sat for hours in our dining room with pen and paper, planning how we would pay our house and car payments, as well as support our two preschool children while their dad earned an education degree. We didn’t factor in the cross-stitch company I worked for downsizing on the same day he quit his job. (Yes, the same day.) In fact, we had counted on my hours increasing.
“This is so bizarre. God must have a hand in it,” I said, wiping away the last of my tears, at least for that day.
I’m not sure if I was looking to blame God or preparing to ask for his help. However, I do know the occasion happened prior to me trusting that God’s plans always turn out better than ours do. Although I wasn’t completely convinced to trust him, I held tight to what little bit of faith I could muster, mostly because I didn’t know what else to do.
Within days, a friend called me, frantic to find someone to substitute for her in her classroom. She knew I was out of a job and wondered if I would be willing to fill in for two days. Her request jump-started my work as a substitute teacher, which, in turn, helped convince me – even though I said I would never teach – to get my education degree as well.
Teaching afforded us time off with our kids, offered opportunities to work at a local university, and supplemented my husband’s business and my writing career until we got them off the ground … all better plans than any we wrote that evening at our dining room table.
In Your Words: When was the last time God’s plan landed you in the middle of something you said you would never do? Or in the middle of something you thought was a really bad idea? I would love to hear how his plan turned out better than your plan.
S. Kim Henson lives in sunny Myrtle Beach, S.C. with her husband, John, and the puppy (Hannah Grace of God) they never planned to rescue, but did. You can connect with her at her website or her blog, where Kim writes honestly about real life.
When Life Doesn’t Go According To Plan Goodie Basket Rafflecopter Giveaway: I’m putting together a collection of goodies — including books by Rachel Hauck, Deb Raney, and Cynthia Ruchti — & the reader-suggested chocolates, a journal, a Starbucks card … and more. Click on the Rafflecopter link to enter.
And just for fun, I’m hanging out at Kim’s blog today talking about Making a Choice When Plans Change.
