Preparing for the Journey

I'm heading out tomorrow to Denver. (Hmm, I mean today as it is 2 a.m.) One of the things I do in preparation for travel is to stay up late at night. I can only say that my house gets really peaceful in the middle of the night and I seem to remember more and leave behind less this way. For all my plans, I'm sure something will not be perfect. It never is. Can anyone else relate?

This particular journey has many business parts as well as social joys. I've taken notes to keep it all straight. But who knew I'd find some thrilling, unexpected opportunities along the way?

Because planned meetings never confirmed, I will meet with the jewelry designer of Pamba Toto jewelry as we create the new line of Gems of Wisdom. So cool! I'll also get to go flying in a home made airplane owned by my friend's husband. (He even said I could try my hand at the controls!) My heart is jumping up and down at this extra blessing. I feel like, holy cow, I am going to fly in a way I never have before! A way I have dreamt about!

I think life is so exciting. Surprises keep popping up in ways I couldn't imagine even a day ago as I felt frustrated by the loss of one expectation. We plan, begin to pack, and execute the plan step-by-step. But we don't know how it will ultimately unfold. We must be willing to flex to take advantage of sparkling adventures that present themselves once--and only once--because things didn't go as planned.

Every trip I've ever taken has had numerous misadventures like missing a plane because a crazy guy drove the wrong way on the highway in Georgia. He stranded us for four hours outside of Atlanta with hundreds of others. We convinced the driver of another stranded vehicle to open a breakfast bar! The Dolly Madison delivery truck agreed to set up shop in the middle of a huge freeway and we ate breakfast right there with tons of other people stuck between on/off ramps. We even started a craze for shopping in the Dolly Madison "store." We've had a blizzard with -20 degrees Farenheit before the wind chill factor in Canada! That led us to explore the crime and mounted police museum in Calgary. We had the most amazing time when the management opened it up just for us and our six kids to explore. We were actually locked inside for 2 hours, all by ourselves, playing detectives! A most excellent misadventure thanks to an arctic blizzard!

You just never know how things will pan out when you are willing to flex in the face of failure.

So what do you do when things go sideways?

Plan, pack and prepare for the best with a willingness to punt. Bring your curious side out and indulge in wonder.

I tend to learn a lot about where I am going ahead of time. I have a voracious curiosity. I can explore in case the intended falls through. I figure there's too much of the world to see to worry about minor issues. It's probably God's redirection anyway. Maybe he wants me to learn something totally different. Who am I to say, "Um, God, I'd rather . . ."

Uh, not. I'd have missed out on the most beautiful and emotive singer in Turkey if I had pouted instead of punted. Twenty-Four years have passed and she still stands out clearly in my memory as a spectacular misadventure!

The jewelry designer and the impromptu invitation to fly were not in the original plan. But I jumped on them when they were offered. Ah flexibility is a joyous way to celebrate the gift of life. I feel confident that when I close my eyes to this world that I will not regret indulging in those unexpected moments.

Will I get to fly a home built small plane? That's now the plan. Will I meet with the jewelry designer? That's now the plan too. But if something odd happens, I'm sure it is in God's plan regardless and I have too many options to be disappointed :-)

And if I do get to fly, I'll be sure to tell you all about it!

Tell me about some of your excellent misadventures.

Angie