A Simple Life Reminder About Making Plans

The cliché phrase “life happens when you are busy making other plans” rang true for my life this weekend. I had big plans for my Sunday that included college basketball and a ridiculous amount of fun. It was all cut short when our adorably cute 5 lb. fur-ball, Bella, decided it would be a good time to stop chewing her food. She got a rather large piece of meat lodged in her esophagus. I’ve been through a lot of emergencies in my life, but this was my first with BellaRoo. Incase you haven’t surmised from reading my posts, Bella is my baby. She has been my little girl since she was 7 1/2 weeks old. (I begged the breeder to let me take her home early because I fell in love with her tiny black nose and puppy breath and could not live without her.) My boyfriend-turned husband bought her for me as a Sweetest Day present. She became my epitome of love.

Fast forward 8 years… I held her tiny shaking body as my amazing husband drove like Richard Petty to the Emergency Vet Clinic. The Doctor met us promptly and began to explain what was going to happen. As the doctor took her from my arms, I kissed her tiny nose and told her she was going to be just fine. I promised I would be there when she woke up from her anesthetized-nap and that I was proud of her for being my brave girl. I watched the Doctor walk away with my entire heart in her hands.

Hubbz took my hand and walked me to the waiting area. I plopped down in the chair and reached for his hand. It wasn’t until I met his eyes that I totally lost it. It was the first time in a long time that I felt completely helpless. Odds were in Little Miss’s favor that she would make a full-recovery… But what if…

It was in that moment that I realized I could do nothing to change the situation so we began to pray. We prayed for the Doctor’s hands. We prayed for the hands of the anesthesiologist. We prayed for Miss Bella’s body to be strong. We prayed that the surgery would be simple and flawless. As I sat there talking to Hubbz it was impossible not to see the lesson at hand.

Even the best laid plans are subject to change. We had a day full of plans and a to-do list a mile long, yet here we sat at the vet hospital, our hearts and minds surrendering to God and his plan.

Suddenly a college basketball game didn’t seem so important.

Suddenly our to-do lists lost the sense of urgency.

Suddenly emails and texts and phone calls weren’t that important.

The fact that I was sitting next to Hubbz, my Champion, was the only thing that mattered in the world.

As I write this I can’t help but wonder how do we keep that way of thinking in the front of our minds? How do we stay present to the moments? How do we not let our to-do’s and schedules get in the way of life? I don’t have the answer, but I do have a vivid reminder of how fast things change. In just an instant, it can all be different.

So I give thanks. Palms up. Glory to Him. For His provision. For His Love. For His Grace.

As for Miss BellaRoo, she’s cozied up in my lap snug as a bug… And all is right in the world.