The Plan

Tonight was evident that God really does have a sense of humor. This was my first solo outing with my second and new little sis Kathleen, and when I picked her up, her mom said, "Make sure she does her homework and make sure you're home by 7:30." Well, I had big plans for us, and homework was not among those plans! So, "Kat" as she said I could call her, and it would be her very first nick-name and I ventured off to Mudders and Potters, one of my favorite places to go in the winter. Here, you get to pick your own pre-made pottery, paint it with their fun paint colors and then they glaze and fire it, and in a few weeks you have a fun creation.



So, Kat and I each painted a travel coffee mug. Not being super "artsy" I knew I wanted to write the first line from one of my favorite scriptures on my mug from Jeremiah 29, "I know the plans I have for you." And this line fit perfect wrapped around my new blue mug. Kat painted a pink mug and wrote, "I love the USA" on her mug. And we were both equally slow, but had plenty of time to chat and listen to the songs on the radio. But, little did I know the "plans" that were in store for me after we left Mudders & Potters.

This is where God's sense of humor comes into play. Once we got to McDonalds and ate our chicken nuggets (yes, I know what goes into them), Kat opened up her red folder to MATH homework. This wasn't part of my plan. And, it gets even better! She was doing word problems and LONG DIVISION. . .yes, tonight I taught at 10-year-old how to do long division the "old fashioned" way. This is when I thought to myself, "Are these the plans God has for me?" Anyone who knows me knows I majored in journalism because balancing my checkbook is a major feat for me! But, I showed her how to do the long division, then checked it with the calculator on my phone, and it all came out! Even though, I got a chuckle out of it, I know this is just one small piece of "the plan."

Although I've only taken Kathleen home twice, I tear up each time I leave her. I know how fortunate I had it growing up. And how fortunate my many little nieces and nephews have it. Kat has a sad story, as many do that are involved in BB/BS, but I know that God put me in her life for a reason, and He put her in my life likewise to learn not to take things for granted. So, though He has a greater plan for you and me, once in a while, he has to throw a little joke in the mix, like making this math-flunkie teach long-division to a fourth grader! It was good for a chuckle, and after all, if we can't laugh at ourselves, what can we laugh at!

The Game of Life

As a child, I used to LOVE the board game "Life". Remember this one, with the spinner on the huge board, where you picked the car of the color of your choice, and girls were pink pegs and boys were blue pegs? From the start, the players chose the college path or the career path, and everyone knows that you make more money in the long-run if you go to college, so taking out that initial $100,000 loan will be so worth it! As you go, you get married--EVERYONE does, because that's LIFE! And, then you have a career, buy a starter house, upgrade houses, file lawsuits, have babies (more blue and pink pegs--mind you the car only holds up to six), send the kids to sports camp, sponsor art shows and ultimately retire. And, in the end, the player with the most money wins.

Well tonight, my little sis Melanie and I played Life. Here's a summary of our courses of action:

Melanie: Purple car, no college, started as salesman at $20,000; first home was at Tudor style at $120,000; ended up married with twins and an additional boy. She sold the Tudor style home and her second "homes" were an RV and a trailer. Changed careers to become a professional athlete ended up making $80,000 per payday. She asked if she be a tennis player. Why not?? At the end of the game, she had sued me twice for $100,000 each time--and I had to explain in 8-year-old terms what a lawsuit was.

Shelia: Red car, went to college, so started $100,000 in debt; started as a teacher at $40,000; then became a doctor for $100,000 paycheck. Then, I chose to go back to school, to advance my career, which turned out to be a police officer at $40,000, and $5,000 each time Mel spun '10' and that was quite often. My first home was a charming $100,000 log cabin; but when I upgraded, I went to the $800,000 mansion. I had a set of twins--girls. And, I got to sue Melanie just once.



When the game ended, Melanie the uneducated tennis player had a stack of cash and Life tokens, that I didn't bother to add up. I had about 6 life tokens, and no cash, but my mansion was paid for, and well, I was well-rounded as I'd had three careers and multiple college degrees. And, I decided, this is definitely a kids' game.

Sorry mom and dad for begging you to play Life with me so much! Now, that I'm in THE game of LIFE, I realize how depressing this board game really is! Next week, Melanie and I have already decided we'll bake cookies... Now, that's what I call living!