Plans in QuickSand!

Have you ever heard someone say that "goals should be set in stone and plans should be set in sand"?  I first heard this said by best-selling author, Chris Brady.  He was basically referring to the idea that when plans are not going the way we want we can toss them and come up with new plans.  We just need to keep focused on the goal that has been set.

When Ken and I got married we vowed to stick together for better and for worse, in sickness and in health.  On this day we set the goal to be married a long time.  

We live in a culture where many say similar vows setting a similar goal to be married a long time HOPING for five years, ten years, maybe more - if they get along, don't fall out of love, don't hit a big challenge . . .  

We said these vows PRAYING it would be five years, ten years, maybe more - if God just allowed us that much time together.

Despite the challenges that we were presented with a couple of weeks before our wedding, we were blessed with many more years than we expected.  Here we celebrated our TENTH anniversary with a renewal of vows officiated by Rev. Larry Steckling in Almaty, Kazakstan.  Ken organized this as a surprise for me on our anniversary - the renewal of vows not the trip to Almaty!  We were already living in Kazakstan where Ken was serving the LCMS Board for Mission Services.  This ceremony was special because I was presented with a ring that I always wear on my right hand.  It was special because it was translated into Russian for some of the mission staff.  BUT the biggest reason it was special was because Ken chose to do it all over again - which makes me think I was a pretty good wife if he'd say the vows twice!

This weekend I had planned to surprise Ken with a celebration of our 25th Anniversary with family and friends. I set the goal to celebrate the many years we have been given.  My family offered to do all of the work so we could focus on getting Ken home for the celebration on Saturday, May 17.  As it turns out, Ken could not leave the hospital so my plans were to cancel the event and come up with different plans.  However, my family reminded me of the GOAL to celebrate so the decision was made to continue as PLANNED.  Although the goal remains, it's days like today that makes me feel like the plans were set in quicksand instead of just sand!