Beauty 365 … Stories of Love and Life for Everyday

I am a planner. And I suspect that I come from a long line of planners.

“He who fails to plan, plans to fail!!” This was one of my wonderful dad’s finest, in his hefty repertoire of mottos when we were young. He brought it out frequently when we needed encouragement to succeed in our sporting or academic pursuits.

Now, at the commencement of each week, I outline carefully in my diary all that has to happen; mass and prayer times blocked in, work commitments, visiting parents, shopping lists, meetings, and a proposed list of dinners for each day. A plan for the week gives me a sense of security, even if I know that that almost certainly, things will need to be modified.

With the rapidly changing situation on a world scale, day four of lockdown was a challenge for me. For starters our usual routine of going to Sunday morning Mass was interrupted. (Instead we watched online…what a blessing!).

We had hoped to get everyone out in the fresh air for a bit, but rain prevented our planned a picnic lunch. (Ok, so an indoor picnic!)

In the afternoon we managed to squeeze in watching our beloved Hawks win! (Looks like they may finish the season undefeated!)

We spent the evening on the phone to our young adult children who are studying and working interstate, helping them make contingency plans for the next weeks, (months?!), including working through options with our eldest daughter and her fiancé, who have been planning their wedding for July!

Heads hit pillows at 11pm, when the phone rang again. It was our oldest son, “Mum and Dad, I ‘m coming down with a temperature…!”

Thank God for my faith. Day four and I am clinging to this,

“I know the plans I have in mind for you - it is the Lord who speaks - plans for peace, not disaster - reserving a future full of hope for you.” (Jer 29:11)