It’s Okay if the Plan Changes, Mama

Tonight we will talk about how to be flexible as mamas when plans change. 

Transcript

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Good evening mamas and welcome to Midlight, your light in the middle of the night. Today was one of those unexpected days at my house. I started the day very excited to be sharing with some mamas at our local mops, now called Mom Co. Group, and I was very excited to spend time with them. My husband and I got up and fixed breakfast for the mamas, and I was on my way when my son said, I have a headache, and I thought that was strange, and then he proceeded to throw up throughout the morning, and my day did not go as I had originally planned. But isn't that how it is? You have a plan and then it changes because something doesn't go the way you expected. I have a friend who has a little baby boy and he was very fussy today and she ended up doing things differently because her baby was fussy. Is that not our story, Mamas? That we think one thing is going to happen and then ends up being another. But in the midst of this day, I was able to slow down, cuddle with my children, read with my daughter, help another one with her assignment, and just sit with my son as we watch The Incredibles too. Not quite my plan for the day, but certainly the Lord's and He allowed it. I am continuing to pray for my sweet boy as he has just had a headache today. So I was reminded about God today and how even in the midst of really hard, unexpected days, that the Lord shows up in his own way and is with us. I kind of found it a little bit interesting that my podcast yesterday was about how God is with us and gives us what we need daily. So today I needed him to sustain me as a mama, and in the changes I trusted him that he had a plan. In fact, I want to share with you tonight something from Proverbs 16 in verse 9, and it says, A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. And I think about that in terms of my own day. And Mamas, I know you understand this, but when you are scrubbing and cleaning up after a sick child, that wasn't the way you expected to spend your day, but you'll do anything for those little ones. And the Lord is in it when you are tending to little ones or sick ones or ones that just need a story read to them. It's interesting because, like this verse says, a man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. I think it's important to be flexible as mamas. One of my very good friends has said to me in the past, Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape. Hmm. And I giggle because I know it's true, having been a mama for almost 30 years now, and so blessed to still be parenting at this point. I can tell you it's true that if you are flexible, you will not be bent out of shape, mama. It's important to be ready for the changes that God brings, and we may want to resist against the change of the plan, but I have found it is just so much better to trust in the Lord in those times and just give in to the changes because God is the one who directs us and He directs our steps. So, mamas, if you find that your schedule has gone wonky or you're needed in ways you didn't expect, at times you didn't expect, instead of fighting it, I would encourage you to embrace it and ask the Lord, how do I go about this now? What can I do to bless you and to bless my child with this change? Sometimes the changes are small, like your little schedule in the morning with mom co changes because your child is sick. And then sometimes there's very big changes. I would encourage you, Mama, no matter what the Lord is doing, whether small or big, trust him, lean into him, know that his plan is good. I'll be honest, I had some disappointment today, but ultimately I loved the time I spent with my children. You know, I remember getting up in the middle of the night, and I remember when I would first get stirred awake by a little one's cry, and I remember the transition from the warm, cozy bed to the coolness of outside the sheets to take care of that little one. And I remember at the time it was almost a rude awakening, but then once we cosied in and I got to spend time with that little one and pray and read and sing over that baby, how blessed I felt for such a beautiful and honorable position as a mother. I was thankful, and I am thankful today as well. It's important that we truly trust the Lord for today's manna, that he will give us what we need as mamas in this moment. Meet us where we are right now, and he'll do it again and again. But mamas, I encourage you tonight to not get ahead of yourselves in thinking about your plans and your schedules. Yes, have an idea, but be willing to trust in the Lord when things have to flex, because they will, because humans have needs and they evolve and they change, and the Lord is there with us and he gives us everything we need to meet those changes. So tonight I just want to encourage you, Mama, that you are doing all that your baby needs when you are holding them and tending to them and praying over them. This is a life work, and sometimes it gets interrupted or changed, and that's okay because the way we handle that will affect the way our children handle that. As they get older and they grow, the way we handle surprises, they will. So mama, tonight I encourage you that the Lord is with you in this night, that he's giving you daily manna, and that he is the one who directs your steps. So before we go tonight, I want to pray a prayer over you from Numbers 6, 24 through 26. May the Lord bless you and keep you, make his face to shine upon you, be gracious unto you and give you peace. Thank you tonight, Mama, for letting me join you in the middle of the night. Until next time, take care.