I remember as a teenager Dad asking me how I planned my days. The answer: I wake up in the morning, list off the things I have to do in my head and check them off as they get done. If there are too many to remember, I have a list. In fact, I usually have about ten lists going. Things to do, things to purchase, things to find out, etc.

My weeks are planned like that, too. Monday: work, tennis. Tuesday: work, dinner at Grandpa's, walking with Jenny. Wednesday: work, writer's group every other, write. And so the list goes. Of course, added in there are jogging, eating, sleeping, chatting with my housemate by the fire, reading. But that's just a skeleton of an idea. For things get thrown into my week every day I didn't plan for or need to be moved around. Sometimes, I can't stand that. I'm a very scheduled person. Lately, though, I don't care. My life is such that not much bothers me these days.

This week, though, will be different. For my sister Grace is coming on Wednesday. Her new car is sitting in my driveway. She is helping my housemate Haley with the mission's conference at Haley's church. So, my schedule on Wednesday changes: work, jog, run errands, pick up Grace at the airport. Hooray!

And then, on Saturday, my Dad flies in to help Grace drive her car back to Indiana. But Saturdays are pretty flexible anyhow. Two weeks ago, I cleaned off my desk, spending all day putting little things in order. This past weekend, a friend helped Haley and I bring a load of wood up to the house and then we had lunch and a movie. This Saturday: run, do some odd things, hopefully have a late breakfast with Jenny and pick up Dad at the airport. Followed by driving lessons with Grace, probably (she bought a stick shift and needs to learn to drive it well) and dinner with Grandpa. It will be fun.

I've heard some people say schedules are meant to be broken. I'm not sure on that one. Schedules keep me from going insane. But I'll let you know on Friday how this week's schedule in my mind works out. Will planes be late? Will it rain so I can't go for a run? Only God knows what sort of surprises lie ahead and that's fine. For I've nothing to fear when all my moments are in His loving hands.