I’m a goal oriented person. I like to make lists and check them off. I love making and seeing progress. Sometimes, I’m afraid I approach life this way.
Ok, I’m done with high school now I need to go to college and get a degree. What’s next? Get a job. Check. I gotta get married; hmm, who should I choose? Ok, I found him. Now start a family, home-educate the kids, get them graduated. Then use our new found “free” time to do the things we couldn’t do earlier. And somewhere in between all those items, we can start a business, serve abroad, and write/ publish a book. Those are just the big ones; there’s also the day to day, year to year goals. Did I get everything done on my to-do list? Are we going to get that promotion? Should we move into that area? Not to mention the more abstract goals: am I living a life for His glory? Did we raise kids to walk with the Lord? Am I loving those around me while not judging them? And it goes on…
But I’m starting to realize that God doesn’t always work that way. He may have the list in a different order, He might have an entirely different list, or He may have no list at all. When we approach life as a checklist, we lose sight of the little things that matter. Because we are constantly looking for the next thing, sometimes we miss what’s going on in the present. We may even overlook opportunities simply because they aren’t in “our plan.”
I’m learning to take life as it comes and to know that everything will happen in His perfect timing. It’s freeing and a little scary but quite an adventure. I wonder which (if any) box will get checked next.
The mind of a man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps ~Proverbs 16:9
Rebekah Diaddigo 
God’s list is a little bit broader (and better!) than ours. Sometimes, I don’t think it’s what we do/don’t do but who we are in our core – how open we are to responding to the Lord. Continually asking and seeking Him will lead to a life much richer than one lived off lists.
Wow your amazing. Your thoughts are very deep. Keep blogging.