It was around 2 o'clock am. The atmosphere was so tense you could almost cut it with a knife. Everyone was awake and listening intently. We knew that the rear end in the bus was screaming and had been doing so for a couple of hours. It was just about to die. We were going to be stranded somewhere in Texas for who knew how long! And then it happened. . .

With one loud moan, the pitch of the screaming rear end changed and the power of the engine was greatly reduced and we all knew that we were going to slow down gradually and final come to a stop for a long while. Brother Ted Graves was in the passenger seat; I was driving. We looked at each other in silence and both of us were grinning from ear to ear. It was finally over! No more wondering how much longer, when would it end, where would we wind up, what next? In that instant, the unknown vanished; suddenly we had a plan. We immediately knew what we had to do. We had to find parts and repair the bus. We coasted down the highway ramp, and miraculously into an RV parking space, hooked up the electricity and went to sleep. We called my brother to come and change the rear end, and after a few days we were on our way again.

What a difference one second can make. The fear of the unknown is one of the worst fears. Not knowing what's coming, not knowing what to do can be paralyzing. This affects us mentally, spiritually, physically, emotionally, financially, and every other way possible. We have always been told not to say, "it can't get any worse" because it probably can. But there really will come a time in every situation when it won't get any worse than it is, and when you realize that you have reached that point, then you can start rebuilding!

In this troubled economy I've watched so many who have lost everything. For those without a plan it has been a devastating time. Adults that are usually in control have wandered seemingly out of control for weeks and even months at a time. No plans, no goals, no direction, and no future (so it would seem).

But when apprehension is replaced by a plan there is hope; there is direction. The future looks brighter; the whole world is a better place! It may be plan b, or even plan c, but a plan of any kind is so vitally important in times of distress. For those who had a contingency plan in place the loss was but an inconvenient bump in the road that had to be negotiated carefully. You can live on much less than you think; you can live in a smaller home than you wish; you can drive a smaller car than you would like. You can make the necessary adjustments, and keep going.

Stressful times will come to all of us, but don't let them stop you. They may slow you down for a while, but keep your eyes on your ultimate goal. Illnesses, injuries, situations of many kinds will plague us all. That's life! Have a plan in place for each area in your life! And when the dust settles, when the chaos subsides, you can shake it off, get up, and say, "OK, that's all behind me, here's what I have left, I know what I have to build on, and I know what to do next. Now I have a plan!"

And, of course, always remember that God has a plan for you even when you don't seem to have one and can't understand why His plan hasn't been revealed to you!!!

He who fails to plan, plans to fail.

"Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now."
Alan Lakein

Now I Have A Plan!

Obs From The El