I started the New Year with a cold. I was feeling better yesterday, but last night I was very congested and did not sleep very well. By 5 am, I realized going back to sleep was not going to happen. I got up, grabbed my iPad, and opened my blog. I have been reading some of my old posts for the past two hours. While reading them, I realized that I got out of the path that God had set for me a year ago. I had started writing a book back in 2008, but I never finished it. At the beginning of 2018, I felt God pushing me to finish the book. My goal for 2018 was to finish writing the book. I did pretty good for the first nine months. I finished the first fourteen chapters, which was a pretty big accomplishment considering that in the previous decade I had never made it past chapter six. But then I got off the writing path. Yes, I had good excuses. My son’s wedding in October, Thanksgiving, Christmas, preparing to move into a new home, and the list could go on and on. But the bottom line is, that I just lost the zest or the inspiration to keep writing.
While I was in bed, congested and upset because I wanted to go back to sleep and couldn’t, I started thinking that maybe I could just put the book aside for another decade, and write about something completely different. I was trying to convince myself that God had changed His plan for me. After all, He changes everyone’s plans all the time. Today, we celebrate the feast of the Three Kings. God completely changed the three Kings’ plans. I am sure that when they woke up on that cold Christmas morning, 2,000 years ago, the furthest thing from their mind was that on that day they were going to follow a star. I am sure that when Gaspar looked up to the Indian sky with a cup of coffee in his hand, and he saw the bright star, he probably thought to himself, “I better go back to bed.” But God did not allow Him to go back to sleep. So he packed up his bags, and began to follow the star. Somewhere along the way, while crossing the Persian territory, he caught up with Melchior who had also seen the star, and was wondering whether to return to his science books or listen to God’s voice. And further down the road, as they crossed into the Arabian countryside, they encountered a confused Balthasar who was looking towards the sky trying to decide what to do. God changed their plans, but because they obeyed Him and followed the star, they received the greatest gift when they met Jesus Christ.
After praying, reading and meditating, I have come to the realization that in my case, the only one that wants to change the plan is me. The one that got off track is me. God clearly set the path for me a year ago, but somewhere along the way, I lost sight of the star. I put my unfinished project aside, and went in a completely different direction. And God is asking me once again to get back on track and finish the project. He even dropped a book into my hands about the subject of “virtues” which is where I left off. I have yet to read the book, but I think is time to open it and read it. Hopefully it will give me the inspiration that I have been lacking. Now I know why God did not allow me to go back to sleep. He pushed me out of bed to get me back on track. He wants me to finish the project, no matter how long it takes me to do so.
While I was in bed, congested and upset because I wanted to go back to sleep and couldn’t, I started thinking that maybe I could just put the book aside for another decade, and write about something completely different. I was trying to convince myself that God had changed His plan for me. After all, He changes everyone’s plans all the time. Today, we celebrate the feast of the Three Kings. God completely changed the three Kings’ plans. I am sure that when they woke up on that cold Christmas morning, 2,000 years ago, the furthest thing from their mind was that on that day they were going to follow a star. I am sure that when Gaspar looked up to the Indian sky with a cup of coffee in his hand, and he saw the bright star, he probably thought to himself, “I better go back to bed.” But God did not allow Him to go back to sleep. So he packed up his bags, and began to follow the star. Somewhere along the way, while crossing the Persian territory, he caught up with Melchior who had also seen the star, and was wondering whether to return to his science books or listen to God’s voice. And further down the road, as they crossed into the Arabian countryside, they encountered a confused Balthasar who was looking towards the sky trying to decide what to do. God changed their plans, but because they obeyed Him and followed the star, they received the greatest gift when they met Jesus Christ.
After praying, reading and meditating, I have come to the realization that in my case, the only one that wants to change the plan is me. The one that got off track is me. God clearly set the path for me a year ago, but somewhere along the way, I lost sight of the star. I put my unfinished project aside, and went in a completely different direction. And God is asking me once again to get back on track and finish the project. He even dropped a book into my hands about the subject of “virtues” which is where I left off. I have yet to read the book, but I think is time to open it and read it. Hopefully it will give me the inspiration that I have been lacking. Now I know why God did not allow me to go back to sleep. He pushed me out of bed to get me back on track. He wants me to finish the project, no matter how long it takes me to do so.
