roll with it

I had a very recent experience in a lesson on not freaking out when things don't go as you plan. Leading up to this event, I had spent a lot of time in preparation making sure I had everything I would need only to have all of that work go straight into the trash can as I had to improvise. I was driving home after the event trying to not feel frustrated that things had taken such a sharp turn. To put so much effort into something only to have it not go anything like you thought it would can make you want to stop trying so hard. Why invest the time and energy only to have it fall apart (I hope I'm not sounding too dramatic or negative - I'm ending on a positive note).

I finally realized that even though things didn't follow the exact plan I had wanted, the whole thing was behind me. I was nervous going into it because I didn't know what to expect but I can now be better prepared for the next time. I think if we look at things through the scope of "Oh, I'm not going to even bother trying next time since it blew up in my face this time!" or "What's the point?" then we're going to walk away not learning anything. I think in every experience we have we should find at least one positive thing to take away from it. By doing that, I can say, "Well, things didn't go like I wanted but I survived (if only you knew the details :-)."

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is about Joseph. His brothers sell him into slavery and he ends up working directly for Pharaoh and overseeing the rationing of food for the famine. His brothers come to him (after 10 - 15 years), not knowing the man before them is their brother from so many years ago. After a bunch of drama involving a silver cup and several treks back and forth, Joseph tells his brothers that what they meant for harm, God turned around for good (the exact reference escapes me at the moment). Life is full of the unpredictable but if we make the decision to find the positive amidst the chaos we'll be able to roll with whatever is thrown at us.