Nuggets of Awesomeness! Making Memories!

Ok so I'm a little bummed.... I trained the last 4 weeks for the running part of this triathlon and it got rained out.  I was good too.  I carb loaded last night got up early, ate a light breakfast, had all my racing tattoos on nearly perfectly..... And nothing. LOL :) 

This is what I call making memories :) When things don't turn out the way you want. You have an opportunity to make memories.  I didn't get to run but I spent the morning with some super great people.  3 kids in the back row of a Honda Pilot singing praise songs at the top of their lungs and inviting me to come and eat with them after the race.  Us women in the middle row passing out fruit and mini muffins to the rest of the car, and 2 guys in the front seat keeping eye on the rain and clouds singing harmony.

So after the park ranger car came back and started using loud speaker to tell us the triathlon was cancelled we headed back to the triathlon leaders house. We decided to eat waffles and pancakes and enjoy the company.  I got to play legos with the kids and see their pet snail and dog and laugh together.

It wasn't the morning I planned but it filled my soul!

I was thinking how this happens sometimes in our spiritual lives.  We work and work really hard for a certain program, or leading a small group, or preparing to do service somewhere and things don't turn out the way we planned.  People don't come, or the video doesn't play, or it literally  rains :)  We could start to think its a failure or we can take advantage of the moment and see what other treasures lie in the change. 

• Proverbs 16:9 says: "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps." NIV

We may have a plan of how our day needs to work but God determines our steps.

I find if I just give myself over to the change and look for the good and open to God, soon I start to see the nuggets of awesomeness that come out of the change of plans.  Some times the greatest moments are Not the planned ones, but the impromptu ones! :)

So if I boil it all down, did the threat of the impending race get me in better shape? YES!   Has it taught me some good lessons? Of Course! Do I wish I hadn't trained because there was no race. NO WAY!  I'm totally happy, because I achieved what I trained for without even running the race. And I got some awesome family time with a fantastic family from church.  Super Awesome!  Maybe I needed that more than running 4.5 miles today. 

What moments do you remember most in life?  And were some of them due to change in plans or totally impromptu?  Some of the most fun and greatest moments can be hidden in disappointments of plans changing. What plans are changing for you?  How can you give over your perspective and surrender to God's perspective finding the nuggets of goodness and greatness?   Let the stress melt away and let God take over, He always leaves gifts in these precious moments of change.