Plans, Plans, Plans…

This week’s ‘Lowestoft Journal’ features many future plans…

…Plans for our ‘First Light Festival’ in June: ‘The first acts have been revealed for the UK’s only free beach festival as it announces its return for 2025.’

‘…A mystery man from Suffolk plans to go on holiday after winning £1m in the EuroMillions…’

…Plans taking shape on the town’s £1.9m seafront development: ‘New Aerial photos have highlighted the progress being made as part of a major revamp of Britain’s most easterly seafront…’

…plans for a statue, showing Benjamin Britten as a boy that’s set to be installed in the summer… plans for the commemoration of the 80^th anniversary of VE day in May…

Many famous quotes extol the virtues of planning. Eisenhower is tributed with saying: ‘Plans are nothing, planning is everything.’ Margaret Thatcher said ‘Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan.’

However plans don’t always work out… Mike Tyson, before his fight with Evander Holyfield, was asked if he was worried about his opponents plans. Tyson said, ‘Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.’

And Robbie Burns, in his poem ‘To a Mouse’ in 1785 says:

But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best-laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men
Gang aft agley,
An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,
For promis’d joy!

I return to my faith, and muse on how human plans fit in with an all-loving, all-mighty God, and return to two quotes:

Solomon in Proverbs says: ‘In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.’

And Jeremiah says: ‘For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’

…and I muse on my plans, Mike’s punch that disrupts plans, Robbie’s plans for joy that bring grief and pain, and God’s plans to give me hope and a future.