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31 Days: Plan




If I look closely, I can still see the imprint of my engagement and wedding rings on my left hand, even though I took them off 10 years ago today. X and I went out to dinner to mark our anniversary and after we got home, he suggested that maybe after four months of being separated that it was time to take our rings off.  The rings we had placed on each other's hands 14 years earlier in front of everyone we knew  as we vowed to be together forever. We had so many plans that day and here we were, making plans to start living separate lives.


As I was looking through my computer files at work today, I came across the graphic above that I downloaded from Facebook. It reminded me of this pin that I've had for years, years before I started making plans with X. 





I shook my head as I thought about how many years I've spent trying to achieve the goal of abandoning my plans for what's waiting for me. Have I missed something great because I stubbornly held on to my plans instead of embracing God's? Then I found this graphic.



I don't want to waste any more time wondering why my plans didn't work out. I don't want to spend another minute mourning the plans that did not come to fruition. Instead I want to spend my days watching God's plans unfold in front of me and living in awe of those plans.

On June 23, the 10th anniversary of X moving out, I bought this ring from Lisa Leonard. It is called a passage ring and its online description suggests it for a meaningful way to mark a significant moment and to remind us that life is full of moments that change us forever. 



I put it on that day to remind me of how I have grown since that day in 2007. I haven't worn it in about a month or so. Today I am putting it back on, over those marks left by the rings I removed 10 years ago today to remind me that even though this wasn't my plan and that I have been changed forever by that significant moment when X walked away, God still has a wonderful plan for me. I can't wait to see what it is.

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