Ready yourself

For as long as I can remember, I have been a planner... and a worrier.


There is a song I listen to often, that has a lyric of "ready yourself".

Ready yourself.

Yep, makes sense.

But for what?

For dinner?

For this weekend?

For an upcoming event?

For what?


The planner in me panics. What if I ready myself for the wrong thing?

Ready yourself.


As I have come through my life, I have encountered some situations where I am completely ready to handle what comes my way.

There are other days I feel blown out of the water.


I am preparing for a surgery next week.
My surgery.


This warps my perception of being ready. How can you prepare for the future, when you are the one being incapacitated? I have prepared others for surgery. Baked get well cakes. Made mountains of "feel better" casseroles.

But this is different.

I have been readying myself, at home, work, and with the busy calendar that hangs on my fridge.

Then it happened.

A phone call from the school.

Seems that a neighbor had shared my upcoming medical plans with her 4th grader.

Who then chose to share the plans with his class. During circle time.

And yes, he is JT's classmate. And JT was not quite ready for the whole class to hear this news.

Ready yourself.

Hearing the news, I packed up the little ones and headed for the school. It was recess and the 1st and 4th graders were all over the playground.

Wading through the sea of little ones, I saw him, hanging alone on the jungle gym. He saw me and gave a weak wave.

The first thing out of his mouth was "How could he be so mean, mom?"

Ready yourself.

I had prepared myself, and my kids for everything, or so I thought.. but nothing prepared me for the sadness I saw in JT's eyes.

He was not concerned about me, but rather about his friend's lack of tact, lack of concern.

Ready yourself.

In our house, concerns for others is preached daily... put yourself in the other person's shoes... feel from their heart.

This strong 4th grader was brought to his knees by another young boy. He was crushed by the other boy's joy in being able to share this news... News JT was not quite done processing.

A few hugs and a quick laugh and he was back to the monkey bars, and I was headed on my way....

But it gave me pause. About being ready. Preparation is great... but we all reach a point in our lives where we are blindsided by something.

We plan and plan and plan. H1N1 shots, and contingency plans, and back ups to my back ups, a freezer full of dinners.... and in the end.. that is not the readying we need.

We need to be ready to hug those who have fallen. Comfort those who have lost. Cheer those in the dark. Snuggle the 3 year old in stripe-ity tights who is typing with me right now. Forgive those who wrong us, and bless those who forgive us. We need to be ready with open arms and open minds. With faith and love. Mercy and grace.

Because it will come.

Something that we couldn't possibly have seen coming.

Never could have planned for.

But He did.

And that is what I remind myself. I am ready to do what He plans for me. I am ready to accept the bumps in the road, as I know they are there for a purpose.

I am ready to lead my kids in the right direction.

I am ready to trust in others.

I am ready to give my worries to Him.

And I am ready to crank the volume and dance with this happy pack of little ones that sit at my feet.

Ready yourself.

And then turn loose and let Him carry your load.

It is easier to dance that way.