Plan B Park

Do you remember the Plan B post from a few weeks back?

I planned on photographing a friend's child at a familiar garden and when I showed up for the photo shoot, the staff at the garden told me I couldn't take photos there without a permit that takes about a week to acquire!  They suggested a nearby park instead - "Plan B Park," as I've renamed it!

Well, a few weeks later, the Plan B Park became my Plan A!

I took my tiny dancer to the Plan B Park to take photos of her in her Swan Lake costume.

Aside from putting her in a pond, it felt appropriate that a swan should be in a park!

It's funny, I wrote that sometimes our Plan B is really God's Plan A!  But when that happened to me a few weeks ago while photographing a friend's child, I had no idea that God was redirecting my path that would change my destination today.

Sometimes our Plan B is not only God's better plan for us, but it opens our eyes to a new gift that blesses us beyond the present moment.

Happy Weekend friends, and here's to living in God's Plan A for us - even if it's our Plan B or C or D!!!

Little Girls

These little girls are my greatest source of 

fond memories and joy!

And conviction!

I'm sure I've said this before, but having twins was one of the best gifts I've ever been given.

And twin girls at that! - the greatest!

2 little girls.

These little girls daily give me flash backs to when I was a little girl.

They are like me in so many ways!

When they play with their baby dolls, I remember changing my baby dolls into jammies before I went to bed, tucking them into their blanket and putting them to sleep with a kiss.

My little girls still do the same!

From swimming, ballet, writing books, drawing, dolls, dressing up, watching me put on my make-up or cook - they remind me daily of the little girl I once was and all those fun things I too once did.

It's like a magic time machine when you have kids!  They blast you back all the time.

But these little girls also bring conviction into my life daily.

They are so much like me - not just in the fun little girl ways, but also in my ugly ways.

Seeing them daily, the things that are less than kind, constantly leave me reeling in the fact that they've learned a lot of that from me.

I know that my example to them speaks louder than any words and as I dream for the women I pray they become, I am convicted that I must first be that woman.

I'm impatient.

I'm task focused which means sometimes I forget about the people involved in the task.

I scowl.

I yell.

I'm ungrateful.

Oh I know this is nothing new - as mothers and parents we see 

the good and bad of ourselves in our children.

But I do think there is something unique about a mother daughter relationship.

I don't see my junk as much in my son.  

(He gets his stuff from his daddy!  Let's just be honest!)

Children are a gift from God - a beautiful refining tool that cuts us to the deepest parts and eradicates our ugly sin so that God can be glorified and we can become more like Him as they become more like us!

Plan B

I had the pleasure of taking photos of a little dancer the other day.

We arranged to take the photos at a beautiful garden where I've taken photos several times.

I arrived early to sign the form I've signed before in which I agree to abide by the rules of the garden.

Well, they quickly told me I couldn't take photographs if I didn't have a reservation and fill out all the proper paper work and get approval which usually takes about a week!

What?

The little girl was arriving in 10 minutes and I was sweating!  I did my best to beg and plead with them, saying I've taking photos here several times before and never had a problem, but they told me their policies had changed and there was no way I could take photos that day.  

They suggested we go to a nearby park.

Just then the little dancer arrived and I ran out to meet them before a staff member grabbed them.

Too late!  A staff member was already telling them we couldn't do any photographs today.

Feeling horrible, knowing I should have called ahead, I smiled and said,

 "I know where the park is, let's head over there."  

In my car on the way to the Plan B location, I was feeling so horrible and irresponsible.  I really should have called ahead.  My mind quickly went to blaming the staff and I began crafting my speech to the Mom of the little dancer why it was their fault that we couldn't take photos at the garden.

I knew I needed to own the mistake and realized that my attitude would dictate the next hour.

Was I going to complain and regret that we weren't at the garden?

Then I heard the words of my friend who once told me, "Sometimes our Plan B is really God's Plan A."

"Lord, please bless this time and let these photos be glorifying to you."

What if the park is a better location?

It was!

I'm so reluctant to be redirected in my plans.

Plan A is always best in my mind.

But what if my Plan B is really God's Plan A?

Happy Weekend!

See you Monday for a Yummy Summer post!