A GOAL WITHOUT A PLAN IS JUST A DREAM

I long to accomplish a great and noble task; but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble. - Helen Keller

This is an article I wrote trying to get myself psyched up into preparing for 2009

Well, there are days and then there are days. There are twenty-four hour periods when nothing much is accomplished.  Not much of an inspired day. No plan.  Minutes run into hours and then the day is done.  Worn out from doing zilch.  Not a good day.

Other days hold minutes greased with motivation, driving what looked to be an unproductive day into one that speaks, “Measured out the day.  Worked the plan.  Ran out of hours.  Saw progress.  Worn out with a good tired.  Now that…that was a good day.

We can probably all agree, investing in and using the minutes of a day is better than bankrupting and losing the minutes of the same.  So, 2009 watch out.  I’m getting busy. I’m pretty sure that y’all have said that, too.

The year begins goal oriented to the max. Visions of great goals dance in my head.  Problem is I always seem to be trying to make a goal, but there’s a big, bad goalie blocking my shot.  I was contemplating this very thing as I was driving away from a blocked goal.  The goal?  A balanced budget.  The big ol’ goalie?  A clearance sale. It was a “no go” on the goal. Shot down again.

That’s when I spotted it.  “It” was like I had an epiphany.  You could almost see the clouds break open, the sun bursting through shining on “it.”  If you cupped your ear, I’m positive you could hear the angelic voices heralding the message “it” bore.  “It” was a sign in front of the dry cleaners.

It spoke to me.  It flat whacked me up the side of the head and said, “Hey, this is inspiration speaking. Here’s your sign.”  What did it say?  Simply, “A goal without a plan is just a dream.”  Flashing before me was the book I’d hoped to have written in 2008. The book was dream.  Didn’t have a plan to meet the goal. Man,  I’ve got to get a plan.

I know this plan thing works.  My son Zach and his wife Tiff wanted to get healthy.  They’ve been on a 90-day get fit program that borders on insanity.  They work-out, eat right and generally follow the plan.  The before and after photos tell the tale.  The whole thing is…they worked the plan and the plan took them to their goal.  No dream.

I’m not going for the insane plan.  I want God’s plan. It’s a necessity. Scripture addresses the “no plan” thing.  It pretty much mimics my inspiration sign.  “He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.”

Remember a goal without a plan is just a dream.  It’s like chasing a fantasy.  It won’t pay the bills.  Working the plan will bring about the goal.  So, I’m laying my plan down for planning my goals.  It’s nothing original.  It’s simply ask the Lord for the plans He has for us.  Pray hard.  Set it out on paper.  Check it out with the Bible.  Work it.  I’ll let you know.  I’ll pray for you.  Please pray for me, it’s a New Year out there.

In the words of the Psalmist, “May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.”  There’s no blocking that, y’all…It’s a goal.