A friend asked me today if I had any summer plans. At first I heard “slumber plans” (I was feeling a bit sleepy, yes). Upon clarification, I told her I am very much looking forward to my friend Velvet’s wedding in June. I am honored at being in the wedding party and know it will be a wonderful (and highly organized!) event. The whole fam is going, and it’s going to be a mini vacation/weekend getaway in Northern Wisconsin.

So, that’s early June. And . . . that’s it. Yes, I’ve got fun things going on the next couple weeks, but that’s spring, not summer. Isn’t summer supposed to be this fabulous, magical combination of lazy days in hammocks, traveling, taking vacations, making memories, exploring, and being adventurous? I flip thru my summer calendar and see a lot of blank days, except for the occasional work event.

I HAD things planned, which have since been covered over in whiteout, trying to make myself forget about all the past plans for the future. That’s an odd way to describe it, huh? “Past plans for the future.” I had ALL sorts of plans. Some written down for specific dates, but a lot of plans for my future in general. Plans, hopes, goals, dreams. Shattered. Erased. Disappeared. Evaporated. Gone.

It’s a hard thing to deal with, having your entire future change. I’ve been trying to pull myself and my life back together. It’s not easy. I’m rethinking goals. I’m clarifying goals. The pastor of my church recently stated, “If you don’t know what you want, you’re drifting.” That struck me.

I realize now that in the past couple few months I had been getting lazy and sloppy in my path to my goals. I had been drifting. I’m challenged now to refocus on my goals. Financial goals, career goals, spiritual goals, exercise goals, weight loss goals, relational goals, stewardship goals, educational goals, personal goals…

"If you don’t know what you want, you’re drifting.” I don’t want to drift thru this life. It’s the only life I’ve got. I want to THRIVE, not just survive.