Tag Archive for: unexpected

To a Mouse

When missionaries stay at the mission home, I love to share something of my Scottish heritage with them.
I introduced our national bard (poet) Robert Burns, to our last visitors and read his classic poem “To a Mouse.”
In it, he shares his remorse at destroying the nest of a tiny field mouse with his plough, whilst considering the futility of planning for a hopeful future in the face of unforeseen consequences.
And so, off I went…“Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie…”
Their bewildered and perplexed faces were a delight to behold, as they struggled to understand a single word!
Today, I want to focus on one line of the poem; “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men/Gang aft a-gley.”
In other words, no matter how well we prepare, our plans can often go astray, unfolding in unexpected ways.
Remember the familiar phrase “Life is what happens to you when you are making other plans”.
Just like the tiny mouse, all of us are subject to unforeseen events and must adapt accordingly.
By doing the best we can, we have to prepare even for what we are unprepared for.
Goal setting and planning are an essential part of everyday missionary life.
“He, who every morning plans the transactions of the day and follows that plan, carries a thread that will guide him through a labyrinth of the busiest life.” – Victor Hugo
When we plan our days to fill a purpose, rather than just fill them to keep busy, we become more productive, especially when we adapt to the unexpected.
Plan to expect the unexpected.
Life’s lessons often come unexpectedly!
M. Russell Ballard said “A goal is a destination or an end, while a plan is the route by which you get there…. Goal setting is essentially beginning with the end in mind. And planning is devising a way to get to that end.”
Remember the old cliché, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”.
Many essays have been written on “To a Mouse”.
However, like the “wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie…,” I suggest it’s always best to prepare for the here and now.
As you plan today, what do you want to make happen?

Expect the Unexpected!

Things don’t always turn out the way you planned!
On Tuesday, we waited at the arrivals gate at Schiphol Airport for our 5 new missionaries, arriving on three different flights from the USA.
“Are you sure its gate 3?”
A careful check (again) of the arrival gates clearly showed that 2 new missionaries arriving on different flights, would arrive at Gate 3 and the other 3 missionaries (on the same flight) would arrive at Gate 4.
Time passed….
No missionaries.

Hmm?

Then a message from Eldon McClure.
“Hey, President Watson? I’m at Schiphol, just got through customs. Who is going to pick me up, and where do I meet them?”
We concluded he’d arrived at gate 4, not gate 3, passed us by and arrived at the information point.
Off I went to pick him up. One down, four to go.
Back to gate 3.
Still no further missionaries.
Our Assistants go to gate 4 “just in case” for the next arrival due at Gate 3.
A few moments later they walk back to gate 3, with our new arrival Alexandra Williams.
Two down, three to go.
A check again of the arrivals board.
Yes, they are all due in at Gate 4.
So, in turn, all of us head to Gate 4.
Time passed.
“Are you sure its gate 4?”
“…Yes, take a look yourself…!”
“We’ll go to gate 3, just in case…,” said the Assistants.
More time passed.
Then a call from the Assistants, our final three Janessa Anderson, Jaislyn Kimball and Emerson Randle arrive at gate 3!
Our reactions… to the confusion?
We all laughed, hugged and chatted away.
Welcome to the Netherlands! 😆
Over the last 15 months, my new philosophy on things in general (and especially at Schiphol) is this,
…to be constantly aware of the reality that most things aren’t going to turn out how you expect!
𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝!
What do you do when things don’t go as you expect?