Disturb us, Lord, when
We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
Attributed – Sir Francis Drake -1577
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.– Isaiah 55: 8-9
I haven't written anything in a while. I've been doing some thinking and weighing out some plans and thoughts and to be honest, just couldn't focus on writing.
Turning 52 has also caused me to think about plans, dreams and schemes of mine that, especially in the last year, have come to nothing. Now, I am aware that I've made some mistakes in my thinking and probably will again. But I think I understand more now about my "failures" than I ever have; not that I'm getting wiser – just getting tired of making the same mistakes 
You see, at least for me, I believe that I never fully invited God into my plans and dreams. I prayed about them, sure. But it was more me telling God what my plans were and asking Him to bless them. It should have been me listening for God's voice and seeking His plan for me.
If I believe in Him and trust Him, why would it be any other way? Why must I always seek to control God's hand in my life? Can't I just trust Him to know more than I do? I believe that God sees the Big Picture but in my impatience I try to repaint it to my liking.
Pray with me that I, and maybe a few who read this, will spend more time listening than planning. May we hear God's still small voice above our own strident cries to be heard.
Father God, speak, your servant is here to listen. Amen.
Be well,
Steve
