I'm almost embarrassed to admit this...

I had sixteen days off over the holidays. I work in the auto industry, so we have lots of "holiday time" anyway. Combine that with a couple days of vacation time, and I was able to go quite a stretch without having to report to my day job.

I had a fairly sizable list of things I wanted to do with my time off, in addition to the usual holiday stuff. I was going to test some new email software, write a few articles, organize my basement office, get my 2002 tax stuff together, work on an ebook I'm planning, and watch several movies I've been wanting to see.

Guess what? I didn't do any of them.

Oh, don't think for a second that I just hung around and did nothing. I managed to keep pretty busy. But sometimes it seems that God has other plans for us, ya know?

For instance, "playing games" wasn't anywhere on my list. But God had me play 6,285 games of MouseTrap, 2,192 games of Clue Jr., and 347 games of Monopoly Jr., Toy Story edition.

"Wrestling" didn't make my list either. But there I was, rolling around on the floor, getting tickled, tousled and tormented, day after day by my two rowdy sons.

"Singing" was noticeably absent from my "to do" list as well. Yet today I know all of the words to every song on the Veggie Tales "Jonah" soundtrack, Silly Songs 2, Dragon Tales' Dragon Tunes, and Disney's 100 Songs for Kids. In fact I can sing them in my sleep (and believe me, I do).

And as shocking as it may be, "sleeping in" didn't find its way into my top ten either. But there I was, several days during my time off, waking up late to a hot cup of coffee and my beautiful wife smiling down at me. (Lest you call me a chauvinist, I did make the morning coffee on a few occasions.)

No, I didn't accomplish the things on my list. But I did spend many wonderful hours with my sons, my wife, and other family and friends. Those times were more important than almost anything.

I'll admit it -- God's list was better than mine.

Peace,
Brandon