Plans

“Martha, Martha, you are worried about many things
but only one thing matters.” – Luke 10:41 (paraphrase)

All those big plans? Sing them a lullaby
Let them rest awhile undisturbed
Some I will wake at the right time
Some will slumber until they dissipate
Will you give them to me anyway?
Child, here at my feet you are becoming
For that end, the doing may wait

Welcome to Sabbatical! The next six months have been given to me for study and rest, and I’ll return to my work in January. My plans felt fairly straightforward – classes, restful practices like playing guitar or trying watercolor painting, and training for a local 75-mile pilgrimage route through my county.

The first two weeks have tested my “simple” plan. First the family caught pneumonia, which derailed our childcare routine, and then I strained my hamstrings on both sides, which kept me in the house for two weeks. So much for my plans, I’m sure you all can relate!

Especially in the last week, I saw my unhealthy coping mechanisms creeping in as I slowly lost patience for interruptions and roadblocks. I wonder if the problem isn’t so much the circumstance as my attachment to my own plans. The end result of all the detours was beautiful – a lot of time with my family after being gone half of June for work. Time with family is written into my sabbatical plan, but truthfully, I would not have devoted nearly as much time if everyone was healthy and I wasn’t injured.

One fruit of interrupted plans is the photo above. Our family painted jellyfish together and had an amazing time! I appreciate my work colleague, Melissa, who led this activity at a retreat, which gave me courage to give it a try at home. Here’s the tutorial we used from Andrea Nelson! No official promotional ties here, just sharing because we had fun.

I sense an invitation to break out of the rhythms of hurry that define my everyday life, and to value the relationships around me more than I value my goals. Here’s to presence over plans, to becoming over doing!

©2025 Jacqueline Tisthammer. All rights reserved. 

Continue with Sabbatical Reflection #2: Stillness