Planning: Piece by Peace

"For I know the plans I have for you...."

Let me tell some'ting to you.  For those of you who have traveled, you will understand.  For those of you who haven't, here's a fact for you.  Traveling....is stressful. I mean, not the "oh this is inconvenient" type of stressful.  This is the "I'm at wits end and have no hair left, my friends all think I'm a basket case, and my parents are driving me crazy with details" type of stressful (p.s. Thanks Mom and Dad for paying attention to those details. Couldn't have done it without you).  It's a brand new process for me that I've never experienced before and there are so many pieces to be put together, just so, in order that the whole thing won't fall apart due to one faulty, misplaced piece.


Piece by piece my trip has come together.  I am going to Salzburg, Austria next Sunday (May 8th) to study at the college there.  I am staying with Martin and Martina Geistberger who have been absolutely amazing already. They have two daughters, one is 3 and one is 6. I'm really excited for the girls because I've always wanted younger sisters...too bad they will both be speaking better German than me.  :)  I will be taking two classes, a German language course as well as a Music History course. This will be my first time in Europe.  I will come back June 23rd (three days before my Birthday!)


Getting this trip together has taught me a lot of things and here are just a few.
    1) You will do something wrong.  Whether it's booking your flight too early or almost not getting applications in on time...something is bound to go amiss.
    2) It is really hard to concentrate on school when a big event is just around the corner.
    3) Things are stressful, but you can't worry so much.
    and 4) Things will all work out.  It's easy to get caught up in all the details and worry about such an adventure, but I have the coolest, most knowledgeable travel agent ever.  I mean, ask Him about any place and He could tell you anything you'd want to know.  And there are plans He intends to unfold before us, as long as we are willing to follow.
There is a peace in knowing that God is in control of all things.  I mean, if my luggage gets lost *knock on wood....like, a thousand times*, there is a reassurance that I am still covered under God's love.  Sure, it would be unbelievably inconvenient, but who said life was convenient?  If I can learn to put my plans into His care where it belongs, I can learn to Plan: Piece by Peace.