A couple of weeks ago, I got a call from my husband in the late afternoon.

The first words out of his mouth were, “You’re not gonna believe this…”

Of course, in my head I’m freaking out. “What?”

“I’m almost home, but I’ve got a flat tire.”

Clearly, this isn’t awesome news, but it wasn’t the worst-case scenario I was imagining.

But the tire was flat. Really flat. And the spare was like fifteen years old. So I checked with our insurance agent and called a tow truck.

(I’m also grateful this happened in our neighborhood and not while he was driving down the mountain.)

The kids and I walked 2 blocks to where he was and hung out while we waited for the tow truck.

That evening we discovered that the car needed 4 new tires. I ordered them online, and they were installed at Costco the next morning.

Now I knew we were going to need new tires for that car sometime this year, so I had been setting aside money to pay for them (can I just say I love sinking funds). At least that base was covered.

What wasn’t on my schedule was the alignment that the car desperately needed.

Because of the timing of when we were able to pick up the car from Costco, we weren't able to leave it at the alignment shop as planned.

Instead I took the kids home so we could eat a quick lunch and pack drawing supplies and books so they would have something to do while I took my call.

Since it was such a nice day, we took the picnic blanket we keep in the trunk across the street from the repair shop and sat on the grass under a tree. A little over an hour later, we were done.

Even though this tire drama wasn’t on my plan for the week, I was able to roll with it. That’s partly because, over the years, I’ve learned to build margin into my days and weeks so that inconveniences don’t become emergencies.

This is part of the reason I care so much about planning and habits. They help life run more smoothly when unexpected situations arise.

Here’s the thing… I could live life by the seat of my pants, without a plan and without anchors.

But because our daily lives matter before God, I want to live intentionally. I want what I do to be for His glory.

That means seeking to be a faithful steward of my days so I can be a good wife and mom, teacher, employee, friend, and leader.

I care about planning and habits because our daily lives matter. Does life ever interrupt my best plans? Absolutely!

These interruptions remind me that I’m not God and can’t control everything. But by stewarding my time and resources, I recognize that I’m not living for myself.

Planning and habits aren’t about crazy wake-up times or elaborate morning routines. They’re about helping you live well to the glory of God.

I’d love to hear from you. Hit reply and share a story about a time when your plans have been interrupted by life.

Keep planning.

Shelley