That was the thought that passed through my head as I sat at the dinner table last night, trying to get my life organized.
I’m in the middle of launching this blog, remodeling a website for my day job, juggling several freelance gigs, and reading tons of productivity books to try and keep it all together—Did I mention that I’m also a full time seminary student?
So, in my desperation, I was trying to concoct a plan by which I could keep all of these plates spinning above my head; I was developing a strategic objective. That’s pretentious business-speak for something to keep me focussed on the big picture. I had been tooling this thing on a piece of scrap paper for several weeks, and almost had it where I wanted it.
That’s when it happened…

In the midst of rushing home from work to begin on the evening’s tasks, while simultaneously eating some chips and dip and working my plan, I dropped my papers in the guacamole. No sooner had I done this than this exact sentence went through my mind,
“My strategic objective is covered in guacamole.”
I burst out laughing at the absurdity of that sentence.
But then I paused.
In a cheesy, kind of kitsch way, it served as a metaphor for the entire business of goals, strategic objectives, personal mission statements, and productivity in general. No matter how neatly we lay our plans, they always end up getting covered in life’s guacamole.
And when things do go awry, take a moment, laugh at yourself, get over it, then just keep plugging away.
After all,
“The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9 NASB)