Keeping all your ducks in a row

It seems that regardless of how hard you try, you can never keep all your ducks in a row. One thinks if he can only finish this job, work one more day or maybe even retire, his life will be just as he wants it.

From childhood on, people make plans. You're told to set goals, amount to something. Man makes his little earthly houses -- a good income, friends, physical fitness, education, marriage or a fulfilling career. Then he settles in to enjoy himself. But life can be so uncertain that his goal of having everything all set and finalized soon disappears. He's then at it again trying to straighten his predicament out so he can get all his ducks back in a row.

My Christmas holidays resembled that scenario. Lots of company was coming to our house, and we made all sorts of plans to ensure that everyone had a great time. After Thanksgiving, we hastily placed our Christmas lights outside the house. Soon after, everyone helped decorate the Christmas tree. Forming our Christmas village was next on the agenda. "If we just keep at it, we'll get everything finished and have some time left over to enjoy the season for its genuine purpose," we thought. We're seldom able to get it all together much before Christmas arrives.

Then the upstairs roof started to leak, badly damaging the guest room dresser. A plumber had to be called to unstop a household sink. The Lionel Train whistle refused to sound, and we rushed to get it repaired. "Whew," we said, expressing a sigh of relief. At least the train was up and running -- but not for long. The engine suddenly balked and couldn't travel around the oval track. Determined to have the train going for the children, we immediately dashed to repair the engine.

"Now, we'll surely have everything ready by Christmas," we said. But our ducks continued to be in disarray. We had multiple car troubles and ended up purchasing an automobile two days before Christmas.

We completed shopping, wrapped gifts, bought groceries and cleaned house -- ready to welcome the guests. People began to arrive, and I knew then that I finally had all my ducks in a row.

Then the phone rang, and a voice said a close relative was en route to the hospital. Fortunately, other relatives were available to visit the patient, so I could take care of final preparations. What was God trying to tell us? In spite of the unexpected happenings, I felt joy within -- joy that people cared enough to visit, some having driven long distances. Prayer was constantly on my lips, prayer that things would somehow turn out in spite of the uncanny circumstances. We had begun early preparing for the holiday celebration, but regardless of our efforts, things kept falling apart.

Even though we experienced much exhaustion and stress getting ready, Christmas came and we experienced what was most important. Most of the family was present: 30 in all. Although our ducks failed to line up when we wanted, the line finally straightened out when it needed to.

I learned from the philosophy of a teacher who said, "I never get completely ready for Christmas until it gets here. That's what Advent is all about. It's a time of waiting."

I've ultimately decided that even though you have everything in order for awhile, life was never meant to stand still or be flawless. One must continue to set goals and try to organize, but realize that you can never sustain perfection here -- but only when you're with God.

Ellen Shuck holds degrees in psychology, religious education and spiritual direction and provides spiritual direction to people at her office.