Benjamin Franklin: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”

Benjamin Franklin quote

Some thoughts on planning:

First another famous image entitled Man Proposes, God Disposes:

The painting adopts the dark tones of Landseer's later works. The scene shows two polar bears among the scattered wreckage of the expedition - a telescope, the tattered remains of a red ensign, a sail, human bones - which William Michael Rossetti called "the saddest of membra disjecta". The image shows humanity and civilisation defeated by "nature, red in tooth and claw", and can be seen as a commentary on the crisis of British triumphalism and imperialism in the middle of the 19th century. The phrase "Man proposes, but God disposes" is a translation of the Latin phrase "Homo proponit, sed Deus disponit" from Book I, chapter 19, of The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis.

• I am shocked how some seem so oblivious to the need to plan - including many Christians
• Obvious truth # 1: Life is temporary and full of twists, turns and surprises: "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away" (James 4:14)
• Truth # 2: It is wise to plan - yet understand that the Lord is ultimately sovereign over all: Proverbs 16:1, "The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord."; 3, "Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established"; (9), "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."
• Some areas to plan:
• What can I do to improve my spiritual condition? The first is to be saved! Be found "in Christ". Be certain of one's eternal destiny. Hell is real and some are not far from it! For the Christian: what may one do to be be more devoted, more like Christ, more faithful?
• What can I do to improve my physical condition? Lose 10 lbs? Walk more steps? Et cetera.
• What can I do to improve my financial condition? Further one's education? Pay down debt? Save more? Have an emergency fund? Save for retirement? Et cetera.