The Aldi Shopping Cart

As many of you know, I enjoy conducting amateur social experiments.  Well, it's closer to justifying the phenomenon of people watching.  I do my best to learn from the behavior of others around me while gaining context and perspective on how the world works.

A hotbed for human behavior is the discount grocery store Aldi.  In addition to the cheap produce and surprisingly fresh tasting salmon, the most anticipated time about my trip to Aldi is the few moments in the parking lot before and after the shopping experience.  My Aldi trip is defined by the shopping cart.

I can't tell you how many times I've rolled into the parking lot sans quarter.  Of course, I try to keep the cupholder stocked with at least 3-4 quarters at all times.  You know, insurance.  But somehow I arrive empty more than I'd like to admit.  I've gone inside and made change for a dollar so I could rent a cart from the corral.  I've also made the decision to proceed without a cart and attempt the juggling act that is certain to follow.  It's impossible to run in just for avocados.  I seem to always grab additional salsa, gluten free granola, Bolthouse Farms "green juice," etc.  I drop several items on my way to the lightning fast checkout lane and secure a mini-workout with one-legged squats, grip work that burns my forearms, and so-on.

Standard protocol at Aldi: bring a quarter to get a cart, return the cart and get a quarter back.  This is all pretty straight forward stuff.  Or, is it?

What happens when what is expected is actually not the norm?

If I see a wanderer on his or her way into the store, am I supposed to offer my cart?  Do I ask for a quarter or graciously donate the cart?  Should the other make the generous offer of 25-cents?  Is that even considered generous?  So many questions.

What if, on my way into the store, the car next to me is loaded with groceries and the owner offers me his/her cart?  Do I simply say thanks and take the cart?  Or do I need to enter into the awkward negotiation to see if they want my quarter?  If they take my quarter, are they being stingy? Are they obligated to say, "nah, it's on me..."  And if that's out of obligation or pressure, is it true generosity?  And am I being ungrateful if I automatically assume they're offering me their cart so they don't have to walk it back to the corral?

So many questions over 25 cents at a store that we choose to shop at in order save a significant amount of money.

What does that 25 cents reveal in us, though?  Are we grateful in accepting a free cart or entitled if we do?  Are gracious for offering a cart or just lazy?  If the cart exchange happens outside of the corral, what is the expectation with that quarter?

I really don't want to walk all the way back to the store and leave my whining children in the car alone with new snacks, so I can look pious by giving it to someone else and one-up that piety with gracious humility by turning down their obligatory quarter offer.  You know, pay it forward kind of stuff.

I could also take that cart on my way in to save that person a trip.  You're welcome.  Yay, free cart for me.  I didn't even have to reveal that I was sans quarter today.  God blessed me, right?  Certainly, I don't want to take away another's opportunity to bless someone or to be a light that day by trying to offer 25 cents for their gift and servanthood.  That could actually be more offensive than not saying thank you for the free cart.  A gift with strings attached isn't truly a gift.  As a Christian, I know how to accept free gifts (like salvation).  But on the flip side, what an entitled prick, right?  What if I turn down their cart and get my own from the corral as they return theirs?

I'm confused.  What am I supposed to do?  Should I just put my head down, mind my own business and follow standard protocol?  Are the expectations different for an extrovert compared to an introvert?  I like engaging with others while I shop.  If I pretend I'm on the phone, does that change things?  Wait, what if the other person is a young female, does it look like I'm hitting on her if I give her a cart?  I definitely want to preserve my witness...especially in front of my kids.

Does that 25 cents really matter?  Does it reveal what's inside our soul?  Our true character?  It doesn't matter, does it?  Or maybe it matters a lot more than we think.

What are your thoughts on The Aldi Shopping Cart?

A blog for Ben Lee

Ben Lee graduated from River Falls High School in 1994.  As a member of the wrestling team, I remember watching him compete on the JV squad when he weighed less than 100 pounds.  With a baggy lycra singlet, he fought like crazy back then and now he's fighting for his life.

Here is a link to his Caring Bridge site: Support Ben Lee & His Family.

How does one make sense of things like this?  It's a sad time for the Lee family and I'm going to use it to elevate Ben into the spotlight so he knows that he made a difference.  He's a part of a bigger story.  Interconnected in a move of God.  So, I'm giving him his own blog post.

I wrote my first blog in 2009.  Very few people followed it and my posts were essentially a journal of my thoughts.  Most of those early posts had less than 10 viewers.

I didn't really have a plan, but I knew that I had things that needed to be said.  I just tried to put into words the things that God was teaching me through my various roles and relationships with others.  I left the results to God.

It didn't take long before I received random messages from friends on Facebook and people I didn't even know.  Many of them said they appreciated what I was doing and encouraged me to keep writing.  So I have.  And a decade later, I've been able to connect with hundreds of thousands of readers all over the world.  I believe God has used this blog in many ways and each time I sit down to write I think of my audience and one person always comes to mind: Ben Lee.

It's true.

The most important feedback that I have received about this blog came from Ben's sister almost 10 years ago.  Kaari grew up with my little sister and we've had conversations about our faith since the 90's.  She told me that Ben enjoyed reading my blogs and they had been positively influencing him.  The way she communicated this struck a cord inside my heart and I realized that God was doing something through this blog and, at times, these words were the only connection others had to the marvelous wonders of God.  I no longer had a choice.  I had to write.  The audience was, indeed, far and wide, but it was also very close and personal.

Between 2009 and 2015, our crew at Victory School of Wrestling crossed paths with Ben weekly as we were regulars at Steve's Pizza year round.  He was an artisan at the most popular pizza joint in town.  I can't imagine how many shrimp and gyro pizzas he crafted for athletes, coaches and parents across the road.

I'm sure Ben peeked through the looking glass window from time to time and drew some inspiration from what was happening on that 2nd floor.  People were moved by what we were doing because God was moving through us and our mission to impact the lives of others with Victory School of Wrestling wasn't confined to the walls of the wrestling room.  It was a global mission and people like Ben fit into what we were doing.  Simultaneously, people like Ben fueled our daily activity with encouragement and kindness.

Ben was making an impact on me so that I could impact others.  He was a reminder of my audience and that my words mattered.  He's a unique piece of the foundation that God used to move the mission.

Erwin McManus wrote the following in The Way of the Warrior:

I have lived too long to believe that these things are just coincidence.  The warrior leaves nothing to chance and finds rest in their intention.  The way of the warrior moves you into the path of interconnection.  The path of the warrior is filled with an array of seemingly random and serendipitous moments.  The warrior does not strive to create divine moments but feels confident that when they walk in their intention, those moments will come to them.  The warrior's courage comes in that even when they stand alone, they know they are never alone.  The warrior knows that when they move in their intention, the universe moves in their direction (page 166).

McManus also wrote, "You are more than you know, so stop underestimating who you are.  Who you are does not end at the border of your skin.  How you become who you are can be attributed as much to the world around you as the world within you."

Ben had a simple, yet profound, impact on me and, as a result, has been a part of a movement that has reached further than anyone in our sleepy town could have imagined.

Thank you, Ben.  May "the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."

The condition of sportsmanship in wrestling

This is a hot-button topic right now and I needed a push from another coach to post my point-of-view.  I don't mind sticking my neck out on the line and sharing my opinions.  Actually, I enjoy it quite a bit.  However, I'm cautious with controversial topics because they're so personal.

The sport of wrestling is in the news.  It's all over social media and it's getting likes and views; people are tweeting and commenting.  People are finally paying attention to our sport.  At least, that's what we're telling ourselves.  That's how the wrestling community is trying to justify new and outlandish behaviors that are becoming popular in our sport.

We are accepting things that are unacceptable.

Athletes calling out opponents, showing others up, trash talking opposing coaches, tantrums, and taunting, among other things.  Drawing attention to these antics is all the rage right now, like a cheap and less exciting version of the UFC or WWE.  Unsportsmanlike behavior is now called excitement.  Disrespect is simply passion.  We're encouraging The Showboat and condoning his actions by saying these kids work really hard and should be allowed to celebrate.  After all, the professionals are doing it.

Well, working hard and/or winning doesn't give you a license to do whatever you want.

Wrestling shows up in our newsfeeds so we think it's progress, but make no mistake, it's NOT because of the wrestling.  Our sport isn't becoming more relevant.  The antics and side shows are.  The media vultures love the low hanging fruit because it gets them the hits they need to operate a business.  I understand it from their point-of-view, however, what is being projected to the masses is not the good stuff that wrestling has to offer.  It's not helping our sport.  It's hurting it.  We're being used because we're creating heels and letting them create the narrative.  Parents fighting mat side or doing something crazy goes viral almost weekly.  Athletes avoiding responsibility for poor decisions is common place and the news outlets eat it up.  We're choosing to be identified this way.

We're selling out and wrestlers aren't supposed to do that.

We pride ourselves on being unique.  Wrestling isn't popular and we collectively revel in that.  Now, suddenly we want to do away with important core values in our sport to appeal to some gawkers who have no stake in the game?  To those who haven't dared to endure what we've endured?  Do we really believe this is making wrestling better and more desirable?

I'll grant you this: my core values might not be your core values.  And I respect that.  I really do.  Even within our sport, I respect our differences.  How we approach success doesn't need to be the same.  Yet, I was always taught that wrestling was special and had some non-negotiable standards.  I believed that as a kid.  I still do as an adult.  If there ever was a Wrestler's Code, I imagine things like honor and respect, humility and dignity, and personal accountability and responsibility would be in bold letters.  Those traits have always been essential to the health of our sport, but they're just not exciting enough anymore.  We used to hang our hat on them, but now we're sweeping them under the rug in order to get a few "likes" or "retweets."

Going into the most exciting time of the high school and college wrestling seasons, I'm fearful that bad press and negative reporting concerning wrestling will steal the headlines and flood social media and forums.  More than ever before, I've had droves of people eager to discuss wrestling topics with me over the last few weeks, but only because they're outsiders and want to know what an insider thinks of the lunacy taking place.  They're testing us.

We're at a tipping point and the wrestling community needs to do something about it.  We need to take back our sport and value those things that make wrestling special.  Or we can sell out and kill our sport.  Viewership is up, but participation is down.  Humility and gratitude is out while arrogance and entitlement is in.

The wrestling community must remember the ongoing fight with administrations and organizations all over the country.  The non-wrestling person thinks we're circus act.  We were already an easy target for administrators without these negative story lines.  We are on the chopping block because we're unhinged, unstable, and unpredictable.  That's not a sustainable recipe.  And it's definitely not the sport that won me over as a child.

Boys Forfeiting to Girls

I’ve been involved as a coach in the women’s wrestling world for 15 years.  Last weekend was the first time that I’ve had an opposing wrestler forfeit to one of my female wrestlers because she was a female.  I’ve seen it happen and have talked to many girls who have had it happen to them.  In fact, it’s more common than cauliflower ear in girl’s wrestling.  Nearly every female wrestler has experienced a male opponent forfeiting to them based on their gender.

There are a couple of decent explanations and several that are outlandish.  As a wrestling community, it’s important that we openly discuss all of them without judgement.  So, let’s do it.

We were at a varsity tournament on Saturday and midway through the day, one of the tournament organizers informed me that the opponent of my female athlete was going to forfeit to her.  He wasn’t injured and wasn’t pulling out the tournament, just not wrestling the girl. It created a bit of confusion on how to enter the “forfeit” into the system because if he forfeited, he wouldn’t be able to wrestle anymore matches that day.  So, it was entered as an “injury default” so he could wrestle the next two rounds.

After the tournament, I asked my female wrestler and two of her female teammates how they felt about the situation.  The discussion was enlightening.  

It was also very important.

Since girls started participating in wrestling, it’s been common place for boys or male coaches to decide one way or the other if they wanted to compete against them.  We’ve given males a free pass to pass in this space. The decision to wrestle or not to wrestle rest solely in the lap of the male wrestler.  The female has no say beyond deciding to wrestle in the first place.  Sometimes there are repercussions (losing a match, not advancing), but no one really has to explain themselves, so we never know for sure why it’s done. We assume things and there are cookie-cutter explanations, but we never discuss them in an attempt to learn and grow in this subject area.

If the wrestling team has a cross on their singlet or is a private institution, we assume it’s for “religious” reasons and then mum's the word.  It also seems to happen when it’s convenient, not when it actually costs them something (with the exception of a state tournament default at the Iowa State Tournament in 2011).  

This leads me to beg the question, is this done out of convenience or conviction?  Are those who are forfeiting really thinking about the decision?  Thinking about others?  His opponent?

My personal stance on it is this (and other difficult decisions): if you are convicted, you should follow through on that conviction no matter what it costs. Would the forfeit that occurred in a “meaningless” match at the New Richmond Invitational also occur in the wrestleback to make it to state or in the state finals?  If it’s a difficult decision rooted in conviction, I applaud the decision.  The decision should be the same regardless of what's at stake.

If the decision is done out of convenience, regardless of the reason being used, it’s cowardly.  If it’s “just the way it is,” or if religious belief is used as a smoke screen, I think we need to call that way of thinking out and have an honest dialogue about what’s taking place.

If every state offered sanctioned female wrestling, this is a non-issue.  I’ve done my homework and there’s not one explanation that justifies not adding girl’s wrestling at the HS level.  Adding girl’s wrestling might be difficult for many reasons, but it’s the right thing to do and must be done.  But we haven’t made that kind of progress yet, so we’re forced to deal with uncomfortable situations like this.  I am not in favor of girls competing against boys, but right now the girls don’t have a choice.

While discussing this topic with my three female athletes and recalling the other female wrestlers I’ve talked to about this, their sentiments have never been a feeling of respect.  This part of the conversation matters.  It might not change the outcome, and I’m fine with that, however, IF part of the reason not to compete against a female in a combat sport is to “respect women,” I think we need to ask if women are actually feeling respected by the act.  Because it appears as if most feel the opposite.  And MEN, that does matter.  How a woman perceives our attempt to respect her needs to be taken into account.

I am a Christ follower and believe Biblical Manhood is one of the greatest voids in our society today. So, I understand those who choose not to participate for “religious” reasons (even though I despise the term “religious”).  We need to actively teach boys to treat women with respect – physically, emotionally and intellectually.   Personally, I don’t hold the same conviction for high school boys on a varsity wrestling team, but that’s not a reason to divide the church.  I choose not to drink alcohol because I have a very clear Christ-centered conviction not to do so.  Many of my Christian friends enjoy alcohol.  No problem.  So, I can agree to disagree, however, I would like to have an objective conversation about this.  In the same tournament, a young man from a family that is respected for their outward Christian faith chose to compete against the same female.

We all have a responsibility to embrace and respect each other’s differences.  Combat sports should be no different.  I want my male athletes (and my sons) to respect their opponent and all of humanity regardless of gender, race, etc.  I also want to be a part of a culture that lives life from conviction, not convenience.  That’s hard.

Good Sportsmanship Deflects the Spotlight

In 2018, it's difficult for good sportsmanship to get the attention it deserves.  People on social media and news outlets would rather see someone out-of-line.  Athletes doing the right thing isn't as intriguing to the masses.  We fall for "clickbait" too often.

On the second day of the Northern Badger Wrestling Classic in River Falls, there was a subtle act of sportsmanship that should not go unnoticed.  There were over 400 athletes from 43 schools and a couple thousand spectators on hand.  There were some terrific wrestlers and great performances, however, after all was said and done, the most noteworthy storyline of the tournament was Gabby Skidmore from Cumberland.

Gabby is a senior and has had a lot of success on the women's national wrestling scene.  She's also had a successful high school wrestling career and is beloved in Northwest Wisconsin because of her work ethic and joyful demeanor.  She's easy to cheer for and fun to watch.  She earned her way to the championship finals at 120 pounds after four exciting wins.

On the other side of the bracket was Jacek Nickowski from Baldwin-Woodville.  Also a senior, Jacek is well respected in Northwest Wisconsin, too.  He's a past Northern Badger champion and state place winner and currently ranked number one in the state.  On top of his wrestling accolades, he's one of the best soccer players in the state, so we haven't been able to see his wrestling skills on display in Fargo and elsewhere.  Regardless, he's a great high school wrestler.

In the quarterfinals, Gabby won a close bout against one of my wrestlers (Owen Larson).  I've been in Gabby's corner for several matches and I've trained her in the off-season.  She always works for 6 full minutes.  That day, my wrestler did, too.  The crowd was electric and fully invested in the match.  They wanted to see the girl win.  I have mixed feelings about a crowd jumping on board simply because a female is competing.  Maybe I've become desensitized to young women trying to break through the ceiling, but I get it.  It sure makes it tough for the competitor, though.  Not only does one need to beat their opponent, they need to beat the entire crowd.

In the semi-finals, Gabby avenged a loss from two weeks ago.  It was an exciting wrestling match and, once again, the crowd was behind her the entire way.  The other 120 pound semi-final match ended quickly, so Skidmore vs. Olson was the only match going in the center of the gym.  After the 7-2 victory, the crowd jumped to their feet and erupted once again.  You could sense the thousands knew they were a part of something special.

A few years ago, Gabby was the first female to earn a spot on the podium at the Northern Badger.  Now, she became the first female finalist.  During the introduction of the finalists, Gabby jogged down the stairs under the spotlight and when the announcement was made that she was the first female to make her way into the finals, the crowd went nuts.  My sister has three little girls in their first year of wrestling and the only thing they were interested in that day was cheering for Gabby.  Many others felt the same.  Gabby wore the Cumberland singlet, but represented so much more.

When the 120 pound finals got underway, it wasn't long before Nickowski got a takedown and some near fall points.  Midway through the first period, he ended the match with a fall.  He graciously rose to his feet and held out his hand for a competitor's handshake.  It was Jacek's second Northern Badger title with 3 technical falls and 2 pins.  When the referee raised his hand for his moment under the spotlight, Jacek immediately reached for Gabby's wrist and raised her arm, too.

It only lasted a few seconds, but it was one of the most important moments of the tournament and possibly one of the most impressive things Jacek Nickowski has done in his stellar athletic career.  Two humble athletes, both high character individuals, with a moment to shine under the spotlight - literally and figuratively - and they deflected the rays to something bigger than themselves.  That's what sport should be about and that's what genuine sportsmanship looks like.  Humility is a strong force when it's authentic.

Junior Worlds 2018 - Blog #7

That's a wrap for the US women's team at Junior Worlds in Slovakia.  Macey's silver, secured on Wednesday night after the semi-finals, is the only piece of hardware the women will bring back to the States.  

Tonight, Ali finished her week in 5th place.  She just didn't have enough in the tank to gather that bronze medal.  She came off the mat exhausted and said her entire body hurt.  I believed her.  It looked that way.  The combination of weight management, a two day event, an emotional setback the night before, the intense heat in the venue, travel back-and-forth to the hotel and we just couldn’t pull things together.  She was in great spirits and fought like crazy, but her legs, most of all, just didn’t respond.  It wasn’t an issue of mental toughness like it usually is for an athlete in her situation.  She left it all on the mat and was physically exhausted. 

So, we need to go back to the drawing board and look at how we prepared.  No excuses, just accountability and responsibility.  Don’t get me wrong, both of them gave everything they had and should have no regrets concerning their effort.  We can take this an opportunity to learn and look deeply at all things leading into the event.  A day ago, it looked like our preparation process was on point and Macey and Ali wrestled extremely well.  But that was on day one of the tournament.  Day two was a different story for both of them.  At this level, if teammates who train in the same environment respond the same way, it’s likely a product of that environment and I need to re-evaluate our physical preparation. 

You don’t know what you don’t know, so now that we have intel on our junior worlds experience, I need to make some important adjustments.  I think that’s how you learn from moments like these.

We’ll have a 10-hour flight back to the United States and that will give us time for some needed reflection and evaluation.  Win or lose, though, deep reflection would have been on the schedule any ways.  We must always be as critical in our assessments of  both "success" and of "failure."  Our posture really should be the same no matter the outcome because we want to keep moving forward in our progress.  

We all know the value of getting back up after getting knocked down.  It’s one of the biggest reasons successful athletes succeed.  Every once in a while, though, when you get knocked down, you need to stay down for a bit so you know exactly why you got knocked down.  When you finally do get back up, you do so planning on not getting knocked down again.

Junior Worlds 2018 - Blog #6

Ok.

Well, I'm not sure where to start tonight.

I've really enjoyed writing updates throughout our trip, but this one is difficult.  I know there are a lot of people back home who are supporting these girls and hurting for them tonight.  We sincerely appreciate you.  I also believe I have a responsibility to keep our support system updated on my take from a heart wrenching evening in Slovakia.

I don't want to write anything tonight.  I just want to take a long shower and go to bed.  But those who have our backs need to be in the loop on this one because it's important that they understand this side of the journey, too.  So, I'm just going to share my thoughts journal-style tonight and do some free flow writing so you might not get many sharable quotes this time.

Twice within an hour, we fell short of what we came here to do.  I fell short to deliver on a couple of unspoken promises and that hurts a lot.  Ali and Macey have been preparing to win gold medals at this event.  Nothing else.  We didn't prepare for any setbacks, but now we have to deal with them.

Both of these girls have paid their dues, put in the time, made the investments and sacrifices.  They've worked hard, worked easy and worked smart.  They've been all over the world in order to put themselves in a position to win a gold medal at junior worlds.  They've spent over 12 months for this day and there have been several people and programs contributing to the process.  However, September 20, 2018 was not kind to us.

The takeaway?  No one deserves anything in this sport and, damn it, life's not fair.

I've heard coaches and motivators talk about making the commitment to excellence and athletes answering or responding with that cliche statement about how, "no one deserves this more than so-and-so."  Well, I'm here to tell you that's not true.  It's a bunch of entitled bull crap.  No one really deserves anything.  Terry Brands spoke to this in his FloFilms documentary.  In wrestling, you don't get what you deserve, you only get what you earn.

I talked about this during an interview on Trackwrestling tonight.  You have to remember, we're dealing with the best in the entire world kind of stuff here.  This is no joke.  We're not trying to win a conference title or a state championship.  Not taking anything away from those accomplishments, but those are small potatoes.  You can't fake your way into winning a gold medal at the world championships.  It just doesn't happen.  And never will.  There's no guarantee that success is waiting for you.  Ever.  There are several people doing everything that they can to prepare for the opportunity to win that gold medal.  And at the end of the day, they will only hand out one.

The standard is the best in the world.  That's 7.442 billion people.  This is a high stakes game.

What are the investments these two have made?  By the time they turned 17 and 18 years old, they had moved away from their families, sacrificed academic opportunities, invested in becoming the Total Athlete (body, mind and soul), lived clean lifestyles, adjusted diets and strength/conditioning programs and friend groups, traveled all over the globe and did everything within their entire being to become the best that they can be...and all of that only gives them the chance to reach their dreams.

I don't think the "rest of the world" understands what that means.  It looks differently for each of these girls, but they have literally done everything in pursuit of this goal.  Every. Thing. Only for the chance to reach it.

Isn't that a scary place to choose to live?  These girls put in a maximum amount of effort with no guaranteed return on their investment.  They bet the farm everyday.  They go all in.  Only so that they can have the opportunity to risk all of it.  There aren't many teenagers that can identify with this kind of life.

You cannot experience true satisfaction in reaching your goals unless you've dared so greatly that it might cost you everything in the pursuit of them.  However, it hurts so incredibly bad when you don't reach that goal.  The highs are high and the lows are low.

That's the real life that we're dealing with here, my friends.  And tonight our hearts are broken.

But it's worth it.  Because it's only in these moments that you gain the strength to persevere for the next opportunity and to be ready if the chance is there again.  Rising strong starts with accepting risk and being willing to fall time and time again (Brene Brown).  And it forces you to operate from a posture of humility and to gain a healthy perspective on the "big picture."

After all is said and done, it comes down to what God is doing in us and through us.  It always does.  Didn't we talk about that yesterday?  Things are sticky and teary, but our joy?  It's down in our hearts where it's always been.  That doesn't make the pain go away.  And the truth is, the hurt these girls are feeling tonight might never leave their hearts.  They might only gain tolerance for it and, if they're lucky and wise, be able to contextualize it some time down the road.

Big picture: we don't get what we deserve and I'm grateful for that.  Jesus suffered and died on a cross, taking upon Himself what we deserve.  "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all" - Isaiah 53:6

Big picture: life isn't fair (especially when awful calls don't go our way), and for that I'm thankful.  Fair?  We've made some ridiculous mistakes and it's not fair that God still sees me as pure and blameless, but that's my identity in Him.

So, I guess I'll end this stream of consciousness and try to get some sleep so we can give it one more push tomorrow to stand on that podium.  As I was writing, I listened over and over to one of my favorite songs of all-time, "Table for Two" by Caedmon's Call.  Here's how the song ends:

Well, this day's been crazy
But everything's happened on schedule
from the rain and the cold
to the drink that I spilled on my shirt.
'Cause You knew how You'd save me
before I fell dead in the garden,
And you knew this day
long before You made me out of dirt.

And You know the plans that You have for me
And You can't plan the end and not plan the means.
And so I suppose I just need some peace,
Just to get me to sleep.