We walked around the house and measured. Lots of discussion and thought went into the next half hour. How many boards would we need? Can we cut them in half and have them serve the same purpose but go farther? Do we have the right screws? How about the correct type of nail gun and nails? What about trim board? Do we need to purchase the trim, or do we have enough stashed away somewhere?

So much thought goes into a new project. Before the work begins, tons of brainstorming and collection of resources must happen. Anticipation and prepping the space along with hardware store trips occur. Professionals, blogs, instructions, and videos are consulted. The job is planned. Resources are rounded up. Tools acquired. Help sought.

Just like a project, as I look down the road in my own life, I can anticipate some of the things that might come my way. As I plan and prepare, not only can I make big decisions like paring down or saving money, but I need to also look at the deeper parts that might be involved. Am I emotionally and spiritually ready for the changes coming? Are there possible events that could happen that I’ve been dreading or looking forward to for a long time? Have I processed hurts and joys connected with the events? Or when they hit, will I be stuck and stunted?

There is great value in looking ahead and working on changes that need to happen now. Do I need to be healthier or more active by a certain time? Then I need to start now. Do I anticipate a deep hurt being opened when something happens? Then I need to address the hurt now. Do I have a particular chink in my armor that could flare up and emotionally sabotage a good situation for someone else because I’m scared, insure, or fearful? Then I need to do business with the emotions now.

In the same way we prepare for a project, we need to also prepare for future possibilities. We know our tendencies. We also know our strengths and weaknesses. As we look down the road and see an area we can focus on improving right now, why put it off? Let’s get ourselves ready now before life hits and we totally fall apart. There’s no time like the present.