I'm one of those people who often takes a long time to make a decision. Once I do, I want to stay the course unless there's an overriding reason to change.

In other words, when challenges, difficulties or unexpected twists happen, I don't always adjust rapidly – or gracefully. And I'm in a line of work when allowing room for the unexpected is a given. So, I'm learning rigidity is for furniture, bridges and walls – not plans.

As I write this, we're still waiting on a predicted severe winter storm. Well, severe for around these parts in Mississippi. The current forecast is for up to 10 inches to fall in temperatures at or below freezing for at least a day, then other frozen precipitation to drop at decreasing intensities for at least another day and a half.
About a day and a half ago, I came to peace with the idea of staying nimble though this was the best plan.

So when ...

And this thought got interrupted by a series of texts to and from my wife in which we discussed picking her up from the airport after a mechanical issue grounded the plane she was going to fly on a day early due to the forecast weather. Plan B would be for us to drive to Memphis, where her connecting flight to Oklahoma City would be.
Two miles into the pickup run, I get another text: The plane is working and about to take off to Memphis.

How does this apply to my "One Word" for 2011? It's about releasing the notion of control over every single circumstance I encounter and that interruptions are not personally-aimed affronts but opportunities.
So I'll keep the phone nearby and listen for the next potential wrinkle in this predicted winter drama expected to play out over the next 36 to 48 hours or so.

And as I was doing a final read on this post, our dog, Hershey, swallowed an unfilled balloon. Yes, you read right. Will monitor his condition over the next 48 hours and hope it doesn't get stuck in his system. Please pray he passes it without incident.
Stay tuned!

What areas of your life do you need to allow a little slack in the rope so as to allow for opportunity to grow and not get choked out by self-focused attempts at control?