Lord Willing and Health Permitting

Not since 9/11 has the sky been so full of ash as it is now that a volcano has erupted in Iceland. As a result, more than a million travelers have been stranded in airports or forced to postpone their plans. That's because jet engines can choke on the volcanic particles floating towards Scandinavia, Russia and Europe.

It's a necessary reminder that "a person plans her course, but the Lord determines her steps." That's why we should always add, "The Lord willing and health permitting" whenever we talk about the future.

Take my friend, Liz. She had joked that she was really looking forward to getting her first government cheque upon turning 65. She died one day before her birthday, only two weeks after she found out that her pain was not due to gall stones, as everyone thought, but liver cancer. Whatever retirement plans she had with her husband, John, were radically changed. Thankfully, her Christian faith enabled her to say, "I'm OK. I'm going home to my Saviour and Lord!"

The old Latin expression is "Deo volente." It means "God willing." And it's a phrase that unexpected events like volcanic eruptions and fatal diseases remind us to say whenever we make plans or envision our preferred future.