Never

I believe God wonders why we make the effort to dictate to Him the particulars of what we will do and not do in our life. The greatest biblical example of this was the prophet Jonah. He said “no” to Nineveh. He even tried to escape there on a ship, ended up in the belly of a huge fish (no whale mentioned), and was spit up on the shore of guess what destination? Nineveh. He was a little more beaten up this time around.

An old Yiddish proverb says, “We plan; God laughs.” Film maker Woody Allen quoted, “If you want to make God laugh tell him about your plans.” During my college days (see The World’s Most Unusual University), I attended a nearby church on Sunday evenings. All I remember about the church is the pastor’s wife was named “Bobbie.” At that time, I remember wondering why a father would give his daughter a boy’s name. Wouldn’t that cause gender identity issue with the little girl?

At that time, Bobbi Lynn McFarlen was a sixteen year-old female living in Rowland Heights, CA, with her family. Around eleven years later after I thought that about the minister’s wife, I married the only woman I could ever love with a first name I once thought was reserved only for boys. I do my best now not to give God my personal agenda. I take a more flexible approach.