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Best Laid Plans

Album: 35: The Big Picture

Episode: 455

Lesson/Theme: God's plans sometime differ from ours

Bible Verse: Proverbs 16:9

Characters: Connie, Jason, Tom

Writer: Marshal Younger

Sound Designer: Bob Luttrell

Original Air Date: November 11, 2000

Last Air Date: October 12, 2009

Description:
Connie and Tom are distraught at the Timothy Center as they find that their guest speaker, Jason Whittaker isn't going to be coming and Connie will have to deal with dozens of gang members from Connellsville on her own. Jason, meanwhile, has gotten stuck in the mud taking a back road and comes to the house of a boy named Josh. When Josh's mom arrives, she invites him in and gives him some dry clothes to wear. Back at the Timothy Center, things aren't going very well. Connie tries singing, but that doesn't seem to work with the gang members. A talent show ends up with one guy giving an impersonation of another gang that nearly leads to a riot. Back at Josh's house, Josh is trying to put a model together with Jason's help, but Jason seems to be too busy looking out the window. When Josh explains that was just what his dad used to do before he left, Jason concentrates more on the plane. He even offers to help them some work around the house. Connie's still having troubles back at the Timothy Center, however. Tony from one gang gets up to give a silly "testimony" and then Leslie, one of the gang leaders gets up. Connie is nervous about letting him speak, but he reads a touching poem that he has written. Everyone is inspired. Back at Josh's house, the three of them are playing Monopoly when Eugene arrives to pick Jason up. Jason invites Josh to Whit's End sometime. Josh's mom says she's sorry that Jason missed his meeting, but Jason says that he isn't. When he finally gets to the Timothy Center, Connie has similar sentiments. God had something better in mind than what either of them had planned.

Questions:
Why was Connie so disappointed when she first found out that Jason would be late? How do you think the night may have turned out differently if Jason wasn't late to the Timothy Center? God's plans often differ from the plans we have already set up. What are some situations in the Bible where people had to change their plans because God told them too?