Best Laid Plans

 
'Best laid plans' How often have we used this phrase over the years? But do we know its origin?

These words are taken from Robert Burns' poem 'To a Mouse'. Scotland national bard was born on the 25th January 1759 to a poor tenant farmer in Ayr. The eldest of seven children he often had to take on heavy farm work. This left him with a premature stoop and a weakened constitution. Luckily for posterity he focused on the less physically arduous task of writing and left us with  many well known pieces such as such as 'Old Lang Syne' and 'My Love Is Like a Red Red Rose'.

Food for reflection this January as we plan our year ahead perhaps?
How often indeed do 'the best laid schemes of man gang aft aglay'!
On the contrary how often do the more improbable plans of God triumph.
We are reminded of the words of the harvest hymn;
'We plough the fields and scatter the good seed on the land
But it is fed and watered by God's almighty hand.'

Let's pray then, that the plans that we are making this month are the ones that God wants to nourish. Plans that will bring real joy to others. For 'the best laid schemes of mice and men'  only-  as the bard so rightly says-
'gang aft aglay.'