IT HAPPENS

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES

This morning, I missed my 5:00 a.m. alarm clock. Fortunately, I woke up in time for work, but I did not get to enjoy my morning coffee, read a chapter in my current book, work on any graduate school tasks, or any of the other things that make for a good morning. I felt frustrated. 

Oh, well. 

We often get caught up in the small inconveniences of life — the spilled coffee, the missed alarm, the unexpected detour on the way to work. In the moment, these frustrations feel monumental, even catastrophic, because they disrupt the sense of control we crave over our day.

I have always considered myself a night owl, but I have made positive strides in a different direction during the 2025 calendar year — at least thus far. I am enamored by the progress made during the first couple of weeks, including multiple mornings of early risings and sequential accomplishment of tasks before daybreak. 

My mornings feel sacred — not because they are perfect, but because they set the tone for my day. There’s something peaceful about sipping my coffee in the quiet, reading a chapter of a book that stirs my imagination, or ticking off a small task that makes me feel accomplished before the world even wakes up.

Missing that this morning felt like losing my anchor. It’s not just the tasks themselves that matter, but the intention behind them. My morning routine is my chance to reflect, to grow, and to prepare myself mentally and spiritually for what lies ahead. Without it, I feel like play catch-up all day.

But maybe that’s the lesson. Life doesn’t always operate on my schedule, and while routines are valuable, they shouldn’t become rigid to the point of stress. Missing my morning ritual today reminded me that flexibility is just as important as structure. Even without it, the day moved forward — and I could still choose to make the most of it.

Sugarland is my go-to band. Jennifer Nettles is authentic and sings about so many of the things that I relate to. As I hit the road this morning after scrambling to get ready, I shuffled my favorite band, and the song resonated especially well. 

🎶 "Missed my alarm clock ringing ... now it's poor me, why me, oh me, boring ... the same old, worn-out blah blah story. There's no good explanation for it at all. Ain't no rhyme or reason, no complicated meaning. Ain't no need to overthink it; let go laughing. Life don't go quite like you planned it, we try so hard to understand it. Irrefutable, indisputable fact is ... it happens."

What beautiful existence it is? Regardless of our desires, our goals, our happiness — life happens. It happens. 

I am reminded of Jeremiah 29:11: "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord. 'Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.'" As life happens, God does not guarantee us happiness, but he does ensure we will feel comforted by His presence and strength that He provides. 

We can rest in knowing that His plans for us are greater than any plans we can concoct on our own. When something happens, it could be for a positive purpose. For years, I have heard stories about people whose lives were sparred from tragedy because the traffic heading into town was heavy, or they had to drop their children off at school, or any other typical cause for frustration. 

These moments remind me that what we see as roadblocks may actually be detours for our protection or even preparation for something greater. They are a reminder that we don’t always need to understand the “why” to trust the process. God often works in ways we can’t see, and even in our frustrations, He’s still guiding us.

The small things in life are trivial in the grand scheme of things. We are put here not to work as professionals, but to do God's work. When we focus less on perfection and more on pursuing Him, we become greater people. 

The same idea exists in another Sugarland song. 

🎶 "I could work my life away, but why? I got things to do before I die." 

When I head on a trip for the fourth time in three months, my mother reminds me that we work to live, and that it is dangerous when we live to work. For lack of other terms, do not lose sight of what matters to you at the end of the day. There are a lot of things we cannot control, but our outlook is something we can. 

When things do not go your way, or you sleep late, or traffic is heavy, consider the bigger picture and control your outlook. 



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