Friday, July 9, 2010

Change Happens ...

The only thing constant in life is change.  Francois de la Rochefoucauld (French classical author 1613 - 1680). 

Have you ever thought about this quote? It’s very profound, confusing and contradictory all at the same time. According to Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary, the word constant means: continually occurring or recurring (regular, orderly, methodical) and the word change means: to make different in some particular. Putting these two words together now from the dictionary definitions makes sense. Well, at least to me it does.

Change happens whether we’re ready for it or not.

I’ve been thinking about “change” a lot lately. Seems like I hear more and more people think of “change” in a negative way now. But “change” does not have to possess a negative connotation.

God’s Word talks about “change”. Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove that what is good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. II Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.

Maybe one of the most profound passages regarding “change” is found in Ecclesiastes 3 To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck that which is planted. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. Throughout these verses, “change” is occurring.

Without change there is no growth. Without change there is no moving forward. Without change we become desolate. Just as the seasons change from Spring to Summer; then Summer to Autumn; then Autumn to Winter; then Winter to Spring … so we must experience change.

Granted, some changes in our lives are almost unbearable to walk through. And I’ll post on some of our experiences later. But, right now I want to focus on the fact that (whether we like it or not, and whether we accept it or not) change happens.

As our daughter was approaching the end of her high school days and the beginning of college, I read a wonderful book titled Learning to Let Go by Carol Kuykendall. She showed me that my daughter was God’s child first – He was just allowing Granddad and me to raise her in her earthly home. If she fell, He would pick her up … If she made a mistake, He would forgive her … If she could be an inspiration to others, He would lead her. How I regret not reading this book when she was younger. I highly recommend this book to anyone experiencing the seasonal changes with children (no matter how old or young your child).

Okay, don’t want to go off on a tangent, so …

Another favorite of mine is Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson. We had originally gotten this book for the ‘Joe’s as they were preparing for the unknown of military life. One afternoon I decided I would ‘take a look at it’ myself. To my surprise, I couldn’t put the book down! I plan on writing a post devoted to a review of this book, but I recommend it to anyone who is facing change in their life – any type. Granddad and I both know that one day the ‘Joe’s will be stationed to a post, but we don’t know ‘where’, so we are facing having an empty house without the high energy-level days of a toddler running around. Not sure how far away they will be moving. There’s some unknown changes we will be faced with, so we’re trying to anticipate some of those now. But again, there’s some change that we simply cannot plan for. But I have found through reading this short book, I can accept change a little better – a lot better – than I had in the past.

Change can be a difficult road to walk, but it can occur quietly, at it’s own pace, and sometimes unsuspectingly. I may not always like ‘change’, but I trust that God knows the plans that (He) has for (me) (Jeremiah 29:11). The day that change doesn’t happen to me, is the day that I will meet my Savior.

2 comments:

Sheila Atchley said...

Oh holy cow!!

You left the most lovely comment on my blog, letting me know that the Lord led you there.

Well, honey, let me tell you that He led me right back to YOU. I so needed this post today. I am in the very midst of titanic change - and some of it is heart rending. NOT what I planned, not what I wanted.

I am so going to find this book you recommend...(the first one)...

Thank you for having the courage to post so honestly and beautifully. And thank you for leaving a comment on my blog!

Susan said...

Isn't God just so awesome! I know that I've made a new friend this week, and I look forward to getting to know you.

The book Learning to Let Go is wonderful! Like I said, I really wish I would have read it before daughter was getting ready to graduate from high school. Sometimes I forget that if I love her "this" much, then her Heavenly Father must love her "THIS" much more.

I'm so glad you stopped by my blog -- not sure how often I'll post, but I love your thoughts!