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.

234th Independence Day

This weekend has found me being even more thankful for this great country that I live in. In a few moments of spare time here and there, I've found myself drawn to youtube.com watching various videos honoring our military and their families. I've read various facebook status updates supporting our military, being thankful for our country, wishing the USA a Happy Birthday. Here's a couple of status updates that have stuck with me today:

Thank you Lord for allowing me to be born in the USA.

(Why is it that God, in all of His power and glory, allowed me to be born in the United States of America? I've often studied this question in my mind. Although I do not know the answer, I am thankful for my great country and especially to God for allowing me to call this country my earthly home.)

~Regarding the Declaration of Independence:  I can't help but wonder though that it seems sad now to read this. Do we really believe ALL MEN are created equal and have these rights? Or just AMERICANS? People of other countries ought to just fend for themselves. Isn't that the attitude many Americans carry around these days? We are more valuable? We are the only ones that have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? So yeah. Lets turn a blind eye to dictators in other countries and groups like the Taliban who live to kill. Who cares if no one else has these rights. America has it. That's all that matters right? Just food for thought. We take freedom for granted most of the year while others only dream of it.

(There is a reason why the United States of America has stood the test of time for the past 234 years. God has blessed us as a nation, and we have stood up for those who cannot stand up for themselves against corruption and tyranny. May we as a nation continue in our endeavors to be the voice for those who have lost their voice.)

At the end of the day on this July 4th as Granddad and I listen to the fireworks from down the road, I am very thankful for God, my family and my country. We cannot say Thank You enough to those who serve and those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in protecting our country and being the voice to the innocent people who have no rights.

I'll close with one of the many videos I've watched and cried over this weekend. Praying for our troops and their families ... remembering their sacrifices.

Thanksgiving in July

I know -- we’ve all heard of “Christmas in July”, but why ‘Thanksgiving in July’?  Today as I was driving home from having a late lunch with Granddad, I started thinking about all that I have to be thankful for.  And I was overwhelmed to say the least!  I know that I will not include everything that I am thankful for, but I just need to write this list now. So, here’s just a beginning of my ‘Thanksgiving in July’:

~~~ God is still on His Throne … With everything going on in the world today I know Who wins in the end.  And I’m so very thankful that He has a home waiting for me.

~~~ Godly children … Our daughter and son-in-law both are children of God. Over the past 5 years, we have seen them rely on God for their every need.  And even now, not knowing what lies ahead, they are allowing God to be their Guide. We told them from the beginning that their marriage was between God and them – and they have put Him at the center. Lucy is being brought up to trust in God for everything she needs. What a blessing to see their family serving God and our country!

~~~ Parents … Both of us still have our parents living.  We are very close to my parents, and having them within an hour and a half in physical distance is a blessing. There are so many young children who will never know a parent. So for us to have come this far in our lives with our parents is truly a blessing. I know that whatever may come our way, I can always count on my parents being a support for us.

~~~ Health … Granddad and I are still in very good health (despite a few little quirks). We have family and friends who are battling health issues including cancer, recovering from horrific wrecks, depressions and various other diseases and the list goes on.  Although we have no idea what we may face in the future, right now we are very healthy and praise God for this.

~~~ Career … Granddad has worked for several different companies, but his current firm takes a different approach:     family is important.  The company has grown and prospered over the past 13 years that he has been there – God is good!  I’m thankful that he followed the career path that God had laid out for him.  He could have easily taken another road, but this is where God wanted him all along.

~~~ Childhood … Yes, I am very thankful for my childhood. I’ll write more about this later, but here’s just a little synopsis:  my parents and I lived with my Granny and youngest Aunt until I started 2^nd grade.  One Aunt lived beside Granny with her family (2 girls), my Uncle lived behind Granny (2 girls), another Aunt lived just ‘around the hill’ (2 girls, 1 boy), and another Aunt lived a few miles away (1 boy, 1 girl).  (I am 8 ½ years older than my sister, so she basically grew up with one of my cousin’s son).  My Granny showed us that the most important aspect in life is relationships.  I am still very close to my family even though we live several hours away.

~~~ Church … We have been a part of different churches over the past 26 years of our marriage.  It’s always been very important to us to have a ‘home church’. Our current ministry is like no other that we have experienced. Our mission is to “reach those who have been untouched or unaffected by traditional churches, and bring them to be fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.”         Every aspect of our ministry is met with one question “How is this reaching those who have been untouched by churches?”  God is bigger than the box we put Him in.  And He can use even the smallest aspect to reach someone within our grasp.

~~~ Prayers … It used to be that when a person asked if someone could pray for him/her, it was automatically assumed “what in the world is wrong?”  I am so past this … Every single one of us needs prayers. If it weren’t for prayers, I couldn’t make it through even one day. I appreciate it and am very thankful when someone comes up to me and says “you have been on my mind lately, and I just want you to know that I’m praying for you and your family.”  I believe that God knows what I need before I know what I need. Why wouldn’t He have His people praying for me when I don’t even know what I need? So, for those who pray for me and my family – I can just humbly say Thank You.

~~~ My husband … Okay, so I did save this for last. One of my previous blog posts tells 'the story of' Granddad and me . But I want to elaborate just a little. I have watched my husband become a child of God after we first got married.  And I’ve seen as situations, crises and events have challenged and grown my husband into the man of God he is today. He works hard for his family and never complains during the extremely busy times. He always makes time for our family no matter how hectic things get at the office. He is a God-fearing, God-loving, God-devoted man.  He uses his gifts and talents to honor and glorify God in church.  He will be the first to tell you that he never knew what 'playing music' was all about, until he started playing to the audience of One -- our Lord Jesus Christ. I simply cannot imagine going through this journey of life with anyone else but him. My husband is my best friend, and I love him dearly and have the utmost respect for him. God truly blessed me with Granddad.

Sometimes when life gets at a hectic, chaotic level, a little Thanksgiving may be just what is needed.  Paul wrote (Philippians 4:11)  Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.  My prayer is that when I am having a down moment, then to start thanking God for all of His blessings He has given to me. God is so very good, and I am so very blessed.  

Happy Thanksgiving in July!

Standing with ACUs, Stiletto Shoes and Pretty Pink Tutus

Last night we had a family celebration -- the 'unofficial' ending of 'Joe's contract with the National Guard.   The official release is still a few days away, and that day is only a few days from marking the 'Joe's 5 year anniversary of when they began dating. Throughout this time, he was training for deployment, deployed after a week of marriage, spent his first year of marriage in the war zone, came home for 3 weeks then off for another 2 years for the unaccompanied orders as a predeployment trainer, then back home for the past 15 months with his regular NG unit. Has it been only 5 years?

Being an insider to the daily occurrences of the past 5 years, I've developed a new level of appreciation for our military and their families.  The sacrifices these families make to protect our country, our freedoms, our safety ... it's beyond anything I can put into words.  Some families have paid the ultimate sacrifice. And I could never even begin to repay them or even thank them for their loved ones' service. 

We do not know the exact next step for the 'Joe's. We do not know where their post will be. We do not know what 'Joe's mission will be. But we do know that we stand with ACUs, Stiletto Shoes, and Pretty Pink Tutus . The 'Joe's are just one family who are living for something much larger than themselves. Granddad and I stand with not only them, but with all of our military families.

When I'm out & about, and see someone in a military uniform, I try my best to shake their hand & thank them for their service to our country.  God put many troops in my path when 'Joe was deployed.  Once I was grocery shopping & met a young recruiter.  He & I chatted for a little bit, and he told me that he really wanted to go back on a deployment.  He had been in the war-zone for 2 deployments, but wanted to go back with all his heart.  I told him that I was shopping for 'Joe's care-package, so the young recruiter glanced in my basket to see what his fellow serviceman was in store for.  Then, he put his arm around my shoulders & said "You did good, Mom. I can tell you that this is exactly what he needs over there."  I then explained that I always send extra for 'Joe to give to his buddies, and his reply was "On behalf of those young men, thank you for thinking of them. Unfortunately some of our troops don't have families to look out for them, so just know that it is appreciated." 

I never saw this young recruiter after that, but his words have always stayed with me. Granddad & I simply cannot fathom that some of our military go without support when they are in the middle of protecting our country and our freedom.  As a Mother & a Granny, my heart hurts for these troops. 

 

Unimaginable

As you think of our troops, please also remember their families.  Mrs 'Joe & Lucy are as much our heroes as 'Joe.  Sacrifices are made by the entire family of those who serve & protect our country.   

Please remember all of our military & their families in your prayers.  They voluntarily serve our country.  A simple act of kindness goes a long way to them. 

May God bless our military & our home-front heroes.   

 

Breaking Tradition...Happy Father's Day, Honey!

June 1986 was the first Father's Day card I bought for my husband. Our daughter was 4 months old, and I was so excited to pick him out the perfect cards -- one from baby-girl to her Daddy and one from a loving wife to her husband. That year the tradition began and lasted ....... well, until this year.

I felt the somewhat uncontrollable urge at Wal Mart or Target to grab a card for my wonderful husband.

I know that it's 'just a card' that really doesn't even come close to expressing my respect, thankfulness and love for the Daddy of my grown daughter and Granddad of little Lucy. 

But still ... it's been tradition for the past 24 years! 

Okay, it's time for me to get over it. Either go out and buy a card or continue this blog post.

Well, here's a few reasons why words just cannot describe how thankful 

I am for my husband, my daughter's Daddy, my granddaughter's Granddad:

Proud new Daddy ....

                                                     

  Always having a great time together!

Time sure flew by fast.

The proud Granddad!

The bond is strong between Lucy and her Granddad.

                                                                                                            

Then and now ... 

Happy Father's Day, Honey ~~~ I love you!

A Generation Thing ...

I am so blessed to share a special relationship with my granddaughter Lucy Michaela. I know how cliche that sounds, and I know that many people will be rolling their eyes. So, let me give a little background on a couple of reasons why this relationship is special to me.

For the first 7 years of my life, my parents and I lived with my Granny and my Mother's youngest sister. With my Mother and Daddy both working, I stayed with my Granny. She and I had a special relationship. Through many years, she taught me that relationships are the most important aspect of life. It didn't matter how much or how little we had in material things, but what mattered was our relationship to each other. Some of my best memories are of sitting on her back porch in the swing and listening to her tell stories of her childhood, raising her family, and our home town. We would work side-by-side in her garden (green beans, potatoes, corn...), water her many flower beds, or sit and just watch the birds and listen to God's creation. Many good childhood memories.

Although our daughter didn't have the same childhood experience as I had, she has a special relationship with her Grandma (my Mother). Spring breaks, Christmas breaks, summer weeks, long weekends ... time for Grandma's and Grandpa's house! The first time she stayed with her grandparents, she was only a couple of weeks old. Granddad and I traveled for a few days on job interviews that would eventually send us out of state. But, even though several hours separated us, the relationship actually grew very strong. Grandma kept up with the middle school/high school fashion trends, the makeup (age-appropriate), and Barnes & Noble (and their coffee too). Even to this day, the relationship bond between Grandma and her granddaughter is very strong. (Grandma even drove an hour and a half, through morning rush hour traffic, to the hospital when I called to let them know that Lucy Michaela was going to make her appearance that day! Grandpa couldn't come, but we were so glad that Grandma did.)

So now, this brings me to Lucy and her Granny. For one, granddaughter Lucy is named in honor of my Granny Lucy. This has meant a great deal to me and my Mother. My daughter was my Granny's first great-granddaughter, and to have my Granny's first great-great-granddaughter named for her is an honor. My Granny was a hands-on person -- she was active in all of her grandkids lives. She showed us all (her children and her grandchildren) just how important relationships are in a family. And this is what I want to show my daughter and my granddaughter. I never want to be too busy that I can't take time for my family. And although the 'Joes will be moving to a military post, Granddad & I want our relationship with them to grow stronger just like our daughter's relationship with her G'Ma and G'Pa.

 

Relationships take time to build, nurture and maintain. Although we all find ourselves with many other responsibilities, our relationships with family (and friends) are very important to pass down to our future generations. How will they learn if we don't show them?

Social Media: My New Respect

Facebook ... Twitter ... blogs ... CaringBridge ... emails ...
I'm learning with each passing day that social media may not be such the enemy that I had prematurely thought. The past week has given me some new respect for this main-stay in my life. Here's some of what I've come to realize that I can do:

~~~ Review headlines from sites of my choosing

~~~ Engage in real-time 'conversations' with my friends at any given time

~~~ Share pictures of my family through albums/wall photos and don't have to worry about acid-free paper/albums

~~~ Pray for friends who are hurting

~~~ Enjoy doing something new

~~~ Connect with people whom I've lost touch with over the years

~~~ Touch people's hearts by listening to theirs

These are just a few ways that I have new respect for the social media that has crept upon me. I want to challenge myself in this media aspect to utilize social networking as a means to connect and share with others. My 'community' grows smaller everyday as I expand my acceptance and participation in our world of social media.

I joke with Granddad that my desired career is to be a hermit. But that's not what God put us on this Earth for. We need to fellowship and build relationships with others so that we can collectively and individually worship Him. We weep with them who weep; and rejoice with them that do rejoice. And Where two or more are gathered in my name, there I am also. God can work in the social media realm ... it's just up to us to allow Him to use it in whatever way He sees fit.