Changes for Better or for Worse

There are many quotes about change. Just Google the words Quotes about Change and you'll find plenty of sources. Change is something that affects every single person--whether we like it or not.

In the months since I last updated this blog, I've seen many changes. My country elected a new president and has sworn him into office. Babies have been born and some people have died. Job changes have been made--some voluntary and some not.

I have experienced many of my own changes. I got married. I moved. I sold a house. Now we're in the process of buying another house and will move again. Those are just the highlights of the past few months. Of course, there are many under-the-radar changes that occur to me/us all the time. We age a little every day so our hair and skin begin to change. Our thoughts and beliefs begin to change as we age. Our weight changes daily--sometimes for the better and sometimes not. I could go on and on.

How do we manage with all these changes? I suppose we all have a different tolerance level for change. It may also depend on what sort of changes are occurring to us, too. Good changes are easier to handle than sudden changes such as illness or job loss. Our maturity levels also contribute to how well we handle changes. As far as politics go, I've seen some people handle the changes well and others [ahem] not handle it well AT ALL.

I must confess that having gone through many of my own changes in the past few months it has certainly showed me how mature I am. Although I've handled most of it well, there have been those inevitable times that I did not. When I was weary of the many changes, when I was overly tired, and maybe just a big "hangry" [hungry & angry is not a good combination], my maturity level degraded to that of a stubborn 3-year old. Those were the times I simply wanted to build a blanket fort in my living room, crawl under it, drink chocolate milk, and hide for a while.

I don't really have any huge spiritual insights to add to this post. Typically, that's what my purpose of writing on this blog is about. But, as the title of my blog implies, this is the Maze of My Life right now. I enjoy writing and really want to get back into the habit of doing so. Although, as busy as my schedule has been and may continue to be for a while, it's not likely I'll get back into a regular writing routine anytime soon.

The only thing I do know is that God never changes. He will always love me--even when I act like a stubborn 3-year old. When everything around me is quickly changing, I can always look to Him and trust that God is always there.

Oh, and a patient husband is a huge blessing!!

In Him,

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. Jimmy Dean
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jimmydean131287.html

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. Jimmy Dean
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jimmydean131287.html

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. Jimmy Dean
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jimmydean131287.html

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. Jimmy Dean
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jimmydean131287.html

From Me to We

An interesting thing has happened in the last month. My vocabulary has slowly changed from saying I and Me to Us and We. I'm not sure exactly when that happened, but it evolved slowly.



After several decades of doing life solo...

   After years of waiting and wondering...

      After many years of praying and trusting...

God has allowed a very special man to come into my life. That's how my vocabulary changed from saying Me to We.

It's a rather unusual thing of which to take notice. Most people would probably never consider such a change as significant. However, when one [namely me] is used to always riding off in the sunset like the Lone Ranger ALL. THE. TIME. doing whatever I want to for years on end, it is a curious notion to stop and consider someone else.

On this blog which I have called The Maze of Our Lives, I have always tried to write about the things that I learn about life--the things God is teaching me. I've been rather quiet the past few months, though. Amazingly, I still have visitors stopping by this blog (thank you).

One of the reasons I have blogged less and less is that my life has been changing. Since May there has been planning a move for a family member, the actual moving/road trip, and part-time caring for a family member. That's in addition to a full-time job. And then there is this other new thing: dating.

Both of these circumstances have taught me things about relationships. Allowing people into our everyday lives can present challenges to the status quo. Each situation has taught me how to be patient and understanding. I have been learning to prioritize my time and consider others needs ahead of my own. Each situation has also enriched my life as I step out of the bubble I've lived in for so long.

Paul's words to the Philippians is quite fitting. He's reminding them to be more like Christ. Paul says in chapter 2, verses 3- 5...

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, 

but with humility of mind regard one another 

as more important than yourselves;  

do not merely look out for your own personal interests, 

but also for the interests of others.   

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus."

Jesus surrendered his privileges in order to serve others. And the point of it all...

To shine brightly with the love of Christ so that others can see...

"...it is God who is at work in you, 

both to will and to work for His good pleasure" (Phil 2:13).

I have been blessed by these changes and am grateful to have watched how God has worked out all the little details to make these things happen for His good pleasure. I hope through these changes that I can shine brightly for others to see Christ at work!

For Your Own Good...

"I'm doing it for your own good." 

I'm guessing we've all heard this or said this at least one time.

Photo Source http://www.tvcrazy.net/images/beaver.jpg

I turned on the television one Saturday morning as I was finishing my coffee and watched the last half of an old show called Leave It to Beaver. I like watching these old shows with strong values and families that actually love each other. In this particular episode, Beaver had somehow won a contest and the prize was a sports car--a real car!  When I tuned into the show, Beaver's parents, Ward and June, were discussing how to handle the situation. Obviously Beaver was much too young to have a car so Ward decided he would sell the car and save the money for Beaver's college education. Dad was about to break the news to Beaver.

In the next scene, Ward is in Wally and Beaver's room giving them the bad news. Dad calmly explains the impracticality of the situation and finally ends with the phrase, "I'm doing it for your own good." After Dad leaves the room, Wally asks Beaver why he's crying and making such a fuss since Beaver knew all along he wouldn't be able to keep the car. Beaver's reply was, "Just because it's for my own good doesn't mean it doesn't hurt."

For your own good. 

Don't you just hate hearing those words? That phrase usually follows something we are enjoying, something that is giving us pleasure. Yet, there must have been something about that "thing" which was deemed not quite right or not the best by someone in authority over us. So, for our greater good, that thing (a privilege, toy, snack, etc.) was removed from our life. No amount of crying, complaining, or manipulation helps.

It occurred to me as I was watching this episode that there might be a spiritual application to this scenario. I immediately thought of something God recently asked me to give up. I have been part of the music ministry at my church for many years and have always enjoyed it. Music ministry is a good thing, right? Why would God ask me to give that up? I don't know the answer to that yet. I do know that in the long run it's part of God's plan and it will be for my own good. Did it hurt to give that up? Yes, a little bit. It's not easy to give up something good, something known, something that is part of my identity. But if there is something I've learned in recent months is that quick obedience to the Lord is much more satisfying that trying to ignore or run from God. As I was preparing this post I ran across this quote which seemed so appropriate to use here:

"Every difficult thing that God has asked you to do

is something that will benefit you

in the long run." ~ Joyce Meyer via Twitter

I'll just have to trust that the Lord knows exactly what He's doing. One day I will be able to look back into my rearview mirror and see that it was exactly the right thing to do. Just as Beaver said, "Just because it's for my own good doesn't mean it doesn't hurt."

"A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline,  

a mocker refuses to listen to correction."

Proverbs 13:1

"All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; 

yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields 

the peaceful fruit of righteousness."
Hebrews 12:11

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.  

“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.  

For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, 

 so my ways are higher than your way 

 and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. 

Isaiah 55:8-9

What about you? Has God ever asked you to give up or do something that was good? How did it turn out?

 

 

God Does Not Change

Where does the time go? This maze we traverse called life literally seems to move at warp speed and it is always in constant flux.

Glacier National Park courtesy morguefile.com

I have a full-time day job (which is why I don't post here on a consistent basis) that keeps me quite busy. I'm meeting new people all the time. People I was just starting to know have moved on.

Rules and regulations seems to be constantly changing. The price of gas is constantly changing. Up one week and down the next.

Weather seems to be more extreme each year. Weeks of no rain produce drought.  Then days of rain produce flooding. Temperatures are record-breaking high one week and the following week they're below average for this time of year.

It's all a bit crazy. I cannot count on anything in this world to stay the same. But, I try to remember the things I can count on not changing.

God does not change.

“I am the Lord, and I do not change." ~ Malachi 3:6a

"Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from

God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.

He never changes or casts a shifting shadow." ~ James 1:17

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, 

today, and forever" ~ Hebrews 13:8

 

God's love for me does not change and He is faithful to keep his promises. When the world is constantly changing, I can go to the Word and read these promises knowing He will be faithful to keep these promises.

I will close with a few of these promises.

"Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, 

for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,

surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
Isaiah 41:10

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; 

not as the world gives do I give to you. 

Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."
John 14:27