Making Change

Wow, there is a whole group of our populace out there who really don't like change! Change is never easy, especially if you've become a creature of habit. Most of us do plod along on the paths of our daily grinds and are perfectly content to have that path be the same day in and day out but the moment the path changes, look out world. It kind of reminds me of the scene in the movie, "A Bugs Life" when the seed fell in the path of the ant and he was totally lost! Remember that one? He absolutely freaked out because it was different and he didn't think that he could find his way. With a little coaxing he was finally able to take a different path for a bit, which led him right back to the old one and "voila" he was again right on his way. We just don't like any kind of disruption to our routine do we? But just think of that ant, if he hadn't taken the alternate path, he would have held up the whole works and the job at hand would never have been completed. Change is sometimes a distasteful thing in our mouths but it is ultimately what is needed in order for us to go further. Who among us parents absolutely "loved" potty training their children? If you answered, " oh I did!" then I really would be hard pressed to believe you because that particular phase was not fun at all. But, if you hadn't taught and trained them to independently use the facilities, well it is a ridiculously ugly thought to picture a 16 year old in diapers isn't it! Change is necessary and it always comes with a price! Our relationships with our spouses change over the years and they either get wonderful or seemingly irreparable! The process always comes with a cost that we usually don't love but for change to take place, change is necessary! I would never want to live my life in the same old "rut" day in and day out just because it was easy for me and didn't "inconvenience" me in any way. I would never grow! I for one want to learn and grow so that I can mature into the person that God desires me to become! I think a lot about Jesus as he was in the Garden of Gethsemane just before his crucifixion. He "knew" change was coming for us all, himself included, and he agonized over it to the point of sweating blood. But, if he had not gone forward and done what he did, then what hope would we have? The one who suffered the ultimate change for us had to change in order for us to get to the place that God has destined for us to go! Final note; I'm soooo glad that I'm not typing this note on my old manual typewriter without "auto correct"! We have progressed to the lovely little IPad and for that change, I am truly thankful! So the next time that something in our daily routine changes, take a deep breath and say to yourself, "change is good, I need change"! It will not be easy, but then, change usually never is!  

Insight Insert:  My challenge to you this week is to "shake up your routine" a bit! In your daily comings and goings try and make some changes. (Note to self. . . This will not be easy) Ex: If you get up at 7:00 am, then try and get up at 6:00 for just this week. Use your extra hour to do something like a load of wash etc. so that the extra time doing laundry later can be spent with family. If you use a bit too much sugar on a daily basis then try to cut sugar from your diet this week and see how you feel at the end of the week. See, I can already hear your thoughts!!! Change isn't easy but it always leads to growing experiences that may just be what the doctor ordered. 

Scripture:  Romans 12: 2.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.