Change is BEAUTIFUL

Do you resist change?

  In times of change, people often offer us great advice.  My favorite statement made to me when I was freaking out about my life being uprooted again was "The only thing you can count on is change."  Well, thank you.... I had no idea.  How about "Pull up your big girl panties and soldier on."  That one was really helpful.  It just conjures images of granny panties and drill sergeants.  Nope.  Not helping.  "Just keep swimming."  Yes, I know that perseverance often pays off.  I will actually admit to saying this to someone.  *facepalm*  Sorry, poor stressed out friend.  I ran out of useful things to say  that day.  Please forgive me.
  Change comes in many forms.  Children growing older, adding to your family, loosing members of your family, moving, changing careers, making better life choices, and finding a new normal are only a tiny sampling of the changes going on in the lives of people around me.  In my life, we are settled in and trying to change habits, live differently, constantly improve as a family, waiting on the next thing the Army has planned for my husband, and trying to figure out where we all belong.  It feels like we only have moments of stillness in between our lives getting shaken up.
  It isn't always easy to see the good in the changes we go through.  Some things are so difficult to go through, we can't even imagine what is on the other side of the hurdle.  Sometimes we can't see that a future is even possible.  Why do we think that in the midst of the most stretching parts of our lives, we are alone?  Where is God in the middle of change?  He reminds us in Hebrews 13:5 that He will never leave us, or forsake us.  Does that mean that we won't experience frustration or stress?  Nope.  That means that we need to press in, to lean on Him even more.  Psalm 55:2 says cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.  If it seems like a situation is too crazy to handle alone, it's because it is.  We aren't meant to live this life alone.  We are meant to live it in and with the Lord, and with the people He placed around us.  Allowing friends and family to come in and love on us in the midst of life change is a good thing.  Some of us just need to feel useful.  Just sayin'.

That is a promise that you can hold on to.  I know this to be true.

  The thing that I have found to be beautiful in change is that I am never the same person.  Duh, right?  Stay with me here.  There is such a rich experience in taking whatever we have gone through and learning from it.  We become stronger, we love more, we realize what is truly important in our lives.  I am in the middle of trying to change a lot in my life.  The process is long, and rarely ever easy, but I know that every step I take toward becoming the woman I hope to be someday, is worth it.  I know that even in the middle of the process, I am a better wife, a better mother, and a better friend.  It is never comfortable, but who said life was going to be simple?  We would never have the saying "that's life," if it was easy. 

  I think we would all struggle with our lives so much more if everything always stayed the same.  How could we ever appreciate how amazing life is, if things never got shaken up?  

  I am so thankful that my life has changed so much in the past few years.  I have had healing in relationships in my life that I never ever thought would be restored.  I have learned to see others through God's eyes.  I took of my judgmental legalistic lenses and saw with fresh eyes.  Amazing.  

Life is beautiful.

(but that's another day's topic)

Thanks for sticking with me and reading my blog.  I tend to type as I speak, which is pretty disjointed and awkward, but I hope you can see the sincerity.  I really hope you are noticing the beauty around you.  There is a lot of it.

Blessings,
Mandy