Change

Ecclesiastes 3:1

I'm sure by now you realize there are some major changes in my life.  I am on my last leg of school and I have quit my job to student teach.  This is a huge change in not only my life, but the life of my family.  We are three days in and I am finding that things are going to be okay.  I had plenty of time to prepare myself for these changes as this is something that has been in the works for a couple of years now.  Quitting my job and starting a new chapter isn't something that took me by surprise.

I can remember clearly three times when I was completely surprised by a change in life.  No...I am not going to say when we found out we were having a baby all three times.

1. When I found out my parents made the decision for me to attend Emporia State University instead of Butler County like I had planned.  This was a very big change in my life because I was just sure I had made that decision based on what was best for me.  I was newly 18 and was very smart.  (Not really)  I needed to get away from my home and fly.  (Or fall on my face a few times)  My parents knew this long before I did.  This was a huge change for me.  I didn't know what to expect when they dropped me off that day, but am so very thankful for the experience.  I learned more about myself in those two years (I met Coach and moved home...you've heard this before) of "falling" than I ever would have learned without the unexpected change.
2. When Coach asked me to marry him...I was completely shocked.  It was a HUGE change in my life that I didn't see coming.  Because I was designed to love him with my whole heart, I didn't even hesitate when he asked me to marry him.  I just said yes.  That unexpected change was probably the best thing that has ever happened to me.  In my areas of weakness...he is strong.  In my areas of strength...he is weak.  We are the perfect balance and we know that our marriage was designed by God.  In the beginning of our marriage (and even now), we have our struggles.  It isn't always easy.  In fact, it is rarely easy.  Our marriage is constantly changing...which is hard for anyone to accept.  Love is what keeps us from turning on each other.  Unconditional love that came from a change in my life I didn't see coming.  
3. When we found out we were going to have Little...our world turned upside down.  I can remember it vividly.  We were done having children.  We'd even taken measures to make that a permanent "thing".  We planned...God laughed.  He had already decided we were going to have another child no matter what we tried to do to stop it.  We were stunned...scared...and resistant to change.  That change (Little) was the best thing that could have happened to our little family.  He is a bright light in our lives and we didn't even know our lives needed a little more light.  God knew though.  God always knows.

You see...unexpected changes can be the best kind.  My devotion today was about that very thing.  Our first reaction to change is negative.  Maybe not for everyone, but for a good majority of us, change is scary.  I like to move furniture in my house when change happens.  It is a weird and quirky thing to do, but it makes me feel better.  I move the furniture, clean the room from top to bottom, redecorate a bit, and then swallow the change.  I'm weird.  I know this.  

Max Lucado says,

Make friends with whatever's next.  Embrace it.  Accept it.  Don't resist it.  Change is not only part of life; change is a necessary part of God's strategy. To use us to change the world, he alters our assignments.  

God makes reassignments.  But he wants you to know:  you'll never face the future without his help.  

That's powerful stuff right there.  

Have a blessed day!

Referee of 3