I have lived long enough to know without a doubt, for certain and for sure, that life changes. If life is too challenging at the moment, or could be that your life today is too boring, just wait a bit. That’s okay sometimes, especially when you are in the midst of a difficult time. But when life is good, it has the audacity to change anyway!

My mind has been on this subject of change for a while now. I suppose many factors have influenced it. There is the changing of the body as it ages. Most recently I have been in contact with my high school buddies, due to the influence of Facebook, and the realization of a 30-year reunion fast approaching. These guys have really changed! Is it that obvious on me too? We are in a season of quick changes, one we watch with some anticipation as the leaves of trees turn, die and fall to the ground. The changing of the hot temperatures to the cooler and the tilting of the earth that causes that change. Creation changes are unending! We just changed the time on our clocks and we are in the beginnings of change in the church’s liturgical calendar. Some of us may be experiencing changes in family situations, jobs, the economy, and the list continues. And at this very moment (of the time of writing), the news of the horrific killings at Ft.Hood, painfully remind us of how quickly life does and will continue to change.

Often times we will hear someone say, “Why can’t things just be different, “or “Why do things always have to change.” Changes can be so unsettling, sometimes causing fear or uncertainties. And in other times we welcome change with jubilation! Life cannot happen without change. It is inevitable.

So the question is not “why changes”, but how to; how to accept, how to handle, how to “weather gracefully”, how NOT to fear them, but instead embrace them.

“Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better.” by King Whitney Jr.

Where do you fit? Are you fearful, hopeful, confident? When you choose to tackle life on your own, that is without having developed and matured your faith in God, then changes will always be unsettling. But when God is the foundation in your life, nothing need be feared. You can approach life with confidence because God has assured you of this. (ref. Romans 8:14-17)

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
Matthew 7:24-27

May you have a full life of changes to embrace!

God loves you immensely!
Tracie

This is an old writing of mine from the Spring of 2000. I was reminded of it yesterday when the birds began their beautiful morning ritual.  Creation is something we must take time to enjoy…

It is just before 6:00A.M. on a new morning, a morning set aside for praise of our glorious and sovereign Lord.

It is still dark as I sit out amongst the beauty of His creation, and I hear but only one bird begin the song. I marvel at its sweetness as it announces, with a melody, this new day.

Everything around me is so peaceful, so still, as if the elements of the earth are awaiting an event.

Then, I hear a second bird as if in response to the first. They speak for awhile, just the two of them, one with a tone of authority, the other seemingly submissive.

I look up into the skies noticing the dawn to appear, a picture so perfect, with colors so clear.

The birds, they are all now singing a chorus of great joy.

It’s a song of great praise to the one who has made the red colors arise out of the expanse of the sky.

Look! There he is! In the east of the heavens; thy Savior appears casting rays of light, showing all of God’s might.

I marvel at its excellence as it continues to rise, God placing His Son in the brilliance of the sky.

I remember now, the one lone bird instructing the other of what must happen for man to awaken.

Now, I see the Son in his place, he shines down on me with the warmth of His face.

It is now that I remember from whence he did come, he arose from earth’s darkness showing all of mankind it is Thine will that must be done.

Now, I know why God made the birds, it is to awaken each day to the glory he hath made.

By looking at the Christ we have our best opportunity to understand life, love, tragedy, and redemption.  RD

The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.
- Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein, one of the greatest human minds at unlocking the mysteries of creation understood the power and beauty of that which is beyond our grasp of understanding.  Maybe it was the beauty of it that kept him thinking and dreaming about the unknown and the keys that unlock the doors of understanding, one at a time.

God is the greatest of all mysteries.  This is why faith is so difficult to understand for those without its comfort.  They cannot own it, or create it with their rules, it is Grace and this is one blessing we cannot control or enforce.  It must be accepted then set free to bless all others.  The minute we tie it down, it is dead, ceases to exist within the borders of our laws.  If we deny others are worthy then we have killed it within our breast.  For Grace comes from the very breath of God, and as Jesus said “we cannot tell which way it will blow.”  Nor is it for us to decide.  Thank God, otherwise we would all be damned by someone!  Seriously, thank God and enjoy the mysterious Grace given to us by our Lord, the Christ.

I am sitting out on a picnic bench surrounded by the Colorado Rockies.   The silence is surreal.  In the quietness, I can hear creation in all it’s glory.  The Rio Grande flows to my left, to the right a strange chirping.  As I look up to the mountain, I see a cross, standing powerfully alone.   This is a beautiful place.

We are on vacation.  We have been to Red River, New Mexico for a couple of days, and now are in Southfork, Colorado, at Goodnight’s Lonesome Dove RV and Cabin Park.  Our cabin is the “Pea Eye”.  At this moment Rick is hiking up the mountain with the camps dog, Rockie.  A great dog!

It feels wonderful to get away from the business of life.  The slow pace a vacation can allow is much needed and we are really good at enjoying it.  It’s October, so we have warm days and cold nights.  My kind of weather!  Neither one of us cares too much about activity.  We are simple that way.  We enjoy the beauty of creation in all its forms.  We did go into Taos, New Mexico a couple of days ago.  We enjoyed it, but after a dozen or so stores, they begin to all look the same.  Rick did find a hat.  I found some earrings and little bracelets for our girls.

Back at home, once again our lives have taken a big turn as Kristin and Kylie and Karlie moved in with us a few weeks ago.  The arrangement has been working out fine.  We are enjoying each one of them immensely.  Yes, we love the privacy afforded us when it was just the two of us.  But it seems God just keeps putting this little family on our doorstep.  We figure there is a reason, and we know they are being raised in a home full of love and affection.  So we will continue as we have been called to do; to minister to the hurting in whatever ways God chooses.

“Do you love me?, asks Jesus of Peter.  “Then feed my sheep.”  God gives many opportunities to us so that we may feed his sheep.  If we are too involved in the business of life, we may well miss those times.  I’m guilty of allowing myself to get too involved in work.  I am trying to be more aware of this and instead to take time out, to look around and to listen.  Vacation has reminded me of that.  Something else I am reminded of…I don’t have to come to the mountains to experience God’s great creation.  Some of His greatest creations can be found right in my home and I can’t wait to give them big hugs and kisses.

God Bless,
Tracie