Change

1 Corinthians 15:51-"Behold I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed."



     What a powerful message we hear in this tiny verse. It isn't the biggest or smallest verse, but to me it is very powerful. We have all heard that there is one thing you can count on in this life, and that is change.  Boy isn't that the truth.

     In this context, the author, Paul, I believe is stating a promise. One that came from God himself The promise that when the end comes, when the final trumpet blows, we will be changed. No longer asleep, brought forth from the grave if we have passed on, and brought into eternity. What a beautiful thought.

     We know that we, "Do not lay up for ourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust destroy, where thieves break in and steal." Matthew 6:19 and I also add where someone can also steal your life. This is not my home. I am not a forever earth dweller. I am promised eternity through my belief in Christ.

     So I know that change is inevitable. It is the one thing I can always count on. Changes in life such as where you live, where you work, friends, even changes to families as we add family members, and as some move on from this life to the next. There are changes in so many things on a daily basis. Being flexible is a must.

     SO, this brings me to my subject and why I am writing about change.  This last year for me has been constant change. It has meant moving from one home to another, all while trying to deal with my dad's health decline and eventual death.  Job change, going from one clinic to another and than getting out of clinical work all together. New life, adding new family members to our family. Our oldest son expecting his first child, our middle son getting out of the Marine Corp and moving home, and our youngest son getting his first real job and the change we have seen in him since doing so.

     There have been several other changes for me as well.  I have been healed from my eating disorder. I have not acted out in it for 10 months. They say that if you can make it for a year, you are more likely to never do it again, "changed."  I have learned that I must be very careful who I trust. I have been hurt by people I thought were my friends, only to turn around and find out they weren't. So change in relationships happens as well, and I have changed my relationship with God.  It has become deeper, more intimate than before.

     I have grown a relationship with my mother as well. To be honest, this is one thing I really never thought possible. My dad made me promise that once he was gone, I would take care of her and try to mend that relationship. Well, that is one positive that came from my dad's passing. I believe we are closer now. I try to call her every day. We no longer have to fight or argue about everything or anything. I have come to realize that she made the best choices she knew how and that she has always loved me no matter what. So I have learned to forgive and let go of the past. It was really only hurting me anyway.

     The last change, and probably the hardest, has been realizing that my children are all grown up. I look at them and I see these young adults making choices, learning, loving and living and all without my input. They have gone out into the big bad world, and they are making it just fine. Yes they stumble and have hard times, but they also make decisions, do what needs to be done, and go on with their lives. I am so proud of them all. They have changed, from the small child who needed help with everything into the grown woman and grown men that they are today.

     They are strong, loving, kind people. They have made their father and I very proud and we both look forward to seeing them continue to grow and change, yes there's that word again. So I am learning that change is good, even if it comes out of something that was not so good, when you look back you can see the struggle and growth that has come from it.

     In closing I would like to encourage you to embrace change, no matter how hard it might be at the time, and see where it might take you. You never know, you might just wake up one day somewhere you never dreamed and find your right where you always wanted to be. I did!