Change

I was reading a devotional a few days ago. It said, "Change is always frightening." Amen to that! I say, "The only Change I like is nickels, dimes, and quarters." (I am so cheap I will still pick up a penny off the ground!) Even though I'd rather pretend it ain't so, the world is always changing. The hymn says time is "like an everflowing stream." Can't I pretend it's still 1986?!! I am always changing. "Who's that wrinkly old man, staring back at me from the mirror?" It's also true, as my friend reminds me, "You have choices." I am in the stream of time. That stream don't stop. I can also choose to wade into the stream of Grace. For example, I have a conflict with a family member. In times of conflict, I'd rather run in the opposite direction. But I agreed to meet with this family member last night. I spent yesterday with my usual plan: Pray and Worry, Worry and Pray, Pray and Worry. (It used to be, Worry and Eat, Eat and Worry, Worry and Eat.) My friend who reminds me I have choices also says, "Let's pretend to be adults!" I went with that yesterday, too. When evening came, I got in the car and went to talk with this family member. Pretending to be an adult. We talked. I tried to listen. I said, "Thank you for sharing. You have a right to your feelings." I tried to share my feelings and viewpoint. As you may have figured out, I survived. And the sun rose this morning. This is Change. The family I grew up in, we practiced Avoidance with a capital A. Direct family communication is Change. More scary than Avoidance. Also, direct communication can get you feeling closer to each other. Which Avoidance can't do that. For today, I'm gonna Change. I'm gonna Change, make the choice to pretend to be an adult. Maybe I can fool somebody......