July 26, 2005

There, I've done it!

My son Ben asked me to consider starting a blog so he would know what's going on in my life after he moves back to Concord. Yes, Ben is planning to move back to Concord, 250 miles from Mama, in about a month. My younger son, Jonathan, is also planning to go to Lee University in Cleveland, TN (9 hours from Mama) at around the same time! Only Jenny will be left here at home. Aside from inheriting all of the dishes and chores, I think she is OK with it. She will be back at ECU a lot of the time anyhow, so it is likely to be just John & me here a lot of the time. Wow, it is hard to believe that my two of my kids are leaving at the same time. Lord, help me!

Change seems to be the name of the game in my life recently. At least three friendships have undergone dramatic change in the last year. I have changed my look...adding makeup, a very different haircut and even a little color to hide the gray! LOL I'm also trying for a more professional look at work. And at work, my supervisor quit a few months ago. While I did not get her position, I did get a promotion. There are some other positive changes at work, as well. And my dear, sweet husband, John's health is finally improving, AND he is now at church with me!!!! YEAH And now two of my kids are leaving home! Change, change, change!

I am not a person who welcomes much change. I like things to be the same, stable. I am the gal who took a month to decide to that I still wanted the same, exact mobile home that was destroyed by Hurricane Floyd! Intellectually, I know that change is good for me, and that "different" isn't necessarily a bad thing...just different. But I still seem to rebel against change for some reason.

This could come from the fact that I traveled with my husband "on the road" for almost nine years. He did professional entertainment, doing puppetry in the fair circuit. We also did children's ministry when the opportunity arose. But John's health the last several years has forced some changes in that realm, though we do intend to move back in that direction as his health stabilizes. Living life for so long with so much change has made me greatly value a life where things are more predictable.

Change...I was reading in John Bevere's book "Victory in the Wilderness" that sometimes in order to effect change in our lives, God allows some good things to be moved so that He can do something new in us. He says that the old wine has to be poured out before the new wine can be poured in. Personally, I'll be glad when the old is done pouring out. It can be an uncomfortable time. But thank God, His grace is sufficient!!!

Stayed tuned for whatever other new changes God has yet in store for me ahead!

Carolyn