A month ago today I posted a blog about "Transitions" ! WOW !!
This was an exact quote from that blog: "But I feel "transition" taking place in me. A time for change..a different step..a new direction. It's scary for me to let go of the familiar...to walk in the unfamiliar. I don't know if this will be forever...or just for a time. I feel transition taking place....now to only walk in it."
Can you imagine when I look back now..I have to wonder if God was somehow preparing me for what was to come ? I wrote that blog partly based on "changing churches..and changing demonimations". That "transition" has now been made. (my heart will always love the A/G..it has nothing to do with the denomination..as much as going to a church I want to attend).
I wrote that blog thinking maybe I was feeling antsy knowing in a year I would be entering "empty nest syndrome". I had actually talked to a friend about wanting to maybe some day work for a Disaster Relief Organization. (I was thinking future,not now). Next thing you know, I'm being told I'm going to be laid off, when just in the fall they had told us their plan was to not lay anyone off..maybe just rearrange people a bit. I was not ready for this "transition".
And now we are getting ready to add another "transition" to the pot. My oldest, Jordan, is moving home for a bit after finishing a 9 month internship. Don't get me wrong..I'm ecstatic ! But we have not had 5 people living under this roof "permanently" in over 5 years. Basically, from the time Jordan left for college..he's never come back home for more than a few weeks. We will have 4 adults living under one roof...we will ALL have a little "transition". =)
So...you're asking...what have I learned from all of this ?? Transition happens to everybody. There's nothing you can do to stop it..you just have to buckle yourself in and try to survive the ride. But here are a few tips from someone walking through it:
1. Look Inside !! Sometimes it's only through hard times do we really find out what we're made of. You get reacquainted with yourself all over again. You find out if you're a scrapper or a sloucher. It's not always bad getting to know YOU once again.
2. Look Around !! Latch on to those that are around you..caring..supporting..
cheering you on. Some very important people in your life will rise to the top during this time. **Side note here: (I'm going to rant, so stop reading now if you don't want to hear it)! In ministry I was always amazed at people who seemed to disappear in a crisis. They wouldn't be there for their friends and their excuse was "I'm just not good with that kind of stuff" ! Well..newsflash people !! Very few individuals are born with sympathy, empathy, the right words to say, etc..! People become that way... BY DOING !! That's how I learned. I have a friend who was recently expressing their sadness over my job and he said, "I just don't know what to say!" My response, "you don't have to say anything....you can't fix it..but you CAN show up"! Alot of friendship is based on being willing to just show up!
3. LOOK UP ! I don't always understand God's ways. I get aggravated at Him, I let Him know that..haha....and believe it or not...I don't believe everything that happens in life is blamed on God. He didn't make the state or government get into debt...or spend uselessly..so that one day I would lose my job. We suffer consequences of the world....because we live in the world. It's called LIFE ! But after I get all my anger and frustration out...I know beyond a shadow of a doubt..there's nowhere I want to look except for UP... in order to gain peace that I can't receive anywhere else.
I hope that maybe..in some small way..if you are going through your own type of "transitions"..you will find a little comfort in knowing..you're not alone. We all make this journey at one time or another. And with God's help..we will all survive ! =)
No comments:
Post a Comment