When in the Course of Human Events

There comes a time when one needs to make some changes to make the young folks uncomfortable, to accommodate aging parents, and create greater peace in one's life; it is time to make that happen.

Our oldest is 18 and he is graduating this year.  We've gradually made him do things that have been uncomfortable for him--like filling out his own forms at the Dr's office(s), making his own appointments and writing them on the calendar, giving him very defined guidelines for assignments and following through when he doesn't live up to those expectations.  He is to get a job here in the next couple of months and start working, but he has to get some things completed for school to be finished for him.  He has to take care of his own application for college and paying for it himself.

It's time for change.  It's time for him to grow up and accept these responsibilities.  Most of the time I am met with resistance.  Perhaps a year of being accountable to others would help.  Change is coming for this young man and he may not like it, but this is the way of life.

It's time for a change for our home.  We've extended the invitation to my Mother to come live with us so she has someone to care for her when she needs care.  She's been in the hospital twice from November to mid-December for pneumonia related issues, but no one to help care for her once she returned home.  She lives with my sister currently, but my sister has 2 restaurants she'd been managing and cannot take the time to care for Mother when she needs it.

It's time for a change.  We're continually praying about this concern because we know that we can help my Mother.  She just needs to be ready for the change too.  Right now, we don't think she's ready.  So, we figure out a variety of ways to prepare ourselves for the inevitability of her coming to live with us eventually--if not this year, then next year perhaps.

Changes are happening everywhere, inside us, all around us and we're helpless to stop it--just to enjoy the "status quo" just for a little while longer.  I look around at my kids and the condition of my house, the size of my house and think, "If we had a smaller house there wouldn't be so much to keep clean, to keep track of, to organize, dust...(and my mind wanders to that possibility)."

We're still living in limbo with my husband's retirement.  We're not sure if he'll retire next year or 6 years from now.  We're keeping our options open, he's keeping his eyes open for possible job openings down south, and keeping all of this stuff in prayer.  Our greatest desire is to honor and glorify God & to go where He is leading us as a family.  We want to greater serve Him.  Sometimes that means leaving the familiar, uprooting everyone and moving south.  Sometimes it means to stay where one is and continuing to serve there.

Changes are coming, we must be ready.  God is a God of order, so while we wait patiently (at times, not so much), we're deliberately organizing, painting, cleaning, praying and getting ready for the next chapter God has written for our lives.

God Bless,