The Blessings of Change

There's a lot about change that is terrifying. New places, new people, new everything. But I've rediscovered that there are also many blessings to be found. New friends, new places, new experiences.

This week I've been reflecting on that aspect of change. I've met some amazing people who it seems are going to become really great friends and I love that. I marvel at how my circle of friends just keeps expanding as I add new ones in and at how each new person adds a new level of richness to my life. I'm happy to be getting a social life again finally!

My change in location has also brought about changes in my lifestyle. Hopefully lasting ones. Something about being a new place has made it easier to make big changes all around. I feel like it's a good and healthy thing and hopefully there's more big change coming.

Tonight, I've been reflecting on one particular change. My church attendance. I went to church in Colorado Springs. But it had been quite awhile since I'd been what you'd call a regular attendee. Not because I didn't believe anymore, but because I was having trouble finding a place that really fit and frankly, I'd tired of the search. But moving to a place made it necessary to start searching again. The huge blessing is that I found a great church really quickly. And not just any church, but one that truly gets it that we're human and fallible and that life is hard instead of one that makes it seem like it's all roses and abundance and good times if we're being "faithful." We just went through a 6 week sermon series about God's Economy. When is the last time you heard a sermon about money issues, much less a whole series of them. And not about how we should give all our money to the church but about how our faith applies to the economy and specifically this current economy that we all find ourselves living in. It was practical and hard-hitting and, well, changing. I am loving it. And it's been a long time since I felt that way about a church.

So, as I was sitting in a Maundy Thursday service this evening, being grateful for all that we celebrate at Easter, I was also immensely grateful for a lot more. And it feels great to be feeling really good about things. There's still a lot of challenge in my life and many things that weigh me down every day, but I'm glad for the small blessings in the midst of all of it.

Why isn't it easier?

Do you ever wish it could just be a little easier? Life, I mean. My mom has a quote she loves - "Hard is good. Easy rots the soul." I can't remember who originally said it, but I think it's true. Still, I wish it was just a little easier sometimes. I've been meaning to update my blog for awhile, but somehow just couldn't get past the stuff going on in my life right now to write something. I won't go into detail because, well, BORING! But I've decided to just admit it. Life's been a bit hard. Just the way it is right now. And just when I think I see a glimmer that indicates things are getting easier, something happens that throws me right back into the midst of it all again.

Thankfully, I have wonderful friends (shout out especially to Sarah and Jill who came to visit me over my birthday weekend - DEFINITELY the shining highlight of the last month or so!!!) and to my amazing family. We have a habit of processing with each other. You'd think that would be hindered by the fact that I live in St. Louis, my parents are in FL, Seth & China are in Denver, Lindsay is in Switzerland and Corrie & Torsten are in Germany. Not exactly conducive to long family chats. But we just use email. It's a huge encouragement to know that if I need to, I can shoot an email out to them with all my thoughts and struggles and they chime in with their thoughts and ideas. Most often, we discover that most or all of us are going through similar things and that makes it a little easier somehow.

Anyway, don't really want to progress into whining, but I wanted to write something since it's been awhile and figured I'd just be honest and maybe this way I'll get past it and actually be able to post something else.