C is for Changes

Thank you for stopping through to read today's topic. I'm a few days late as something big has taken place, which I will share in a couple of days. All the excitement and chatter that's been going on, I haven't had a moment to think about topics. But today, I'm writing about changes.

Too often in our lives, we fear change simply because our minds are set upon failure, what-ifs, and the opinions of others. It may be a small change, such as a new hairstyle or a major change, such as a move across the country or a career change. Regardless, we are faced with changes at some point in our lives.

Do you know someone who's done the same thing every day of their life without a single change in their routine? I know a few people this way and when something offsets their day, they become anxious and irritable. Imagine that, every day of your life and performing duties, going to work, and whatever else it may be in your life, but you do the same thing every day as if you're a robot!

Change is inevitable in some situations. One of my most recent changes occurred by no choice of mine and it set me off path as I had become Sim-like. If you ever played the Sims, you'll understand. I was laid off from work as my job had been taken overseas. Over 600 of us went to work every day at the same time, we did the same job repetitively, and then it was gone. When we all met up again about a month later, we had a sense of humor about our situations, such as how we'd get up and go check the mail, some would walk their dogs, and others of us were absentminded and not sure what to do. It took me several months to actual realize my new life included not working, yet receiving unemployment benefits and waiting for our Trade Act benefits to begin so I could go to school. During those few months, I was numb, confused as to where my path would go next, and lazy. It took me a month to actually realize I was home now and that I needed to clean my house. I guess you could say, it was a change which hit me hard and confused me for a bit. To this day, I'm still a bit dazed by my situation, but I'm improving. It's hard to make a change like this when you've been working since you were 12 years old as a babysitter, into a regular job at 14, and haven't quit working since.

It's difficult to make adjustments to changes at times, however, being robotic in your life isn't going to get you anywhere either. A few years back, I moved 500 miles from home to a place I knew nothing about. My friends and family back home ask me why I did it, the only information I can say is that God sent me here. It's not every day someone whispers in your ear, "You're moving to NC", but it happened to me. God knew exactly where He wanted me and why He wanted me there. This was the biggest change I've ever had in my life to this point. When I was 18, I moved from Owensboro, KY, where I was born and raised, but I was forty-five minutes away so it wasn't major. However, being 500 miles from home, I can't get in my car and drive to my mom's house nor can my friends come over to hang out. I was completely independent at this point because I had no one but God and my daughter. The only person I talked to here was my landlord as he'd come by on a regular basis those first couple of weeks to check on us... other than that? I was alone.

My friends back home looked up to me. They saw that I was moved from a terrible situation and into a positive situation, yet these changes were rough on me. I was lonely! I had ended one job and started another and so I was dealing with that change as well. I worked from home as I had done since 1998 and therefore I wasn't going to work to meet new people so it brought me to a point where I simply prayed to God for some friends. He brought a couple of people in my life, one of which I'm still friends with to this day. Had it not been for her, I wouldn't have been able to get on my feet as her generosity and friendship gave me an extra leg when my vehicle broke down. Another person, our personalities clashed, so I pulled away from that one. Then my sweetie was sent to me and changed my life in so many ways. I didn't want a man in my life, but my plans aren't God's plans, are they?

Life has had it's up and downs throughout all the changes I've made or been forced to make. Thankfully, there's always been a way provided when rough times come along and I haven't had my power cut off, my gas has never been cut off, my rent has always been paid, and for the most part, I've been able to have internet. My water got snipped a couple of times but due to the cut-off day being the day before my payday, so it was taken care of right away. There's been a few times my fridge and cabinets were bare, but then something would come through and there would be food in them again. Finally, I made the choice to go to work outside the home where I was able to live a decent life and made some great friends, until the job ended, that is.

Change doesn't scare me anymore, like it used to. Isaiah 41:10 reminds us that God is with us no matter what it is we do or where we go, so I hold my faith and trust in God. There are about to be some major changes coming up in my life in the future, I feared them at first, but then I remember, well, if I have fear, then I don't have faith and my faith is in God so I know all will be fine.

If you feel the urge to make a change, pray about it, and go for it! I encourage you to do so.