Dear Reader:

When we reflect back on our lives…hasn’t every major change, benchmark, or turning point made us initially uncomfortable?

From childhood on…I never liked changes…big or small.  I think there had been too much trauma early in my life and it scarred me from being adventurous as a young child and youth (except in my imagination)….Instead I desired consistency and stability. It was never to be…God makes sure of that through His laws of the Universe.

We were not created to be immobile. We only have a short time on earth and we should be willing to take the leaps necessary to see, smell, feel, taste, and touch every sight, scent, texture, flavor and object that life throws our way. If God had not desired this…He certainly wouldn’t have given us five senses to navigate through life  …our personal built-in radar/tech equipment.

…And just like APPLE…every time our tech “instruments” start getting a little dusty…God ‘kicks us out of our complacent nests’ with His latest navigational tools that force us to make innovative changes in our lives.  These changes, also, require us to keep learning new things.

…Other changes take the form of physical home moves from A to B, career changes, broken relationships, long-term illnesses involving us or loved ones, and finally our last move…back to God.

Take a moment now to reflect back on the seemingly “universal”/ ‘forced’ moves that felt like the rug had been being pulled out from under us…and then fast-forward time. Upon reflection…didn’t, in most cases, the change turn out to be the best thing in the end?

When we left Fayetteville, NC to move to Laurens, SC I was devastated…thirteen is a dramatic age, anyway, with the hormones bouncing off the walls… and I was a ‘drama queen. ‘All of it, collectively, made the move initially worse than it should have been.

It was when I graduated high school four years later and had that last summer between high school and college to reflect on that original move (I had fought so hard against) I realized mother had been right all along.

I loved my SC cousins and we became close…the classes were smaller in this rural setting and friendships bonded quickly. Now when I thought of home…it was Laurens.

Four years later home became Charleston when Brooke and I continued rooming together (as once college ‘roomies’) and now first year teachers. And we are still enjoying life  every time we get a chance to hang out together and as soon as COVID19 leaves!

One day the time will come to make another move…probably from my larger-than-necessary home, but for right now the Universe seems content to let me watch my garden grow, my grandchildren’s Japanese Maples expand and bloom, while my small but blessed life, still brings me the joy of living, loving, and giving.

So until tomorrow…

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

*It is Sunday morning again and time to “light a candle at His fire.” Time to hold my own personal ‘conversation service’ with God.

It has three components….“Thank You for the past week and the new one that arrives today, Be a constant reminder for me to appreciate everything You have given me in showers of blessings so I might pay them forward, and finally…just know…I love you God.”  

*Yesterday I pulled on my gloves, my face mask, and went to the Summerville Farmers Market. (First time in months!)

I bought the most beautiful tomatoes, luscious cantaloupe, homemade pimento cheese, and a fresh bouquet of flowers for my church service. The flowers will last me through the week.