Changing Up

Hey There! Apparently you survived Super Bowl Sunday. We had some really yummy food here at our house. Everything else is just frosting on the cake, right? So, what is up for this new week at your house? We're glad, glad, glad to have a "normal" nothing out of the ordinary week ahead of us. Some organizing, readjusting, day-to-day work going on in this house, at least I hope that's how the week plays out.

Every so often in the house it becomes time to change up. Sometimes changing up takes place in the clothes department with littler children moving up into a new size or older ones moving into more grown up styles. Othertimes we change up the way our furniture and home work for us. For instance, last week we moved a desk and bookshelf from the toy room to the library area of the loft. The plan is to relocate the homeschool books, supplies, etc. to the bookshelf and then put the games in the location formerly held by the homeschool items. I so hope our plan works, that everything fits. The bookshelf may need an extra shelf or two added, but all in all, we're ready to tackle this little project. And I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am about the prospect of our games being out of sight behind cupboard doors. Baskets are handy, but they don't exactly promote neatness. Throwing games on top of the closest one is way too easy with those baskets. We have also come to a time of changing up playthings. Victorious Man of God is ready for an older version of legos, and baby toys have all worked their way to storage or give away.

Just like those really nice baskets of mine in the game room, sometimes I need to take an honest look inward and reassess how my spiritual baskets are working. Is the way I am currently studying the Bible producing results? Do I need a devotional book or would studying small portions of another book be better during this season of life? OR is this a season for taking tiny snippets of scripture and taking them apart piece by piece until they become permanently engrained within? What about my prayer life? Do I have one? Is it intentional or randomly haphazard at best? Last season may not have required a journal, but maybe this season does. How are my "baskets" of spiritual disciplines working for me right now, at this very moment? Do I need to do some changing up spiritually? The truth of the message of God's Word is always the subject. However, maybe the methods I use to study the message need tweaking just a bit. Maybe it is time for me to "grow up" and move into a more mature method or manner of study. Am I ready for meatier devotional material?

All times of transition have a tendency to get a bit messy. No matter what the change is, rearranging means there will be piles, boxes, and other disarray. I don't like messy. I have worked very hard to discipline myself to put things away instead of adding them to a pile. If left to my natural tendencies, file folders would be obsolete; everything would be snuggled up together in individual piles. In light of how difficult it is for me to make myself put things away neatly, making piles, even for the sake of rearranging, has the potential to be stressful. Ugh! It's an evil mess!!! The vision of delightful results propels me onward, to sling my stone at the giant of avoidance, open that cupboard door, pick up that item, and move it to its new space. Even if its new space is a pile waiting for its new home elsewhere. Spiritually, changing up can be the same way. I don't want to learn a new way of study. That's messy. I like my routine. It's neat and tidy, dull but neat and tidy. Write down prayers somewhere besides the back of an old envelope? What? That will require thought! I have to face that giant of avoidance spiritually too. The vision of deeper intimacy with God propels me forward.

No more delays. It's time to get those books and games switched out, messy piles and all. Are you in a season of changing up too? If so, you're not alone. We'll get 'er done, you and I and Jesus.
Together we'll throw away the trash, pass on what no longer fits, and willingly embrace the new, both in the spirit and flesh.

Hugs and Love in Jesus,
Abundantly Blessed


Popular Posts