Change is Hard!

I imagine I am not the only person feeling this way.  We wake up everyday with an altered sense of reality because all the things we know as "normal" have changed.  In some ways, these changes are positive as they teach us to examine what is important in our lives - family, health, faith - and we have an opportunity to make changes that take us in a better direction.  I call my 83 year old dad more often, which is something he greatly appreciates.  I put less off to tomorrow because I just don't know what tomorrow will hold.  I am determined to get a big garden in this year.

But some of the changes can stress us - children's routines are upended and we are dealing with behaviors and attitudes we may not have faced before.  Normal things like shopping and cooking and cleaning are now limited and complicated and often bring frustration and anxiety.  Many of the things we did to cope with relationship conflicts in the past now are not available - time with friends, taking a walk, going for a drive.  We are forced to realize that our own methods for working through the challenges in life are maybe not that effective, or perhaps not available to us at all.

I know that ministry to the children, teens and women in my community has been turned upside down for me.  I am struggling to know how to reach the people that I am committed to serve.  I started this blog as a way to do that, but easily grew discouraged at the lack of interest or connection is seemed to create.  So I stopped investing in it.  When we feel something is futile or a waste of time, it is easy to push it away.

Sometimes, when we pray repeatedly over a situation or condition we desperately want to see changed, and it doesn't change, we can experience that same discouragement and we decide to give up.  Sometimes, however, it is our perspective that needs to change in order for us to persevere.  I was posting on this blog because I wanted to see it make a difference and when I didn't, I gave up.  Perhaps I need to shift my perspective and post things I think will be beneficial or helpful simply because it is how I can serve right now, and leave the results up to God.

Many of the faithful listed in Scripture never saw the thing they were promised or saw the answers God was orchestrating to their prayers in their lifetime.  But they persevered and faithfully did all that God asked of them anyway.  Even our Savior Jesus did not see the people understand or receive Him during His time here on earth.

So today I recommit to sharing what I can and doing what God enables me to do, whether I see any outcome to that or not.  And I begin with keeping up with sharing with you the posts from the BoysTown Parenting resources I have.  I won't overwhelm you with the backlog of Daily Doses, but I will post 2-3 of them each day until we are caught up.  These are great little tips and reminders to help you as you parent your children and cope with the family adjustments this pandemic has caused.

And thank you for your patience with me as I learn and grow in faithfulness and perseverance.