Transition

Life is full of transitions, changing from one way of doing things to another. We are forever dealing with changes, whether it is at home, at work, at church, at our favorite stores...or within our relationships with others. Change is always happening. If it happens all the time, why is it so incredibly hard? Why do we stiffen ourselves, refusing to bend, refusing to be flexible, refusing to humble ourselves and admit that sometimes our  old ways may not be the best ways anymore? I wonder...is it pride? Is it fear? No one likes to admit that someone else's ways may be better. Don't fool yourself...you struggle with it too haha! No one likes to move out of the ways that are familiar and comfortable. It is scary! Learning new things is hard.

And yet, when I really step back and look at all the times that I chose to not bend, it is ugly. My own pride reared it's nasty head. Self righteousness and a know it all attitude usually follows on the heels of my pride. Then, the mean Amy jumps out and shocks me! I sometimes try to forget that she is in here...but, friends, she is still hanging out in here. She just doesn't show up quite as often these days.

Recently, I have been faced with transition. I think this time around, I will try the flexible, humble route. It seems to me that it works better for everybody, including me, and I am pretty sure it is quite a bit more Christ like than my natural tendency toward self righteousness and meanness! And who knows, maybe I will learn something  in the process and even make new friends.

Thankful

Tonight, as I sit in a warm house, with a full belly, I am thankful for the luxuries of having a place to live and the money to buy food. I am thankful for clothes for all seasons..whether it is hot or cold. As I sit in my parent's house, which has been opened to Mia and me as our own, I am thankful for family. I am thankful for the beautiful gift of a mom and a dad, who love me and care for me and my daughter.  Tomorrow, I will have the pleasure of eating an abundance of food with my family...parents, sisters, brother, nieces, nephew, aunts, uncles, cousins, my Mema, and my Mia. I am thankful for the deep connection and sense of belonging that comes with my family.

This sense of thankfulness also happens to intensify the pain in my heart for the orphans in our nation and all across the earth who do not have a home to call their own, a room to call their own, or a family to call their own. Just this week, I learned of a need for sweaters and blankets for  some orphans in India. They have a loving group of adults to care for them in an orphanage, but the finances are tight and provision does not always come so easily when you are caring for 130 orphans. I also listened to a foster mom of 5, here in Richmond, share the stories of pain and abuse that she has encountered in her time as a foster parent. No child should EVER experience the things I heard about.

So with my thankfulness comes a desire to reach out to those who are in need of food, warmth, family and love. I will pray for extra funds to help with blankets and sweaters (and He answered already with  a gift today!), and I will pray for children who are wounded and in desperate need of love, acceptance and healing. I will ask the Lord how I can partner with Him to be hope to the hopeless.

I feel certain that I am not so richly blessed so that I can greedily hoard it for myself.  I desire to give it away...and the more He gives me, the more I make, the more I will give. It brings me great pleasure. And really, if I am going to intercede on the behalf of these kids, should I not be a part of the answer to the prayer, if I am able?