Sampson and me. (I've never cut his hair, but I do comb it!)
The gift wrap's been picked up and put into the recycler, the last ham sandwich has been eaten, and the excitement over the gifts has diminished to a slightly under manic manageable level. Must mean Christmas is over and the new year nearly upon us...
Many folks I know are happy that 2016 is slipping away and a new year is here! With the changing of the calendar comes new chapters, challenges, and fresh starts.
For people like me, that’s an exciting proposition. I love new challenges! I love new faces! I love doing new things and going new places and discovering new opportunities.
For others, change is a scary thing that brings great trepidation and paralyzing anxiety. (And there is a big, grey area in between.)
I have to admit, I don’t get the anxiety thing. Just like I don’t have the gifts or insights to understand how the insides of a computer work, or how folks can sit down and have music form in their heads and flow out their fingertips. Anxiety is simply something I've never known; it's not how I'm wired.
Yet I know the fear that comes with change or challenges is real because I see some of my children struggle with this every single day. Change is terrifying for people wired like my Zack; something as simple as moving a desk can cause a melt down. He likes, no, he needs, consistency in his life, and there are millions more like him.
This year he changed not only schools, but his address, in that he decided to finish high school living with his father. I know that was a difficult and painful decision for him on so many levels, but I truly believed it would be what is best for him and I encouraged the change despite my own sadness over my baby growing up and moving to another community - even though it’s not that far away.
If you fear change and feel like you are on quicksand when things around you shift, try to breath deep and move forward one step at a time. Stop clinging to the edge of the pool, and get in. Don’t jump into the deep end (like I’m prone to do,) but do tip-toe out so you can splash around and move to deeper water from there.
Don’t let fear and anxiety control you or stop you from living a life of fulfillment.
“Do one thing every day that scares you.”
a quote widely attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt, is some really superb advice!
Take it!
Trust that God is in control of whatever situation is moving you forward and cling to your faith not to the edge of security.
I heard someone say once “If God brought you to it, He will bring you through it.” He will.
Thank you for all the love you've shown me in 2016. It's been a wonderful year full of challenges and unexpected blessings; life is like that and I'm so grateful for the life I've been given!