Many Changes, Worries, Transitions In Daily Routines, Yet Rooted In Christ

Suddenly life is happening very quickly. This past month has brought on a lot of changes and new opportunities. A new home, the to-do list of unpacking and settling in, a new job, kids who are now a year older, a looming birthday for myself (yikes 34), a few exciting opportunities, and more responsibilities. All of these things are exciting and worth being quite happy about. Yet, so much change so quickly has a way of stressing me out, making me anxious, and challenging me.

Now, I certainly know that all of these is the normal stuff of life. Such things are not unique to just me and my experience. Everyday life in its own right has a way of being chaotic. When our plates get full we can easily get overwhelmed. Normal life can leave us feeling perplexed as if we are a tumbleweed without any roots.  It's easy to lose track of who we are.

People move all the time.  From one continent to another, or from one state to the next. We simply moved across town.  So what gives when I feel homesick? I think it has a lot to do with leaving good and bad memories behind. I wholeheartedly LOVE our new place, but there is still the gap of not having created many memories in this home yet while the past seems so far out of reach. Also, there are the new routines that come with a new home. Certainly these routines are good, but establishing them takes discipline. Discipline and planning the management of a household is hard work, and not everything always happens the way I'd like. The kids knew their routines before, but it seems much of that has to be retaught because the laundry hamper and toy boxes are in a different location. Establishing new routines challenges my patience... and perhaps my sanity.

It's the same with the kids having birthday's and getting older. All the memories seem so very far away.  My kids grew up so much in the past five years at our old house.  The move draws a lot of attention to this, along with the celebration of three birthdays. I miss the toddler days, the sweet baby smell and soft coo's and silly giggles at their daddy. This is amplified as I still continue to grieve the two that passed away before they were born. Yes, even years later, these things stick with you. Memories that seem so long ago or that never were. The thoughts of what should have been, linger in my mind. I certainly adore watching the kid grow through each stage, I just wish the other stages didn't seem to vanish so quickly.  What if I forget how they were as little kids?

What If????

Changes in life, even when they are good lead me to ponder the "what if" question a lot. Even positive changes can leave one feeling insecure or fearing that somehow everything is going to turn bad. A new job as exciting as it is can bring on a good share of worry too. What if my new boss is difficult? Will I fit in with my co-workers? Will I miss big moments in the life of my kids now? Is my marriage strong enough?  How am I going to spend all of this new income? I quickly can get carried away thinking I should control it all on my own.

Life changes have a way of turn our eyes back to ourselves. We easily can become prideful, greedy, conceded, puffed-up or the stress of it all can cause us to crumble into our anxiety. The devil wants nothing more than to use the circumstances of our life to tempt us and cause us to doubt who we are in Christ.

As much as life changes one thing never does. Christ and His Word. His promises remain the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. When I worry, sin and doubt, Christ takes me up and finds me, calling me through His Word and Sacrament. There in the Divine Service I receive forgiveness, righteousness, salvation and strength. When all the changes wear me down, Christ says come to me and I will give you rest. Our Good Shepherd doesn't send us out to be lost in the pasture of life.  He comes with us.  All our needs He well provides us.

When the tumbleweeds and thorns of a fallen world seek to drag us out of the fertile soil, God's Word reminds us to be still and know that even as life changes we are still redeemed and rooted in Christ. As my family and I gather for devotions and prayer we find rest and stability through the working of the Holy Spirit in this restful routine. We are also reminded that the stuff of life, home, family, love, joy, memories are gracious gifts of our Heavenly Father. As a family, we remember who's we are, children of God in our baptism. We, therefore, are rooted to bear the crosses of life, all life's changes and transitions in peace with each other within our vocations as we live and serve together.