From September 1995 to November 2013, I have changed. A lot. That's a good thing. I'd be a little scared if I still looked and acted the same now as I did then. Even from November 2012 till now, things have changed; I have changed. I have changed in my apperance. I have gained more knowledge and understanding than I used to have. I have gained experience. We always think we are 'all grown up' in our mind. Then we wait a year, or two, and realize how immature we really were. And the process starts over. There are a lot of things I know now that I wish I knew back then. Things I wish I could go back and shake into my younger self's head. -Putting a key into a wall outlet is NOT a good idea -Hermit crabs make boring pets -Never pull the front handbrakes on your bike while going full speed -Never trust your little brother with sizzors behind you -White rabbits and black shirts don't mix -Instead of waiting for something to happen, do something about it -If it hurts, don't do it again. -There's a fine line between having a perfect tan and looking like you rolled in a bag of dorritos. -Glasses and braces really aren't that cool. (No offense to those who have them, I really wanted them when I was little though. Not the best desire.) -Never drink orange juice when you're sick -Know when to cling to something and when to let it go -what you do today can improve all your tomorrows -God's plan is not to spare us from the difficult times, but to be with us in our difficulties -It takes a million compliments to build someone up and only one insult to bring it all crashing down -Unplanned moments are always better than planned ones -Your story is still unfolding -You ARE weak, but you have a strong God -Never suppress a generous thought -Listen and Learn -Nothing worth having comes easy -If you change nothing, nothing will change. One thing that has changed since then has been my ability to sit through a service and get something out of it, I suppose. I've grown up in church my entire life. From the time I was about 3, I sat in church. I was taught how to do everything. -Look at the speaker -Feet down and still -Pay attention -Be quiet - Seriously, QUIET -Use the bathroom BEFORE church, because there is absolutely no way I was going to get permission to get up during church, especially not at invitation -No playing around - again especially not during invitation -No talking... or writing notes But there was one thing that I had to learn on my own. That was to LISTEN to the speaker. Yeah, I could act like it, but to really do it is something different. When I was younger, my mind would wander, or I would have a hard time staying awake. Messages were all the same. They were always about the same few things. I was smart back then! Not so much now, but back then I was. As we grow older, we complicate things. Life is actually very simple. All children that have gone to church very long know that "Jesus" and "God" are the answers to everything! Everything! And, they really are! "Get saved, go to church, tell others about Christ, read your Bible, pray".... they seemed to ALWAYS be the theme of the message. I always wondered why that's all the preacher seemed to talk about. Like, maybe he ran out of things to say. It makes more sence now. I have grown and am now able to handle bigger, deeper parts of the scripture. Back then, I was being fed milk, now, I am able to handle things a little more substancial. As we grow we can understand more and it all applies to our own lives in more ways. So change can be good. But, change can also hurt. Have you ever had a broken bone? We went through a period in my youth group it seemed everyone was breaking their arm. At least 6 kids, one after another, broke their arm. I got left out of that trend. Sometimes we get ourselves into situations or habits that aren't good for us. We do it to ourselves, and we get hurt. If we stay the same, it would make matters worse and make it difficult or impossible to do the things we should. Something has to be done - changed - to fix it. But this change hurts. Often worse than leaving it the way it is. It's uncomfortable to change. Sometimes it's the uncomfortability of being different, a loss of 'friends', changing your music, dress, lifestyle, or actions. It's hard and hurts, but it's nessesary. You must change from the world, to the Lord. You must 'set' your life, make things right and start heading in the right direction. Otherwise, to fix it later, it will hurt a whole lot worse. Then, you must allow time for it to bond permenantly.- Make the change a part of your life. You can't just try it out and see if it works for you. Make the change permanent, not temporary. Change can be good. Change is often nessesary. Change usually hurts. But, change will be worth it.
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Lizzy parkerMarriage.
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January 2023
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