The Stability of our Times
Navigating Change Part 1
Have you ever seen a four-car pile-up? I've witnessed that destruction first hand. It was a straightforward, perfect example of physics at work. The instigating vehicle ploughed into a pickup truck which then hammered the trunk of the car in front of it. The smashed car leapt forward to plant its nose into the bumper of a minivan. The result: a beautifully orchestrated domino effect--demolition derby style.
Three of the four vehicles were totaled. The driver of the first vehicle exited upset but unscathed. The other three vehicles were unmanned, quietly parked, minding their own unsuspecting business. But they ended up like a sad pile of bumper cars heaped in a mangled mess.
Sometimes life feels a little like that. We get slammed with one thing and before we can catch our breath the next challenge comes hurtling in.
"And He will be the stability of your times, A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge"(Isaiah 33:6a).
Photo by Larimar Lens
Not too long ago I walked through about eighteen months of upheaval. I'm not referring to some huge, life-altering bad news or gut-wrenching trial. These were typical coming of age events that every family navigates. Mostly normal. But on steroids.
First were the big birthdays. My baby turned five and started kindergarten. Really? My dad turned seventy, my granddad ninety. And somehow Brad and I both turned fifty. Forty didn't faze me. I was expecting the twins and all my older ones were still at home so forty seemed the perfect age. But fifty bothered me. Fifty sounded old. Fifty felt like I should have everything figured out. Except that I didn't. And fifty came with some unpleasant side effects like stiffness and mysterious knee pain. Oh...and menopause too. Hurrah for hot flashes.
Then, the always sad goodbyes. Between the end of August and mid-October, three children moved out of the house--one to another continent. Brad always joked that the children had signed contracts agreeing to stay home until age thirty. Even though the signatures were in crayon, he was pretty sure they would hold up in a court of law. In spite of Brad's hopeful delusions, we had what seemed like a mass exodus. Only six remained with us. Visitors would come by, notice the (relative) quiet and ask where everyone was. Also, during that month and a half our beloved pastor died. Goodbye. Goodbye. Goodbye. Goodbye.
Next we'll note the nuptials. On November 20 Josiah asked Adrianna to marry him. The wedding took place on December 23. In February, Abigail and Jamie became engaged and waited until May to tie the knot. Isaac made it home to Abigail's wedding with his new fiancé in tow and they scheduled their big day for August. Sadly, we walked Isaac through the pain of a break-up near the end of July. Samuel chose September 3 to propose to his sweet Emily and we all headed to New Mexico for an October 8 ceremony and a day at the famous Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. (A new bride and some amazing balloons make an exciting combination.) Apparently in our family, once the decision has been made to wed, no one wants to wait long. In case you lost count, that was three weddings, a broken engagement, and hundreds of hot air balloons in ten months.
Remember that we belong to the never-changing, always reliable, ever secure One.
Babies are next on the agenda and always good news. Abigail and Jamie surprised us with a pregnancy announcement in June and Leah gave birth to our third grandson in July. Baby showers and labor and diapers, oh my!
We enjoyed a bit of pomp and circumstance too. That same spring we celebrated no less than six graduations. One from kindergarten. Two from high school. Two from college. One a big deal military graduation that required a trip to New Mexico. And those were the immediate family graduations (plus one future daughter-in-law). There are always lots of friends flinging the mortarboard too.
Finally: generational gymnastics. My grandparents celebrated their seventieth anniversary with a big bash at our house. They also "celebrated" declining independence. The evening meal became too difficult for them to orchestrate alone so taking them out to eat or bringing food in was the new normal. Some of my young adult children slept in a spare bedroom at their house in case of emergency. Pneumonia and a fall demanded hospital stays and weeks of in-house rehab. My grandmother's dementia worsened considerably and at times their care required twenty-four-hour attention. I officially joined the ranks of the sandwich generation. Please pass the peanut butter and jelly.
Sprinkle in a few more distractions such as two sons (and families) buying houses (lots of moving, painting, and babysitting), pressing business concerns, the next child getting braces, the next new driver, the next student beginning college, and the need for a new transmission in the family van. Of course, we were still navigating normal life too.
So, let's tally it all up. Kids moving out and moving on, four engagements, three weddings, a birth, a death, the announcement of a pregnancy, milestone birthdays, menopause, graduations, grandparent care, car repair, showers, celebrations, braces, balloons, road trips, hospitalizations, house purchases, new aches, new driver, and normal responsibilities.
And the four-car pile-up? It happened in front of our house. A neighbor hit the first of our three parked vehicles and set off the chain reaction. We got some spectacular footage from a camera located across the street. See for yourself.
Many of these things were wonderful, anticipated events. Others were not so fun, but not unexpected. Cars need repair. People age. Teeth require straightening. I never could have anticipated bumper cars in my front yard, but a little excitement keeps life fresh. We just seemed to have excitement piled upon excitement without a chance to recover and rest. And that can be unsettling.
Maybe you've experienced a season of shifting and sifting and craziness. Maybe you've received news or a diagnosis that makes an earthquake seem calm in comparison. When life turns volatile and unpredictable we long for some solid footing. It's good to remember that we belong to the never-changing, always reliable, ever secure One. So, whether the tumult comes from a painful trial or simply a lot of life packed into a little time, we are in stable, safe hands.
"And He will be the stability of your times, A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge"(Isaiah 33:6a).
