The minutes tick by: one minute seemingly like the one before it. Yet, stretch those minutes to hours and visualize how the day changes from sunrise to sunset.

The hours change to days… days to weeks… weeks to months. We only have to look outside the window to see the difference. In a span of less than a thousand hours, we witness glorious rebirth. Trees have gone from bare branches to rustling full of the ripeness of spring. Plants poke their heads out of the dirt bringing forth blooming flowers in all shades of beauty. In nature, change is expected and welcomed.

Living tree

In families, experiencing growth like an additon of a bride or groom or the birth of a baby, brings joy. I don’t think there’s anything sweeter than a new born baby and the anticipation of all the experiences to come.

Cuddles

It doesn’t have to be human to be celebrated. I visited a Bass fish hatchery on vacation and I can tell you those people were excited about the different stages of growing Bass and their eventual release. Don’t we all love to hug, pet, and play with newborne puppies and kittens?

Not all change is welcomed. Some change we handle, but prefer not to experience. Ask any person who has gone through a tragedy of a serious illness or a tremendous loss, they would ask time to stop before the change occured.

We however, can’t control that type of change anymore than we can ask nature to hestiate and pause. Trees can’t stop leaves from growing and the plants can’t refuse to sprout. Seasons are going to continue, just as life continues from birth through death.

Change, whether positive or negative always causes growth. We emerge stronger with determination and more grace. A better person than we were before. More experienced with dealing with the hills, valleys, and planes of life.

Even in nature after a fire, regrowth is inevitable. What thrives first is a strong indication of what will regrow over time. Nature itself, allows for variation. Life will flourish in all its variety; be it plants, bugs, birds, and animals.

I’ve been contemplating change. I’m not a person who usually welcomes it. I’ve had enough fostered on me that I’ll drag my feet rather than rush towards it. With God’s grace, I’ve learned to accept what’s given to me, but to choose it…That’s usually not me.

This time, I’m feeling compelled. First, it whispered and flittered through my mind, while my heart beat it down. Then louder it called. My stomach churned because it’s easier to stay with the known than to deal with the unknown.

I took the step out… my attention caught by a cookie. I had a conversation. I thought I’d retire from the school district that I’ve been blessed to be a part of. However, genuine enthusiasm and an open heart pulled me to another one. I’m letting the Lord lead me because I believe I’m suppose to follow that call.

In a little under a thousand hours, I’ll have changed like that tree outside my window. Like the leaves, I’ll change with the seasons. Thank you Lord for helping me renew, grow and blossom.