Time to grow...

Jeremy and I spent this past weekend in Asheville....and it was FANTASTIC!  We got to stay with the Kaylers (well, at least Ma and Pa Kayler, as the little birds are BOTH in college now!)...we got to eat lunch and dinner with friends...we got to go back to our "home" church...we got to drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway with the other tourists (though I have a hard time calling myself a tourist in Asheville...I've only been gone for 3 months!!!).  The weather was beautiful, being a part of the worship band again on Sunday was more of a blessing to me than I ever expected....overall, it was just an amazing weekend!!

And then, on Sunday evening, as we drove down and out of the beautiful mountains, I began to tear up.  All I could think about was how wonderful our life was there, how many friends we had, all of the activities we were involved in.  Of course, in times like this, you never look back to the hard times you had, just the wonderful ones because, of course, life was "perfect" back then, right?


I started to realize throughout the rest of the evening and into the beginning of this week that I had to change my outlook, or I was going to completely kill any chances I have--we have--of being happy here.  Is Jeremy's school still here?  Yep.  Do we still feel that this is what God is calling us to?  Yep.  OK.  So, I can't change that right now.  I just have to find a way to be happy.


Over the past 2 days, I have been given--undoubtedly by God, through others--some of the tools I need to start this journey fresh.  (And a few gems from a few months ago, as I was just beginning)


A friend mentioned to me a while back that she saw this situation as being similar to when a plant outgrows its pot.  You have to take the plant, and re-pot it in something bigger so that it can continue to grow.  She said this situation makes her think of that....that it was time for me to be re-planted so that I can continue to grow and blossom.  It's wonderful imagery, and I've called upon it a few times, but not nearly enough.  That is going to change.


A friend at work today passed along this scripture, as I was having a very rough day:

Romans 8:28 (NIV): And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

When I looked this up, it made me think of the plant.  God has called us here,  for HIS purpose.  He didn't just pick us up, drop us off, and then leave us...He's here.  He will take care of us.  Through Him we will be able to grow and blossom in this new pot we've been planted in.

I also was directed to this blog post during lunch after seeing it linked on the Money Saving Mom blog that I read often.  The post gave some practical "tips" for giving thanks even when we're discontent with our lot in life.  (Please read the article, as I'm taking these steps out of it, but not really explaining who is giving the tips!)

1. Never allow yourself to complain about anything, not even the weather.2. Never picture yourself in a different circumstance or someplace else.3. Never compare your lot with the lot of another.4. Never allow yourself to wish this or that had been otherwise.5. Never dwell on tomorrow.  Remember it is God’s, and not ours.6. Choose to be thankful for exactly where you are and exactly what you have.

All of this combined really hit home today.  Happiness is less a state of mind and more something I can create for myself...something I can allow myself.  I can't always change the situations I'm in, but I can ALWAYS change the way I perceive them, react to them, and handle them.

So.  Today begins a whole new outlook on this life.  A whole new season of appreciating the pot I'm in, and ceasing to spend all of my time yearning for the pot I *was* in.