Embracing Change in the New Year

The only thing that seems to be constant is change. As this new year unfolds, I am a day away from another big change. My youngest son, who has lived with me for the past six months while he looked for a job, is now moving to N.C. While I am excited for him and his new adventure, I am left with an aching heart. I will truly miss him and the fun we had inventing recipes, working on puzzles and playing "golf" and "schnappsen" (both card games). The house will seem very empty without him or his older brother and sister. I am officially an "empty nest" mother.

Without my chicks in the nest, I can feel a bit lost. I know that God has work for me to do and I am enjoying learning new things and building a home business. But what matters most to me is relationships and people, and I will have to be creative in finding ways to stay connected to my family.

When the feelings of loss or the heart ache becomes overwhelming, I take time to sit in the big blue chair and ask God to hold me.  I don't have to figure it all out. I don't need to "fix it". I just need to be honest about where I am and then take a few moments to thank God for all the blessings that I receive each day. I don't want to give in to self-pity or negativity, but I do want to be honest about the feelings I experience and not just bury them.  I also don't want to stuff them with junk food or ignore them in a whirl of activity.

Life is full of change. What kinds of change are you experiencing? Have you found some effective ways to deal with change?