May 3, 2006

change


It's been interesting to see how each member of our family adapts to the change of a new home. In many ways it is therapeutic for us to be in a place in life where we can stretch out a little bit more and laugh in ways we'd forgotten how. In other ways, though, we are adjusting to a new home, neighborhood, and way of life. Even the things we looked forward to - setting up our couches, bookshelves, and curtains - have had their own measure of unexpected stress.

We're living in a time of intense change. And I don't just mean my family.

We're living in a society where it takes you longer to figure something out than it does for it to look different. Know what I mean? The minute you have it "figured out," it's become wrong because it has already changed. This leads to maladaptive stress, be it about computers, remote controls, or microwave popcorn.

But it's not all about electronics.

What is the best product for your hair? Figure it out, and something new will come out.

What is the best place to shop for glasses? Figure it out, and some other place will advertise a new special.

What is the best place to buy gas? Figure it out, and someone will lower their price or come out with a gas alternative.

This is the real challenge of the "future," isn't it? We were told by The Jetsons that it would be all about jetpacks, flying cars, and leisure. Truth be told, though, we often end up more stressed about our conveniences than we are our inconveniences.

A big problem with change is that it has an elusive neck to wring... we don't know how to vent our frustrations on something so intangible so we take it out on someone else in an attempt to gain control.

Perhaps that why Jesus was crucified by human hands.

Meanwhile, my son came up to me today and tapped me on the shoulder. (Tap, tap.) "That's God! God was touching you, but it was me."

I guess some things never change. :)
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17)

5 comments:

Darius said...

It's funny, I was just having this conversation with my mom. She thinks she's sick of all the new gadgets and features and instruction manuals that come with everything because she's getting old, but I was telling her I've been hearing the same sort of thing from younger people. There's a saturation point, you know?? Enough added conveniences become confusingly inconvenient.

Generous Kitchen said...

We add conveniences to make life easier so we can cram in more stuff so we are busier and need to add more conveniences...and so on and so on. Isn't Satan crafty?

Katie said...

i'm telling you, i learn something from your sons everytime you mention them

tonymyles said...

No kidding, Katie... me, too!

Sandra, good insight on the satan side of that. Perhaps it's healthy to remember that caretaking work was given to us from God as a task before the fall of man.

Darius - sounds like your mom is a sharp woman!

Friar Tuck said...

The Burke book is awesome by the way.

I want the Ben Witherington book on the Da Vinci Code.