Change, pt 1

“Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” -John C. Maxwell

I'll begin by stating that I agree with both parts of this quote; however, the focus of today's post is on the first half, as it was what came to mind as I was beginning to reflect on what I'm about to write.

If you read this space regularly, you are well aware that my relationship with blogging ranges between part-time and full-time, depending on the season, depending on what I believe God is calling me (both at large and specifically to this space), as well as other things may come up.

The short version of this is: I'm likely going to be severely cutting back on my writing in this space for the foreseeable future. This will also include my copying & pasting sermon notes from my church, as well as the once-a-month Bible-reading updates (as well as anything significant and pertinent relating to the Bible studies I've hosted this year). To recap over the last six months or so:

Since March, my employer (a consulting firm) has taken on and given me a second client to support, which has made things crazy busy and insane in other ways as I continue to learn on the job how to do more and more of a career that I'd never heard of until ten months ago. The busy-ness and insanity of this setup has not abated since then.

Since the beginning of this summer, I've also returned to school, taking an online class at a time as I build toward growing my career kitbag of skills and tricks. I'm planning to take another online class this fall, and so on.

Most recently, I've accepted a second job as a worship leader assistant at a different church from the one I've been attending. On the one hand it's a dream I've had for a long time; on the other, I've already been looking at my plate and wondering how I'm going to make all three things work, including also building a relationship further toward marriage, staying at least somewhat connected with the church I've been attending, and (for now) continuing to host these Bible studies.

My desire is to do all these things well. Self-care is still important for ensuring that this happens. So, among other things, the blog will have to drop for now.

To clarify: I'm not going to take down this page. Unlike in 2013, I'm much more pleased and at peace with how the blog re-set has gone since 2019. I will admit that, in reviewing my original goals related to blogging when I re-set it, I have gone in somewhat different directions. I didn't plan that this space would focus on faith and Scripture as it has, but at the same time I'm glad it has. Honoring God is good, and honoring Him is important. I didn't get into music as much as I had originally expected, but I am pleased with the few posts that I have put out there. I recognize that talking about music, something I am truly passionate about, is a work in progress. I didn't expect to reboot the "Faraway State of Mind" series, but I'm finding I really like how the two posts that I have put out there so far have turned out. As well as other things.

I've decided I won't go the cliché route of stating the blog's name and theme: "for everything there is a season..." because that phrase is true no matter what. (Plus, repeating some things at excess can be nauseating, and I'm finding that here.) But what I will say about it is this: things are again changing, this time affecting the blog in ways that I cannot define or put in a frame. When I left a decade ago (almost), the reasons were personal. When I took a hiatus two years ago, I understood that there was a vague parameter set for it, and that I would likely return at some point. Even more recently, when I stepped away, I always knew that, when I would get a brief break in time, I would set up blog posts of sermon notes at my church that I had compiled but not had the time to edit, and edit and schedule-post (back-posting).

But with essentially changing churches, on top of the fact that I will be working two jobs and going to school, even that lifeline to the blog will be gone, at least for the time being. Because my love and her family will still be attending the same church I have been, I'll still be kept up-to-date and connected with the excellent messages that are being preached. But I likely won't be able to be there to record them (and eventually post them).

I will close this post with a brief reflection: one of my acquaintances from my high school church youth group who blogged prolifically as a teenager (and somewhat into his college years), ended his blog as he was getting ready to get married, not long after he graduated from college. His blogging was already dwindling by that point, to where he might have posted once every six months, if that. He had been gone a year or so, and then returned for a few posts over the span of (I want to say) a few weeks, only to admit that his life had at that point outgrown the purpose he had had for the blog that he had had. Since that post where he essentially admitted as such, he stopped blogging. To this day, the blog (or whatever is left of it) is nowhere to be found. I don't blame him. He got married, his life got busy, and he's never looked back. (I've also long dropped out of touch with him. I'm not opposed to getting back in touch with him, but it's not high on my priority list, and I don't suspect it's high on his, either.)

I share this story, though, because I wonder if or when that same scenario might play out for me. I know that God has indeed blessed this space over the last few years, and looking back, it's clear that (at least for me) writing helped me process not only the changes going on in the world around me, but also the totality of the changes in my life, some of which was in direct response to the changes in the world around me. While the changes in one sense have slowed down, I still sit here at my present age realizing I've never been this old before (relatively speaking); the future will likely hold many unprecedented things for me, many of which I am not prepared for. These are indeed scary thoughts, scarier if I start going into various details (which I won't). But realizing my need for a Savior, receiving that Savior (Jesus) and His sacrifice on the cross for me and my sins, and desiring to get better for God (and more), these things do help make the future look considerably less scary.

Meanwhile, I'll plan to leave this page up here for quite a while. I imagine I will write again, perhaps in spurts, perhaps in trickles, and perhaps in occasional gushes. But, to sound cliché, there is indeed a season for everything, including a time to reflect and be introspective, and a time to take action and not spend as much time thinking or reflecting about things. Right now, my life fits the latter, "go-go-go" category. For how long is anyone's guess.