The other day I had this thought-- People who hate change are usually stuck. And darn unhappy.

I stood in the sunny kitchen of our apartment--did I tell you that the window over the sink gets afternoon sunshine and the setting sun as well? And do you know how long I've dreamed of a kitchen window like that? Only for the last 15 years, that's all. Oh my!

And the window finally came to me when I opened myself up to renting a tiny one-bedroom apartment in the lower front of an ancient gold house near the railroad tracks. The same tracks outside that kitchen window where I watch trains speed by and, with hands in soapy water, dream about the places they are traveling.

I love living in this apartment. Can you believe it? I mean for the first years of our marriage I thought only a gigantic Victorian house would make me happy, but I never did get one of those. And now? Well, a Victorian house would tire me. Daily.

Grace led me to this change-- this apartment--and I'm happy there. 

The kitchen is arranged more efficiently than my old one.  There's a laundry closet off the dining room so no longer must I wander down to the dark depths of a basement, lugging heavy baskets up the stairs later. Wow. The bedroom is even larger than our previous one. The closet is longer, larger and the bathroom vanity is tons more convenient than our old pedestal sink and there's the clothesline outside I've craved for 14 years, as well.

But you know? The old Debra who used to hate change would have hated this apartment. She'd have whined, "It's too small. Too modern-ish. Too much in the wrong part of town and what will people say/think/do when they hear about this?"

But the new Debra is breaking free from what 'they' say (whoever 'they' are) She realizes there is no new adventure unless there are a few changes at least somewhere in the journey. And well, she's loving change right about now. Long ago she tired of same ol' days strung together like pages which will never change except to yellow and turn brittle with age.

Oh, sometimes that's exactly what makes a book (or tv show) comforting, especially in times where there's too much change happening. But other times? Change is a doorway to new lessons and roads rife with adventures. 

I'm learning to view change as good--to trust God that the changes will be terrific after some time. And viewing change as open doors to adventure, well, what a surprise these middle years of my life.


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