Changing Lanes: Staying on the Right Path During Times of Uncertainty

A local road in my neighborhood has been undergoing major construction.  An awkward merge has been temporarily inserted on the side of the road.  The street itself is narrower.  Workers, heavy machinery, and new traffic signs have caused the area to be a little more hectic. Yet, the hardest part is the lack of defined lines along the street. Faded chalk marks and a couple of reflective tabs have replaced the bold white lines.  Without clearly marked lanes, I feel somewhat lost and nervous when driving through this part of town.  While I know the end result will be a bigger street with a nice walkway on the edges, I’m not too fond of this temporary construction.   Four months ago, one of the writing sites I had written for shut down, suddenly and permanently.  For almost five years, I had written articles for this company and when I was notified of its impending closure, I felt a sense of loss, as if the Titanic was sinking.  At the same time, I knew I needed a little nudge to step out of my comfort zone, to try my hand at blogging and different writing projects.  The change has caused me to work a little harder, stay up a little later, and try out some new styles of writing.   You see change can be good.  Still, I like to have a defined path…..to know where I am going.  For awhile I felt like my life was under construction.  When my steady income was gone, I felt like I wasn’t contributing to our household.  Suddenly, my path didn’t feel very clear.  I was floundering in a sea of html/blogger/ghostwriting jargon that was unfamiliar. Yet, then my husband reminded me that even if I weren't making money, I was always contributing to our family.  Taking care of the kids and the house was an important job.  In our society, our jobs and salaries often define us.  While degrees, promotions, and awards are great accomplishments, the behind the scenes action is important too. For instance, no one will ever pay me for doing crafts with my children or cutting my daughter’s sandwich into the shape of a heart.   I won’t be recognized for tucking my kids in at night or reading them Goodnight Moon for the 1000th time. Yet, those little things matter, at least to my kids. Some days, my path may be out of focus.  And sometimes, I may be forced to change lanes.  I may succeed.  I may fail.  I may make more money one month and less the next. But luckily, I have my family to remind me about what is important.  I also know that God is there to help keep me on the right path.  These things help keep my path defined so that I am able to stay focused on the road I’m supposed to be on. Psalm 119: 1: You're blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God.

How do you stay focused when faced with changes?  What are some of the little things that your family appreciates about you?