Times of transition - hard on us and others!

This picture is Doug's first day of Kindergarten and Gwen's first day of 3rd Grade in 1987.  I was thinking about this picture while waiting for the bus this morning with Ellie and Lia.  Ellie has just started Kindergarten and Lia is in 3rd Grade.  I had Zeke and Anna in a double jogging stroller.  This is quite an experience for this grandma!  It's been a long time since I went to a bus stop!  Ellie marched happily on the bus (after giving both Zeke and Anna a hug and a kiss) grabbing Lia's hand.  This is, in itself, pretty amazing since Ellie wasn't so sure she wanted to go to school.  After a week, she loves it.  All of these transitions are really a big deal and I don't think that we appreciate just how difficult it is for these little kids.  Zeke looked a bit sad as we walked back to the house after the bus drove away.  He wanted to know when he could go on that bus.  When I told him that he needed to be 5 he kept saying, "I'm 3!"  Don't think he really understood what I was saying.  Zeke and Ellie are great playmates.  Ellie always seem to include Zeke in whatever she is playing.  So without her, Zeke is a bit lost.  He found his cars and all his ramps and finally played happily for a long time.  Later Zeke managed to get Anna laughing and laughing.  They will be good buddies as she gets older. But boy was he missing Ellie!

Here's the thing about transitions.  They are rough on YOU but they also effect other people around you!  Ellie is having some trouble with this big adjustment to full day school, and Zeke is having problems because Ellie is not home anymore.  Isn't it true that when we are dealing with the stress and shaking that comes with changes, we are NOT thinking much about others and how they are effected.  Nope, it is usually all about us.  I believe that most, if not all, of my friends are in some kind of transition or time of stress right now.  There is a lot of shaking and uncertainty.  And because we are ALL in this, each of us are in some way touched by the stress of our friends.   This reminder today will cause me to have a bit more grace for those around me.  I'm going to take more time to consider how my transitions are making waves for others.  Of course, the first thing that comes to my mind is how Ken is being effected by me not working.  I am sure this has been just as rough on him.  But I am so thankful for him!  Last night, after working all day, (with a storm approaching), he replaced the brakes on my car!  Yep, he was out there on that hot driveway, covered with grease, just so that I would have a safe car to drive.  WOW!  That's all I can say about this.  I am very blessed.

Jesus, thank you for Ken and those new, noise free brakes on my car.  Thank you for the reminder that other people may be just as upset as we are with the transitions we are facing.  Holy Spirit, give us grace to be patient with ourselves and others.  Jesus, you are the rock and our stability when things are unstable around us.  Help us all to stand firm on you and hold fast to the truth that you are in control!  Amen