Change-Adverse

Adventure. Wilderness. Solitude. Survival. Exploration. Discovery.

Lately, in our school curriculum, we have been studying the Discovery Age, when many explorers went out and conquered the unknown.

Christopher Columbus sailed into the Ocean Sea looking for Cathay. Vasco da Gama sailed from Portugal around the southern tip of Africa, a previously unexplored sea route to India. John Cabot sailed across the northern Atlantic and claimed Canada for England. Magellan sailed toward India via the west and ended up sailing around South America and into the Pacific Ocean. (Not that you wanted a history lesson, but...) These brave men and many others literally changed their world.

Our family loves to discover what we had previously not known. One of the reasons we love camping, hiking, and traveling to explore new places. We love TV shows about survival and adventure. If ever caught in a survival situation, I think that we would make it out alive... making a fire, catching food, building temporary shelter... more than just survive, we would probably be thrilled in the whole adventure of it all.

Except that part of me cringes at the thought of going into unknown places and learning new things. Part of me likes my comfy bed, warm house and stocked pantry. Part of me loves to know what the next day's schedule will be like. Part of me screams, "No!" at any mention of change. I don't want my kids to grow up. I don't want my dependable red minivan to die. I don't want added responsibilities. I don't want to be without any of the conveniences that I have come to depend on. I have to remind myself that...

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Change brings good things. If these great discoverers never got out of their comfort zones, the world would still be flat.

Although I'm not expecting a dramatic physical change in my life soon, (so don't misunderstand me)... I am expecting my attitude to change. My complacency. My laziness. My procrastination. My impatience. My settling for status quo. I want to venture into unknown places of my heart and traverse those wildernesses to bring about change for good. I want every area of my life to reflect my trust and dependence on God.