Morphing 101

From time to time my wife Stacy and I  recall, with some embarrassment, our early thoughts on raising a family.  It went something like this: start young, finish young, then enjoy the empty nest.  We had no trouble with step one, as our first four children were all born before we reached the age of 30.  Simple math put us as empty-nesters by our mid 40s.  What a brilliant plan!  Fortunately, it wasn't God's plan, which became clear to us when we welcomed two orphans into our home.  As God made changes to our plans, our view of family also changed.  In fact, it's probably more accurate to say that we changed, rather than our views.  We were no longer looking forward to our kids being out of the house (though there are still those days!), but instead we began to understand that God was using us to shape and mold our children, His children actually.  What a blessing and responsibility! Now we cherish every day with our kids, with a less than eager expectation that some day we actually will be empty-nesters.

In his book The Life You've Always Wanted John Ortberg reminds us that we need to morph.  We need to be willing to change, and more importantly, to change according to God's plan, becoming all He wants us to be. Stacy and I have most certainly done some morphing over the past 25 years.  In fact, I have recently morphed into the grandparent stage, and now I have an entirely new perspective on family!  Yet I feel that I have so far to go in order to be all that God wants me to be.  Am I still open to his leading?  Am I willing to do what he wants, despite any difficulties it may cause me?  Can he really have his way in me, or are those just words that I sing in church?  Ultimately, the question is, am I allowing him to be Lord over every aspect of my life?  Am I still morphing?  Are you?