What I was just thinkin about...

Passions Change.

This isn’t a question. This is a boldface statement. I think some people are of the mind that if one is passionate about something, perhaps an interest, a hobby, a cause, or a person, then they must be passionate for life.

Today I have had multiple encounters that beg to voice the opposite opinion. I was reading (don’t. judge.) Dr. Phil’s advice column in Oprah’s magazine. A parent was attempting to get the Doc to sympathize with her, as her daughter was "wasting away" her college years, deciding to transfer to a state school near her boyfriend, and not taking up the prestigious liberal arts school on their offer of a music scholarship. The mom said ‘I just don’t want her to give up her dreams' (one might replace the word ‘dreams’ for ‘passions’). Dr. Phil, not-so-tactfully-of-course, told the mom that these were obviously not her daughters dreams anymore. Her dreams had changed. And mom needed to accept that.

Later today, well I guess it was tonight, I was talking on the phone to a friend who had watched an amazing drum corp do their thing. Once upon a time this would have lit his fire. He appreciated the talent when he watched it tonight. But he realized something. The passion was gone.

How can such an honest thing as PASSION change?

I think about myself. Who I was one year ago. What my passions were. What(who) I was passionate about.

Things are different now.

Maybe not earth-shatteringly different. But CERTAINLY different. UNDENIABLY different.

Once when my friend was leaving for college and I was beginning my senior year of high school I was sort of crying a little and pouting about change. I wasn’t ready for my friend to go. She was one of the few logical people left in my tiny world called highschool. And my friend Shaunna told me the wisest, truest thing that I’ll never forget…that I always come back to…

Life is a series of seasons. Life is full of seasons. God loves seasons. He thrives on change! If there was no winter there’d be no spring….if there was no summer there’d be no fall…

In life we grow. We change. We become passionate about things. Our passions change. Grow. Deepen. Take different shapes.

I guess at the core, the thing I desire to always be passionate about is my relationship with Jesus. Everything else hinges on that pretty much. (can I use a flippant tone to communicate how intensely serious I am? That may not work on a keyboard…)

My passions, and feelings, and desires, and growth, are all somewhat in my control, and of course somewhat out of my control. But the one thing I know above all life experiences, above all feelings and emotions, above all circumstances, is that my soul is at peace with God. My life is in his hands. And I am more grateful for that than I could ever really communicate.

I was reminded of these lyrics I heard for the first time on a Ginny Owens album yeeaaarrsss ago (back when I listened to Christian music). The song is much older than that. And the lyrics are more profound than any I’ve heard in quite some time…

Be still, my soul: The Lord is on your side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to your God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain
Be still, my soul: Your best, Your heavenly friend
Through stormy ways leads to a joyful end.