Question: How flexible are you when plans and life change?

Your answers:

“On the flexibility scale, I’m Gumby.  Besides, God makes the plan, we are just along for the ride.”  – Dana

“My sister is visiting from California and we only see each other once a year. Her daughter has a tummy bug so I’m at my house and she’s at our moms. I’m bummed but still trying to enjoy my vacation with my kids.  So I’d say I’m flexible and optimistic we’ll be back together tomorrow.” -Val.

“I’m a teacher.  I change my plan dozens of times each day.  Never hold tight to a plan because it will certainly change if you do! I am VERY flexible.” -Jamie

“Cork on the waves, Baby! I try to be as optimist as possible when it comes to change…I’m admit I’m not always that great about it, but I find that if I think about myself being more flexible and resilient, I usually am.” -Amy

“Depends on the situation.  As I get older it gets easier.  But I realize it often has to do with underlying expectations I have not openly communicated. When I keep those inside change can be very frustrating for me.” -Amanda

“Im working on it. I don’t think I’m too bad, my husband probably begs to differ.” -Meagan

“What is this “plans” thing you speak of?  No, seriously, I keep plans to a minimum BECAUSE they change so freaking much.  That makes me either flexible or irresponsible, depending on the situation.” -Amy B.

“I pick my battles. For the most part, I just go with the flow.” Alicia

“I try to be flexible. I joke that I don’t like change and am set in my ways(which is true) but I try to realize that a lot of things are out of my hands and getting made about the situation won’t change it.” -Abbie

“I’m not that great, but trying to be better, kids sort of test my flexibility daily.” -Nicole

My answer is a bit longer…

This week we were supposed to spend the week camping at Crater Lake.  I have been looking forward to getting away for months. And the middle of the night before we were set to leave, Grace woke up sick. We postponed a couple of days, even switched where we were going — and then Daniel got sick.  So we are home.  I was really looking forward to getting away,  A few people mentioned that we got a staycation out of it…but at home I am faced with the laundry and the upkeep of the house.  I am faced with the regular.  My husband is never truly off.  He got called in the morning we were supposed to leave.  I saw him working on some work papers today when I got home, because I went into work for a couple of hours.  If we are in town, he can get a call out.  That is our life.  I’m trying to be flexible but it’s hard when I’m being faced with the monotony of my everyday life.  Every day is busy, but sometimes I want different busy.  I want to enjoy my kids without worrying that my room is a mess and the dishwasher has to be unloaded.  And yes I know there are plenty of times to do that, but I am never caught up.  No matter how hard I try.  I think being a police wife I have built-in flexibility — I have shared most holidays with his job. Being a Mom I have to be flexible – runny noses, and bloody knees, and they are always hungry.  But today I got a little mad, because my entire life since I was a child was about me being flexible.  And I believe it’s made me love life right where I’m at, but it has also made me very aware that I am put on the back burner in many relationships…because I’ll “understand.” But sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I just want to know my voice, and my life counts.  That I’m worth the effort.    For a really long time I believed I wasn’t.  But now I do.  My needs, my wants. They are important.  Not in a superficial me Me ME way…but in a real tangible I matter.  Because life isn’t easy, even when I’m flexible.  This past weekend my sister visited and it made me realize how blessed people are to have family around.  I have friends that will help, but sometimes this crazy monotonous busy is lonely.  The more I thought about why I was feeling this way, the more I realized that I think I must be failing.  In the past months I have felt that my failures coincide in the places where I feel insignificant.

And that’s when I paused.

And I prayed.

This whole revolution of real is a constant curvy path, and it can be really bumpy. Because  life is really bumpy.  And my real isn’t always pretty. We aren’t debt free, and we aren’t sickness free.  We aren’t dust or weed free.  I’m not sin free, and I haven’t been on a date with my husband in a long long time.  As I type this, my kids are fighting…But I am not failing.   Because I’m willing to realize that part of being flexible is realizing that I can show people in every part of my life that they matter to me.  That they are worth my time. In every circumstance.  And I am grateful for that. I’m not that great at love all the time, but I will always love.

So back to my regular life.  With my little family who know I love them – I am up with them during the night with fevers, and I soothe them when they cry.  I lay down next to them after bad dreams and say prayers into their ears.  My real is a constant state of changing-growing-living and its blessed,  Even with the bumps, I am significant to this world.

Life happens.  And while I think I’m flexible, I still can’t touch my toes…but being bendy isn’t everything.

Love is.