tina martin: my life takes the cake

i am a planner. i don't like change and i don't like unplanned activities. when something comes up that changes my plans i get upset. therefore, we don't normally do things spur of the moment. i was sitting at home with the children doing nothing, which was my plan for the day. my sister called and asked if i wanted to meet for lunch. "heck yeah i do" was my response. they had just passed through tuscaloosa on their way to atlanta for a family vacation/client entertainment meeting for shawn. we met for lunch at o'charleys and at some point during the conversation i asked what they were doing once they got to atlanta. april told me they were going to a braves game and asked, "you don't want to go do you?". i hesitated. it wasn't in my plans. my heart wanted to go, to spend some time with my beloved sister and her family. but my brain was searching for reasons we couldn't go. i couldn't think of a reason. so i messaged donald and asked him if he wanted to go. he said yes. i couldn't believe it. so i asked if he was sure and his response was, "yes. we never do anything impulsive. let's go." so we went. we stopped by the house and packed an overnight bag for everyone and we got in the car and went to atlanta - spur of the moment.

and we had the best time. i don't think i've laughed as much since i was last with my sister. only my sister knows the inside jokes that we have. only my sister can make me laugh at the stupidest of things. only my sister can make me bust out laughing with just a look. i would've missed out on 24 hours of fun if i hadn't been willing to bust out of my mold and do something spur of the moment.

life is hard for those of us not inclined to warmly embrace change. life is full of change, much of which people like myself hold off at a distance for as long as possible and accept with clenched teeth when it is no longer possible to resist. thankfully, for people like me, there is one thing that never changes: the Lord. Malachi 3:6 says, "I the Lord do not change". time and time again i am reminded of God's faithfulness. though change is necessary, i can endure it through Christ who strengthens me and i can endure it knowing that my God will not forsake me, nor leave me alone. i am thankful to God for the gift of my family, for the memories we have and for the memories we will make in the future. it's just one more way in which . . . my life takes the cake.