First Baptist Church of Herndon

Go With the Flow

Linda Soller | Jul 24, 2017

I’m not a “go with the flow” person. There you have it. I’m a planner, a scheduler, an organized, make a list and check it off person. And I admit, it’s not always a good thing. It helps me get stuff done and manage the stress, but the management part brings its own level of stress. Attempts on my part to be more laid back have often failed. That was until the grandchildren. If you want to experience being out of control of your time just hang out with a baby or small child. When they should be exhausted, they are bouncing off the walls. When they are supposed to eat, they aren’t hungry, and fifteen minutes after the meal has been cleaned up they need a snack.

 In the last three years of enjoying my granddaughters I am gradually learning to go with the flow. I now rarely twinge when I get off my perfectly planned schedule. I hardly ever grumble to myself when their favorite food of last week gets cold because they no longer like it. I am re-learning what I knew as a young mother, including grownups can never be too tired or too sick, to read just one more book. It’s truly wonderful to know that whatever our age or old habits, we are capable of change.

No matter how important your faith is to you, or how much of your life you dedicate to your faith, there is always room to grow, to change. You will survive when that visitor sits in the pew where you always sit. Adjusting the time of the sermon does not have to be a sign the world, as you know it, is ending. Changing the order of the service need not result in mass hysteria. There are worse things than learning a new hymn.

When I think of learning to go with the flow I am reminded of Reinhold Niebuhr’s serenity prayer; “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”  We all need to learn to pick our battles, and sometimes it’s okay to just go with the flow.

Have a great week!    :o)  Linda