It Changed My Life

That girl deep in thought is Taylor Swift for anyone who doesn't know... I can't assume everyone knows who she is because last month while I was eating lunch with Libby at school, she was doing one of those "fortune teller" things- that we used to call "Cooty Catchers"- and my "fortune" was that Taylor Swift was thinking about me. I responded, "I didn't even know that he knows who I am". Which was met with laughs of hilarity by Libby and her 5th grade friends. :-) "Mo-oooom! She's a girl!" Oh. So I'm not up on pop culture. I think that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Fast forward to New Years Eve, as we were watching the ball drop in Times Square (on TV), Taylor was hostessing along with Ryan Secrest and the Jonas Brothers and during the magical first moments of 2009 when the confetti was falling from the sky and the party horns were being blown and the mood was festive, Taylor said of it all, "This is so... life changing".

Life changing?!! Really? Wow. And in our corner of the world, we all laughed at her and I wanted to ask, "Tell me, Taylor, how does a New Years' Eve party change your life?" No, really. I'd like to know. If her life was changing, I honestly would like to know how. All that really changed in my life was that I now have to remember to write 2009 instead of 2008. And what is the changing of a year, really, when you think about it? Nothing more than going from one minute to the next. A reminder that time is passing.

Since then I have entertained myself by repeating her words to myself, "Oh, this is so life changing!!!" about any good little thing that happens and I laugh.

But it has made me stop and think about things in my life that really have changed it. Topping my list are things like moving out of my parents' house, graduating from high school and college, getting married, the births of my children (particularly the first), moving to Maryland, moving to Alabama.... and then smaller things like books I have read, conversations I have had, sermons I have heard, friends I have made... these things have certainly changed my life in subtle and substantial ways.

But what about the magical moment 2009 years ago (give or take a few) when Jesus made it possible for me to be united with Him forever? And it happened on a "hill far away" on an "old rugged cross" and it was an ugly thing on earth and the only confetti and rock music was in heaven. (I'm taking liberties here). I read this quote on someone's Facebook profile and I love it....

Jesus knows me, this I love. :-)

And I know that Jesus knows me and I know that this MUST have changed my life but I have been asking myself how. How is my life different because of Jesus than it would be without him? This is a hard question for people like me who were raised in the church. But one that is good to ask. That "life change" should be clear in every decision I make, every hour I spend, every towel I fold, every meal I cook for someone else, every meal I receive (thank you!!!), every time I am tempted to complain about my sore back, every nose I wipe, every math problem I help with, every carpool I drive... even when it seems mundane and even when I lose my temper and even when I so often choose the wrong thing... still I hope that overall my life shows that I realize I am not the same. I am different because Jesus knows me.