Yesterday my parents and I headed on up to their cabin in the mountains for a couple of days. It had been quite a while since they were able to spend time up there other than a quick trip to make sure everything was still working properly. We were looking through things and I found my old cowboy hat that I had left there over 15 years ago. I put it on – yup, still fits, yup. The feather hatband was made by a friend of mine at the time. I thought about him and wondered where his life led him. I also thought about my life at that point in time and all the people who were a part of it. I am in touch with so few now. As I walked around the area, I realized that there were very few subtle changes that had happened. Roads were still in the same places, though some that we used to take “at our own risk” are pretty much impassable at this point. The house has had its share of small changes as well, but still basically the same structure. I thought of so many times we visited the place with different groups of people and how we would spread out all over the house as we found places to sleep. My brother joined us and brought his dog. She is just a year old, full of energy, and very cute and funny. All of this pondering helped me to realize that truly the only constant in life is change. Yet, we are “creatures of habit” and have a difficult time when things change. I have changed as well. While I am aware of my faults very clearly most of the time, I hope and feel that I have been growing through it all. I feel I know myself better, have a better understanding of my relationships, and have a better sense of how to better live my life. I also have a better understanding of how God is involved in my life and am grateful that He is unchanging. He is the constant that I can wrap my arms around and know that He always has my best interest in His heart. I am thankful for finding the old cowboy hat and for the reflection that it started.

I Found God today in a realization of all things changing, of how I have grown through the years, and of how God remains the same – always loving, always present.