Craving Change, Clearing Hurdles & Taking Risks

I tweeted a while back that I thought 2012 would be a year of monumental change(s) in our family. For many reasons this is proving to be true.

If we really want to be full and generous in spirit, 

we have no choice but to trust at some level.
~ Rita Dove

I found out last Sunday evening that I had been elected to my Parish's Pastoral Council. It is a three year term. It's one of those things that I wasn't ready to run for in years past. This was the third year in a row that I had been nominated. I felt like if there were a "right" time, I would never run. There would always be some excuse to make up about why I chose not to run. Third time was the charm - I took a risk & tossed my hat in the ring, along with 5 other men, mind you, and I guess it was meant to be. Unless of course someone fixed the ballots. ;  )

Of course I'm only kidding, I have my first Pastoral Council meeting in a little over a week. I may have some good stories to share with my in-laws come Easter this year about the start of this experience. We shall see.

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.
~ Mother Teresa

My baby boy turned five a couple of weeks ago. A huge milestone for our family. We are anticipating big changes in our routines in preparation for him attending Kindergarten in the fall. 

I know my twitter followers are probably tired of hearing about the all-day Kindergarden lottery, but it was something we really wanted for Munchkin & knew we may not get. As working parents the whole school timetable is so hard to navigate & overall it's been very stressful.

We had our first 60+ degree day in Minnesota & it's only the 10th of March - crazy, I know. We went to get Munchkin a new helmet to use with his bike & scooter. He chose red of course - his favorite color.  We found also found a set with elbow & knee pads, plus a pair of gloves. He was so excited.  The first trip of the season on the bike, was up to the mailbox & there was our letter from the school - post lottery. One of the first "big deals" in our kid's life & guess what! We did NOT get an all day spot.  Darn it - so disappointing, but there's nothing we can do - it's out of our hands.

“Pitiful is the person who is afraid of taking risks. Perhaps this person will never be disappointed or disillusioned; perhaps she won't suffer the way people do when they have a dream to follow. But when the person looks back-she will hear her heart”

~ Paulo Coelho

We have to take the good with the bad - the thrills along with the things that make you want to cry.  Life is so much harder to accept when you are not in full control of all the outcomes.  Not everything makes sense. You have to deal & let go of the fact that things could be very different & perhaps too predictable if everything always happened exactly as you had wished.

There are a few other things in the fire that our family is anxiously awaiting feedback on, things that would make a huge difference for us in the coming years. If we hadn't been craving for things to change, clearing away the hurdles and taking risks, we wouldn't have a chance of reaping any of the rewards that might go along with those risks. And for that reason I'm so glad we took the leap.

If you enjoyed this post, you might also like: Stream of Consciousness Sunday: Caught Up In A Twist Of Fate or Trying Hard to "Read"