the new "normal"

In less than 90 days our family will no longer be Bahamian residents.  Strange thought.  Strange feeling.  There's something very life-altering about having your home address in a foreign country.  Perhaps more on that some other post...

But last night I was realizing all the new "normals" we have adapted to by living here.  No air conditioning.  No hot water.  Those are two big ones.  But we've worked around them and learned to live differently.  The reason it recently struck me was that the AC repair man came to check our system out.  Since we haven't used our central AC in nearly 20 months, it needed checked. Our landlords are moving back into this home when we leave, and they want to make sure things are functioning.  So anyway, when the repairman came and turned on the AC to check it, it was like an out-of-body experience.  I was making dinner and feeling cool air blowing down on me.  "Is this what we've been missing?" I thought to myself.  For just those few moments, I realized the new normal that I have adapted to...living hot and sweaty the majority of the time.  And I'm OK with it.

The other "normal" we've adjusted to is not having hot water to wash dishes or shower with.  We don't really understand why, but our "solar water heater" doesn't seem to work except in high summer (June through September).  Basically around October we lose all hot water and don't feel it again 'til June, except for a few moments here and there.  We've learned to either shower cold or heat water on the stove and take sponge baths.  Same for doing dishes.  Now I do have a dishwasher, but for the big pots and pans and general cleaning of the kitchen, I like to have hot water...so I just heat it on the stove.  This is my normal and I've grown accustomed to it.

What I've gained from all this is truly helpful:

• patience and forbearance
• gratitude for what used to be taken for granted
• learning there is "more than one way to skin a cat"
• reflecting on what a true "need" is versus a desire
• the sight to see that new ways of living are always possible if we are willing to adapt.

And perhaps it's that last point that I really want to focus on here.  You see, when new life circumstances come upon us suddenly; the death of a loved one, the care of an aging parent, the loss of a job, etc....there IS a way to adapt.  God will give us the grace.  But how long that adaptation takes is really on us.  If we reluctantly hang back, and try to hold on to our old way of life, we only become more miserable.  The sooner we accept the new normal, the sooner we are at peace and move on.  Different, yes.  But better.  Because we've conformed.  We've curved.  We've become a little smoother.  And doing without hot water and air conditioning are small things compared to life-altering circumstances.  But it's practice.

What are some steps toward embracing "new normals" you could make today?  Is there something you need to do without?  Is there something you've held back from because of your fear of discomfort?  Pray.  Ask God to help you be soft and moldable.   He is an ever present help. 

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work" 2 Cor. 9:8