Changes

Unless death parts you, family is always family. Even if you change legally, your blood is still from the same bloodline. This explains the depth of love that such ties create. Blood doesn't change, yet we all change in every other capacity. This may be the reason family units experience more tension than chosen friendships. We find it hard to understand a changed member of our family. Spouses must grow together as they change; they are required to continually "learn" one another, but extended family members tend to change away from one another. Because of different life experiences, family reunions tend to favor a "get to know you" mixer rather than a mingling reunification. Whether subtle or severe, all change is significant as it relates to our overall development, but if you aren't given space or grace to change, you feel as if people have placed you in a claustrophobic box. If you stubbornly fight against change, you'll simply isolate yourself from an ever-changing world. Sameness dulls our senses and hinders our capacity to mature. As every child matures, so should every adult. Seasons change, people change, yet the Creator of the world never changes (Hebrews 13:8).Why on earth would we want to believe and love an unchanging God if change is such a positive virtue?
Because change is essential to our refinement and our purification. God is already perfect; He is always pure and always lovely, no matter the season. We, on the other hand, have a lot of work to do and will not achieve such a status until our life on earth ends.
While on this earth, we need to not only look for ways to change subtly and severely for the betterment of our being, but we need remember that our loved ones might be changing in a different way from us. We may not understand it, we may not agree with it, but we can earnestly seek to love each other out of reverence for a perfect God who made us all.
"Be completely humble and gentle, be patient bearing with one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2).

I was blessed to reunite with my siblings last weekend in sunny San Diego. My big sis from Texas, my little bro from San Francisco, plus Luca and I, all met up in Southern California to affirm and celebrate my dad's decision to proclaim his love for the Lord through baptism. The changes in his life were awesome to see. It was a quick but sweet time of catching up and getting reacquainted with people I love and adore. We have all changed over the years, but we all love each other without reservations.

I've certainly seen them since the top picture was taken, but it was fun to reminisce on the changes!

Luca was a great travel partner. Couldn't have asked for anything better!

Nothing like sunny San Diego to let your hair down!

Nicole brought my little nephew, and he's changing every day!

Uncle Matt had some one on one time with little Luca :)

Kind of a fun change to be an only child for once. 

The Pacific Ocean was a great setting for a baptism!

You are awesome Dad!

Thanks for a great weekend Papa!

Lots of changes since we were last looking at sailboats together.

I know our grandma was smiling from down on us. 

One thing that hasn't changed: my dad's love and giftedness in baseball... So fun to watch him win the championship!

These boys didn't change too much while I was gone, but we did change our footwear to get ready for school season! Glad their feet are the same size and their favorite colors are the same.

~ Changing Buster