Life is a symphony

Disclaimer: I apologize to the true musicians in my life who might be reading this.  My analogy might be lacking in knowledge, but it was so meaningful to me that I have to write about it.  Please forgive me!

I was thinking, as I ran, about God orchestrating my life and I realized that I could describe life as a symphony performance.  God is both the composer and the conductor of the music that is my life.  This particular piece of music has many movements, each with its own unique tempo, key signature (and accidentals!), dynamics, and instrumentation.  Sometimes there is dissonance or disharmony, but it is beautiful and purposeful too.  The music may be unusual and cause me to cringe, but eventually I grow to appreciate it.

The performance is the culmination of hours and hours of practice done by the musicians.   Each instrument and musician is a necessary part of the symphony.  There may be solo parts, but it wouldn't be a symphony without every part!  All of the parts play TOGETHER to create a masterpiece!

 We all make mistakes; we are human.  Those mistakes aren't usually obvious to anyone but those close to us and our Conductor and ourselves.  Many times, the audience doesn't even know a mistake has been made.  Thankfully, the Conductor is full of grace and forgiving.  He knows us so well and He encourages us to keep going.  One mistake does not ruin the symphony, but I often act as though my mistakes have ruined everything!

God, our Great Conductor, can work in ALL things for GOOD!  He can turn my life into a beautiful symphony, even when I feel like I've made glaring mistakes.  If I will only follow His leading, keep practicing, and pay attention to the others who are part of the same symphony, there will be beautiful music in my life!

stay in your niche!

In the study of ecology, a niche is an extremely important concept.  A niche is an organism's occupation; its role in the environment.  A niche defines the physical and biological conditions in which an organism lives and how it interacts with those conditions.  No 2 species can share the same niche in the same habitat.  

As I was explaining niche to my 9th graders, I gave the example of a mountain lion.  What if he got tired of being a carnivore and hunting and decided to become an herbivore, grazing like a cow?  I asked them what would happen.  They gave great answers!  The animals that the mountain lion ate would become overpopulated.  There would be a grass shortage.  If the producer (the grass) in the environment runs out, everything else dies.  The mountain lion has the wrong teeth and the wrong digestive enzymes for grass anyway.  He would make himself miserable!  Serious consequences for one species deciding he doesn't like who he is.

It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?  But, I frequently find myself thinking thoughts similar to the fictitious mountain lion.  If only I looked like ______.  If only I didn't feel and think so deeply and I could be superficial.  If only I could be a teacher like ______.  And on and on.  We are not perfect, but we are made in God's image and made by His hands!  He designed me to fit perfectly into my niche, and it is ridiculous for me to try to fit somewhere else!  I'm only making myself miserable and adversely affecting every one around me!  

Truthfully, I like my niche!  I think I'll stay!  :)

homeostasis

The AP biology textbook that I use in my class defines homeostasis as "internal balance regardless of the external environment".  Every system, every organ, every cell in the human body is Divinely designed and programmed to maintain homeostasis.  If something knocks us out of homeostasis, our own body kicks in to restore it.  Absolutely amazing!

When I read "internal balance regardless of the external environment", the emotional part of me cried out for homeostasis too.  I had a time in March when my heart felt as though it was made of glass, fragile and easily shattered.  I knew then that something in me needed to change.  I cried out to God about my heart, and He showed me my heart made of strong muscle and held by His loving and protecting hands.  Jesus holds my heart...and He loves me and I trust Him.

I cannot control my "external environment".  I can only control the response that comes from inside me to maintain homeostasis.  I still feel disappointment, anxiety, sadness, anger, fear, hurt, etc.  But, God is teaching me, and reminding me, to trust Him.  I choose my response.  I am learning to say, "Jesus, this situation makes me feel ______, and I can't do anything about it.  Will you please take care of it for me?  Thank you!"  Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus".  It's a promise that God keeps.  Every time I pray that prayer, He gives me His peace...a peace that's beyond anything that I can understand.

I'll be practicing Philippians 4 for the rest of my life.  I want that to be my first response to every situation.  God's peace is my homeostasis!