Being A Crood

            Last weekend my family and I were blessed to get to go see the new DreamWorks Movie called The Croods.  My youngest had some unused AMC Movie Theatre Tickets and it seemed like a good family film.  I have to say that this movie has to be up there with one of my favorite animated films now.  It’s amazing how God can really speak to you in times like watching a movie or when you least expect it. 

            The basic premise of the film is that the family never leaves their cave.  They are always afraid of any kind of change or anything new.  Basically they have no choice but to leave the security of what they know in order to survive.  It’s got a lot of family humor, and at one touching point the lead character Eep says, “But I’m afraid.”

            I have a confession to make.  My family and I have been in this crazy transitionary phase in our lives.  We know God is up to something and there are some shifting things happening.  While I don’t have all the pieces to what He’s doing I have really been fighting fear lately.  Not that I wouldn’t jump in with both feet if God was clear on a new direction.  (Nope, I so would because I can feel things changing) It’s just that I think the fear of the unknown has really been weighing on me.  I’m a very goal oriented individual.  It’s hard for me when I’m not sure where the next goal is.  The frustration has gotten to me a bit.  When Eep cried that out to her dad Grug, it’s like I heard something inside of me say the same thing.  “But I’m afraid.”  I always joke that if you confess you have a problem at least then you can deal with it.  Coming out of denial is the majority of the battle. 

            Many people can find their living life just like The Croods.  They are hiding in their places of safety afraid to move forward.  They are so used to the wilderness that fear keeps them from doing the things they know they must do.  It can be easy to lose sight of the fact that life is a series of changes, and you have to embrace the new in order to move forward.  If not you’ll just be sad, stale and stagnant.  In our families case where we aren’t sure what God is doing it can be easy to just get frustrated and want to stay where we’ve been.  But honestly like Joyce Meyer always says, “Sometimes you just have to do things afraid.”  Like 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “God hasn’t given us the spirit of fear but of power love and a sound mind.” 

            I’m vowing that no matter what God is up to as to our next stage in life, that I’m ready to embrace the unknown.  I’m ready to hold tightly to it.  I’m open to hear the targets, and I’m open to move out of my cave into the places that God has in His hands.  Embrace change today.  Embrace what God is speaking to you.  Embrace the unknown.  When you’re walking with God you’ll see as Kim Clement says, “You’re somewhere in the future and you look much better than you look right now.” 

            God has awesome plans for your life.  Get excited.