Change Just Happens

Some people tell me that they are not fond of change. Whenever someone says this, I am reminded of a book written in 1999 called Who Moved My Cheese? It was written by Spencer Johnson, M.D. with the foreword written by Kenneth Blanchard, PhD. They were the co-authors of The One Minute Manager. I was a Human Resource Director for a large company when these books came out and they were some of the required reading for our managers and executives. 

Who Moved My Cheese? was my favorite of the two books. 

The book follows four characters inside a maze: two mice named Sniff and Scurry and two small people named Hem and Haw. Sniff and Scurry do what they need to do to keep going but Hem and Haw overthink everything and fear the unknown.

All four characters find a huge supply of cheese at Cheese Station C. Hem and Haw get comfortable and stop paying attention to anything except the cheese right in front of them. Sniff and Scurry are constantly moving through the maze, checking out new corners and looking for new cheese stations. They stay alert, paying attention to what is happening around them - not just in front of them. 

One day, the cheese is completely gone at Cheese Station C. Sniff and Scurry immediately put on their running shoes and go find new cheese. Hem and Haw get angry, confused, and stay in denial, expecting the old cheese to return. Eventually, Haw realizes waiting around will not help. He braves the maze to search for new cheese. As he travels, he writes helpful lessons on the walls for Hem, hoping Hem will change his mind, too, and come looking for cheese. Haw eventually finds a massive new stash of cheese at Cheese Station N, where Sniff and Scurry are already eating. Hem refuses to leave and stays behind, getting hungrier and hungrier. 

The cheese is a metaphor for what we want in life, such as a good job, money, or a relationship. The maze represents the confusing world around us. And the theme of the story is that Change Just Happens! You can count on it happening and you better prepare for it because nothing lasts forever. The quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you find new cheese.

As September hits the halfway point, our Old Stone Coffee House and Wednesday Night Worship teams are hard at work preparing Jones Hall, planning musicians, scheduling speakers, and lining up volunteers to help with set-up, as well as preparing and serving food. We are working on some changes that will help us adjust to our cheese being in a different place, and the maze just might look a little bit different. We hope you will be like Haw and brave the maze with us to look for some new cheese!

Old Stone Coffee House will re-open on Sunday, October 4th at 9am in Jones Hall. Wednesday Nite Worship starts up again on Wednesday, October 7th at 5:30pm (dinner) and 6:15pm (worship) - also in Jones Hall. We are looking for volunteers to help with both ministries. Please reach out to Nick Smith, Crystal Hendricks, Cheryl Cuccinello, or Ralphie Segar if you would like to brave the maze with us. And of course, we would love it if you would join us for a meal, some music, and a Spiritual Conversation at either or both weekly events.

"For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland." (Isaiah 43:19)

Grace and Peace

-Pastor Madeline