This was an essay assignment about change for The ROCK Writers’ Guild. It’s one of my favorites…

Title:
Change
Adjustment
Metamorphosis
Modification
Modulation
Mutation
Refinement
Remodeling
Revision
Revolution
Shift
Transformation
Transition

VICISSITUDE !
by Carolyn Mejia

Pastor Abbye wandered into my office this afternoon, “So, am I going to get your guild piece today?”

I derided, “depends on how long this ad takes me.” I was on like the 150th revision trying to cram too much information into a too small a space. “Besides, change is not really my favorite subject these days.”

“TSt-a – - hellooo!! Have you read mine yet? Have you read anybody’s yet?” There was more, but the translation was – stop whining and write.

I chuckled to myself as I pondered my looming topic in light of my current project still in the midst of incessant modification. It seems so often that is how change comes in life – too much information in too small a space. And, in the midst of the most radical of transitions, you can see the next wave of reformation barreling over the horizon in your direction. It’s UNCOMFORTABLE and sometimes makes you want to run away. But, change, albeit difficult, is necessary.

So, here it goes. Are you ready? If you know me you know I like words. If you don’t know me – - well, so you know – - I like words. So here is my concise conclusion to my very brief essay. I wouldn’t want to belabor the point for fear of being redundant.

God’s creativity is expressed in us more fully with the sixtieth, the eightieth…the one-millionth revision. The Lord is faithful to make necessary modifications in our lives so that a heavenly metamorphosis can occur. He uses change as a tool to revolutionize our way of thinking, refine our way of speaking and remodel our way of living. What we sometimes perceive as an odd mutation is really a skillful modulation written into our lives that will sing forth His glory. And, though the tuning and bending may seem an awkward shift during the orchestration… the end result will be a brilliant composition. Exactly how brilliant depends on the amplitude of our vicissitude (great word, huh?). Dictionary.com says it means, “the quality of being changeable; mutability.” – - Then it says, “See synonyms at difficulty” – Ha!