What have you changed your mind about?

Amy is asking people what they've changed their minds about over the years.

I used to think doctors knew who you were and cared about whether you got better. Then I realized that the majority are distracted by trying to avoid being sued while seeing as many patients as possible at the highest rate possible in order to pay off their medical school loans and foot the bill for their malpractice insurance. Our pediatrician is great (thank the Lord), but I wish I could find a good doctor for myself.

I used to think homeowners’ insurance meant you could get help replacing things if something bad happened.

I used to think I wanted to live in the country, until my dog brought a dead mouse into the house. Now I’m on the fence.

I used to think I was a bad person for not cleaning as much as my mom did, but I got over it. Mostly. I think.

I used to think that if I just set a pattern and standard of cleanliness in the home, then others would like it, get used to it, and contribute to it. Boy was I ever wrong about that. I figured out my error awfully late... too late to start training little kids to help a lot with the cleaning. My girls are pretty helpful about doing what I ask them to do. We will leave this subject now, before too much is said.

I used to think peas were gross, but now I love them (except I still hate the canned ones).

I used to think that when I was 30, I would be mature, wise and "together." When that didn't happen, I set my hopes on 40. Forty rolled around and my psyche was as immature and unsure as ever--but my body started to go. I used to think there was a window in life when you had it all together--health, wisdom, capability, productivity. Now I think that if you get any of those things at any point, you should just be thankful.

I used to think that God was surprised when Adam and Eve sinned, and Jesus was His solution to an unanticipated problem, but now I know that the plan of Jesus was foreknown by God before the foundation of the world. Knowing that, I still wonder why God would create us on purpose with full knowledge of what it would entail to save us…

I used to think you could figure most things out, but now I think the key is to learn to live graciously and joyfully without understanding everything.