Seasons

I love living in an area that has 4 true seasons. Fall is especially my favorite. I'm sure you've noticed the fall colors and leaves on my blog page. That is exactly how many of the trees in Northwest Arkansas have looked during October.

We have some beautiful organge, yellow and red trees in our neighborhood. I took the picture below about a week and a half ago...I had no idea how quickly the leaves would fall though! The picture below is of the same trees as the picture above. This picture was taken 9 days later.... Such a good reminder that so many things in our life are only for a short time. Just like this fall season has come and gone so quickly, we have seasons in our lives that come and go. Some seem to go by so very fast while others seem to take soooo long. I am learning that there are even "mini-seasons" within big seasons. For example: I am in the season of being a young mom. But I have gone through different mini-seasons within these last 9 years.

~There was the season of being a mom of 1 child. We had friends that also only had 1 child. Every Sunday night we would drop off our child with grandparents and go out to eat together. It was so easy and carefree.
~Next came the season of having 1 child and being pregnant with another one. Feelings of guilt. Am I being unfair to child #1 by having child #2?
~Those feelings were forgotten as the new season of being a mom of 2 came upon me.
~My next season as a young mom was my husband quitting his job, returning to school full-time, and moving 900 miles away from everyone we knew. Scary. But we grew close as husband and wife and family. We only had each other. In some ways it was a great time!
~Season of leading and encouraging other moms as Coordinator of MOPS. So much of my spiritual journey started in that season. It was a blessing indeed.
~Season of growing in God's Word through BSF and CBS. Dragging that 4yr old and 2yr old with me each week. God truly rewarded my efforts with the love and knowledge of knowing Him more.
~Season of sending those 2 little ones off to preschool for the first time. Feelings of guilt again. Am I the worst mom ever for dropping my kids off with strangers?
~Season of feeling like a single parent while my husband was at the library and school studying. Sometimes for 11 or more hours a day.
~Season of finding the 2 best girlfriends I've ever had.
~Season of wondering "what's next?" Where will we move after Philip graduates? What does God have planned for us?
~Season of shock. joy. excitement. sickness. Yes, finding out we were pregnant with twins after having just found out we were moving in 9 months. Followed by literal 24 hour a day sickness. Couldn't keep anything down kind of sick. Laying in the bathroom floor kind of sick. Hugging the porcelain throne 10+times per day kind of sick. For 14 weeks.
~Season of utter dependence on God. How can I have 2 newborns and move 900 miles away when they are 2 weeks old? God was my strong tower. My stronghold. My deliverer.
~Season of adjusting to being a family of 6.
~Season of being strong and encouraging to my 7 and 5 year old as they start a brand new school where they know no one. I know no one either but am determined to be brave for them.
~Season of being homebound. Not literally. But definitely more than I'm accustomed to and more than I like. Taking 4 kids out, 2 of which are young babies, without any other adult help is not an easy task. Most days the easiest thing to do was stay home. On days that I did need to get out, I was usually in tears (and sweating) by the time we got to wherever we were going.
~Season to breathe a little easier. As the months pass, we meet more people and the babies are now more mobile which makes it easier in some ways. I can finally let out a sigh and await for the next season as a young mom.

One of my favorite passages from the Bible is about seasons.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven.

a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace....