This is my favorite time of the year. Time for hoodies, bonfires, soccer games, picking pumpkins and apples...oh! I just love it. This season provides an ever changing canvas for the brilliant colors of changing leaves and the rich hues of a peaceful evening sunset.
Dave and I got married on a perfect autumn day 18 years ago. I am so thankful for this man I have been blessed with. I can't imagine my life without him. He is an encouragement, a protector, a wonderful father, and a faithful man of God.
Our marriage, like most, has had changing seasons. I have so far enjoyed every one. Don't get me wrong, it takes work, and there are difficulties that come with each season. We went from young newlyweds to young new parents quicker than we had planned.( I'm the type who makes a plan, writes it out, and then realizes God's timing and mine most often don't match up, lol)... What fun to learn parenting together! Dave is the kind of dad I hoped to have for my children-fun, firm and full of faith!
Having our babies was kind of like spring time. Lots of nurturing, growing, and trying to weed out distractions that could stunt the growth of our marriage and family. As the kids grew older, it was like summer time-bright sunny moments, keeping in mind to protect from burn out. It's been time in the sunshine exercising and building a strong framework for our kids to take root and grow. (Kind of like training a plant to grow on a trellis- finding their own path, but in the safety of a protected garden.)
Now, having two teens and one "tweener", I feel like the long summer is fading into the next season...Fall. This season seems to bring a whole different kind of fun...lots of warm "by the fire" moments, and many quick, breezy days that I would love to slow down. The colors are changing as I see my kids gain independence and, like leaves in the wind, float independently through the cool crisp air. I find myself smiling as I see the familiar framework we worked so hard to build for them in the spring still visible under the stunning growth of their own personalities and character.
I am loving this season of seeing our boys change into the young men God will have them to be. I am so blessed to be the mother of three fantastic sons and wife of one amazing man. I feel thankful to live in a beautiful part of the country that has changing seasons, and to live on a farm where time seems to move just a little slower.
Happy Fall Y'all!
The other night, I was feeling the weight of all the "stuff" that has been overwhelming me lately. . . I tried to pray, it's just the thoughts and distractions were definitely winning. . . . So I went to the deck to have a pity party for myself.
It was a comfortable night, the air was fresh and I found myself stretching out on my prized hammock. . .I tried again . . ."God?. . . Father?. . .are you there?. . . of course I know that you are, it's just I can't feel you right now". . . . . I lay there listening to the sound of the late summer bugs, and feel the breeze blow across my face, I try to breathe it in, trying to clear the thoughts, the worries from my mind. . .
Again I try, " Father God, please take these burdens from me. . .your word says to be anxious for nothing and yet lately I am anxious for MANY things!". . . .The sound of the insects nighttime songs catches my attention. I open my eyes to see one lone star shinning brightly. . .
"Wow! first star in my view tonight, how beautiful". . .then I see another, then another, then soon the sky seems to be silently exploding with beautiful twinkling lights. . . .The sky turns from a beautiful dark blue to an infinite black canvas for the thousands of shinning stars I now seemed to be surrounded by . . . . the symphony of music coming from the chirping insects is getting louder. . . .Music that I had been listening to on KLOVE earlier in the day floods back into my heart and mind. . . .
"Lord, you have given me a love for music and it speaks to my soul, thank you . . . it seems you have been preparing a play list of songs that I would need to recall at this very moment!". . . .Lyrics from songs I had been humming along to, rushed into my mind. . . . .
"All of creation, sing with me now, lift up your voice and lay your burden down,
All of creation sing with me now, fill up the heavens let his glory resound"...I was definitely in the midst of creation praising it's creator!
I now feel so close to the sea of stars, I think if I reach up, I could touch them!. . . .another song begins to play in my mind. . . .
"You light, light, light up the sky
You light up the sky to show me that you are with me
And I, I, I can't deny
No I can't deny that you and right here with me
You've opened my eyes
So I can see you all around me
You light, light, light up the sky
You light up the sky to show me that you are with me "
I feel so overwhelmed! But not in the same way I did when I first went out on that deck,. . . now I felt overwhelmed with the presence of my Heavenly Father!
All of creation at that moment pointed me to the infinite presence of
God, sometimes when we don't feel him there, we need to quietly seek him and wait. . .He will not only meet you where you are, he will reach down and lift you right up into the palm of his hand and cradle you in his limitless love.
I encourage you to look up the lyrics to these two wonderful songs:
"All of Creation"- Mercy Me
"Light up the Sky"- Afters
