Friday, January 19, 2007

Seasons Come, Seasons Go...

I was talking to a friend yesterday about seasons of life. We all go through them though we may not be in the same season at the same time. Some of the seasons overlap one another. There is the season of singleness when some may be longing for marriage. There is the season of marriage when some may long for a child. There is the season of parenthood, bearing children and then raising them. I know I spent some of the seasons of my life longing for the next. I spent some of my singleness longing to be married. Sometimes after one season is over, we look back at the one before with wistfulness.

This is something I have been thinking a lot about. I'm learning to BE. STILL. Then I read
this post. Thank you Elise.

We went to a restaurant for dinner a couple of weeks ago. There was an elderly couple sitting near the front. The woman was in a wheelchair with a brightly colored afghan wrapped around her legs. The spoon the man was holding to her lips trembled slightly. He wiped her mouth with a napkin.

Sigh.

I grabbed for Mr.S's hand and squeezed hard. I looked at the couple. "That could be us one day."

I hope it is us. I hope God grants us the privilege of growing old together. But in a way the scene brings sadness to my heart.

Once upon a time these dear ones were young like we are. Vibrant, full of energy and plans for the future.

Sometimes I look at young adults who were all babies once. I look at my little one and my heart begs her not to grow up. I want to cuddle her forever, Lord.
But unconciously, I urge her to grow. I run my finger over the sharp little tooth that has poked through the gum with pride. I help her learn to roll over, to eat real foods. Grow my princess ... fly. I will always love you my sweetheart.

This season of life is SO HAPPY. God has blessed abundantly. But life is not always this way. We don't know what grief and pain God has for the future. BE. STILL. The past is over, we must not fret for the future. Do all to his glory NOW.

2 comments:

Maxine said...

Hi, dear. This made me quite teary. I think you know why. Savor each happy season. He'll see each of us through the others.
Thanks for this beautiful post.

Mama/Nanna

Beka said...

Such a beautiful post, my friend, and so true! I am often convicted that I need to be still in the Lord, no matter what season of life I am in, and not "wish my life away", always straining ahead to the next step. There will come a day, if the Lord spares us to that point, when we will look back on former seasons of our lives and wish we had enjoyed them to the fullest, with contentment, instead of focusing on "what's next"!