Time and a Season

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to week, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance…."

Ecclesiastes 3:1-22

This is one of my favorite scriptures and overall concepts that brings peace in life. 

 However, to be honest, whenever I hear the actual scripture…I just hear it read in Kevin Bacon's voice. You know what I am talking about.  Footloose anyone?  ("a time to DANCE")

If I am not thinking about Footloose I start singing "Turn, Turn, Turn" by The Byrds…think Forrest Gump Soundtrack, 1994.  

Ok, but seriously, I think it helps put everything into perspective.  For sure it puts the "big" things into perspective.  Things like dying and whatnot.  But it also helps with the little things that we sometimes tell ourselves we are missing out on.  If you are not getting to that vacation you dreamed off, not working out like you wanted to because you are occupied with little ones, pretty much anything I feel bad about "not getting too" I just chalk it up to not being the season for right now.   I think the key to enjoying the stage of life when your kids are really small and you really can't do much, is to just get over it.  Accept that you can't go skiing all the time, go on the same vacations,  whatever it is that you used to do.  Once you get over that already, you don't sit and feel bad about it in your head every time you are faced with a hard choice.  And looking back I never regret those things I thought seemed like sacrifices at the time.  Little things like, not getting to ride barely any rides at Disney Land because you are 7 months pregnant.  (And you have a cranky two year old, and you look hideous.)

Having a new nursing baby on your family beach vacation kind of puts of a kink in your "relaxing" time at the beach. Going out on the boat and wake boarding isn't usually happening.  And to top it all off, if you only looked cute and skinny you could handle it all.  But instead you are wearing a pregnancy swimming suit and it is impossible to nurse discretely.  It is all a sacrifice, and one that you won't give a rip about later.  

Even trips to Exotic Locations were more like this…(diapers, floaties, strollers included).

Not a lot of snorkeling and hiking about.  My recommendation?  Just get a local pool pass if you want to take the kids to the pool.  

I like our season of life right now.  I wish it could just stay.  It will only be a few years and I will never again have all my kids living under one roof, and I won't have a squishy toddler that can say pretty much anything and it sounds funny. 

I love gymnastics with Annie…she is the one is Gray Sweatpants and the pink top.  

With four boys in a row, Cub Scouts seemed like it would go on for years, but in only two more years, no more Cub Scouts…THAT seems crazy.  (Michael received his Webelos Patch last night.)

Dance parties...

One old enough to drive, and one young enough to squish. 

And even moments like this one I found captured on my iPhone.  I am trying to plan the week out and Sophie was having a meltdown on the counter, and some child that took the picture obviously thinking it was all very funny.  

 It makes me sad, but I know I just need to enjoy each season, and just like there is something to love about Spring, Summer, Winter, and Fall…there will always be something good to find about the season of life I am in.  

Want to know what is good about Winter here?  I was thinking about January and February and was thankful that God gave us Downton Abbey to watch during those months.  It gives us something to look forward to after Christmas and gets us through to March, when Spring is right around the corner.  See, you have to find joy in the small things.  So when I think, "I can't WAIT till the next Season of Downton!"  I just remember that with Downton, comes Winter, and then I can wait.  

Enjoy your Season.