Seasons

I LOVE seasons!!  And anyone that knows me best, knows that my favorite season of all is FALL!!  I love the cooler weather, the changing colors of the trees, the earthy smell of wet ground, the way the changing sun leaves longer shadows on the ground, the smell of pumpkin spice candles, and bubbling soups on the stove......can you tell I love Fall?! haha  Just as a new season brings change in the weather and the world around us, so comes changes in our lives.

When I was a mom with young kids still at home, I remember the rhythm of life that became so predictable and comfortable.....Fall was the back-to-school hubbub, Winter was Christmas/building snowmen/cozy evenings all tucked in to a warm home, Spring was fresh energy and the world waking up around us, and Summer was always warm nights hearing the kids play Kick The Can out in the street with their neighborhood friends, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for what seemed like 20 kids every day, and hanging out at the town lake every afternoon with all the other moms.  Life revolved around the kids, with a few stolen moments for ourselves along the way.

Today, our kids have each been married for over a decade and we have six awesome grandkids that fill our lives with all the joy, laughter, chaos, and fun that a Grammy could ever wish for.  But our seasons have a different feel to them now......apart from the crackly knees and grunts we make when we stand up from a chair (can I get an Amen?) haha  I've noticed recently that most of my husband's and my conversations are wrapped around "When we retire..."  Our eyes most often are focused on the future and most of our decisions are held up against the template of how-will-this-affect-our-retirement ahead.  While I am more of a "live in the moment" kinda girl, my hubby is a planner.  So, I'm thankful for him as he is extra good at making sure we are prepared ahead......but I still pull him back in to the joy of "now" along the way :)

I read a quote from Joanna Gaines the other day that really spoke into my heart.  She said "I believe that we're all made ready.  Whatever season you're in, whatever life may throw at you, whether it feels like success or like failure, expected or unexpected, you are made ready."  What a profound truth, isn't it?  Think back to a time when life threw you a curve ball.  When you think about walking through that season, you realize through hindsight that you were made ready in some way for that, right?  You had the finances, or the support system around you, or the "mountain top" faith, or the health, etc to meet that moment.  Somehow, some way, you got through it, right?  And when you look back at those times, your faith is made stronger.....not only in yourself BUT in God, too.  About ten years ago, our pastor gave a sermon on "Joshua Stones" that stuck with me forever.  He said, based on Joshua 4:9, remember those times that God has moved on your behalf.  Those times when He answered your prayers through a job, health scare, broken marriage/relationship, etc....those are your Joshua Stones!  Those times that build our faith in God and remind us that we follow a Living God, who loves us, cares for us, provides for us, and MOVES on our behalf in response to our prayers!  So, today, no matter what season we find ourselves in, hold tight to your Joshua Stones and know that this season is in His Hands and He's got you covered.  Now, let's go get a Pumpkin Spice Latte, ok? :)

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord!

I love this praise song!  We used to sing it in our church outside of Chicago many years ago.....what a wonderful memory etched in my heart.  The first few lines go, "Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.  Open the eyes of my heart, I want to see you, I want to see you....".  What a beautiful heart's cry to our Lord, isn't it?  As a mother, even if my kids are adults now and have families of their own, this is my heart's desire for them  and I pray for each of them every day in this way.  So, it is such a precious delight when I hear them share their faith walk with me along the way.  Our son, who travels extensively with his job, is out on the road this week.  I was catching up with him for a few minutes this morning and he shared something that warmed this mama's heart big time today!  As he was telling me about his week out of town, making sales calls on new and existing customers, he remarked how challenging it can be to stay focused and motivated in the face of rejection and apathy at times. He has been in a different town and a different hotel each night this week.  Ironically, he realized that in each hotel he was given a room on the FOURTH floor, with the room number 420 for the past couple of nights!  As he shared this irony with his wife last night, she pointed out to him that maybe God was trying to show him something.  Brian opened his Bible to the first book he came to.....the Book of Romans....and turned to Chapter 4, verse 20.  "Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being full persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised!" What an encouraging message, straight from God's heart into Brian's!  God wants to speak to each of us.....all we have to say is "open the eyes of my heart, Lord......."

He is my "Son-shine"

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray.  You'll never know, dear, how  much I love you.  Please don't take my sunshine away".....remember this song? :)  These days, it is one that I sing to my grandkids, especially when they might be crying, mommy is tired, and Grammy gets the blessing of rocking a little precious, overtired grandbaby to sleep.  In that moment, as I am walking up and down the hallway, with that little precious body cradled in my arms, our eyes locked on one another, singing my little "sunshine" song, there is nowhere else in this world that I would rather be!  I keep singing that song, low and slow, over and over and over.....and before long, the eyes start to droop, the cries turn to hiccups, the tight little body starts to relax, and ahhhh, baby is asleep :)  Don't you wish sometimes that you could be a baby.....your body is tight with worry, your jaw is clenched, your heart is pounding with stress....and someone gathers you up, holds you close in loving arms, and sings a love song into your ear until you melt into sleep?  When I wrote the title for my blog, that is exactly the picture I had in my mind of who Jesus is to me......He is my "Son-shine"!  Jesus, the son of God, shines on my life each and every day!  He shines on the good parts of me making me even better and He shines on the yucky parts of me showing me where I need Him more.  His arms are around me, His eyes are focused on me, and He is ALWAYS singing a love song into my ear........can you hear it, too? "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy......."