I am amazed at how the seasons of life fly by – although so quickly do I forget this while I’m in the midst of a season. Our season of first-time-career-missionaries-support-raising felt like a dreadfully long season of anticipation of the unknown. Then, one day we’re on a plane and that season is forever closed.
We waited for approval to bring Moses home… and waited… and waited… one little delay after another… our son 1 mile down the road but not WITH us… and suddenly, one Friday afternoon, we were told that we would bring him home the next morning. Our season of life with only three children was over. Our season of life of intense training, teaching, and loving our son across languages and cultures started with a bang just as our field director left the field for urgent health needs, leaving Josh in a leadership position.
Within a week and a half of that season's begin, our next season started: life with another adult in our home. Elizabeth joined us for the summer, to help with Gracie, help around the house, and help with all the kids. To be honest, our first month was spent with me needing to focus a lot of my waning energy on settling Moses in and establishing his new normal. So Elizabeth picked up the slack and was a very specific and incredible blessing from God to fill in the gaps that were left by Moses’ needs and Josh’s new responsibilities.
Late July, school holiday suddenly began… yes, suddenly – that’s how it works here. One day the children just don’t have school anymore… whether or not the parents get the written or unwritten memo! Then began a new season where I had all the children home every day. Part of me relished having more time to train the children – and part of me, the increasingly pregnant part of me, scratched my head about what intentional, creative, educational, sheparding things to do with my very diverse children.
School holiday also meant that it was time to start doing a full medical review of the Home of Love children and Vacation Bible School. New season!
Suddenly, 3 days ago, our season of life with Elizabeth was over. She was headed off to Kampala for a few days to see Kampala and spend time with some of our missionary teammates. I ignored the sink full of dishes, occasionally peeking into the kitchen to see if they miraculously got done, like they had all summer. Finally, today, I braved the back ache and did the dishes and chased the children around with a mop… How did that season of unprecedented help end so quickly (and unexpectedly)?!
The next season starts in two days – we’ll travel to Kampala for some meetings, then on to Jinga to attempt to take a vacation – our first in years! After a week of pretending to vacation with four young children and a full-term pregnant belly, we’ll pick up Josh’s parents from the airport for their first visit to Uganda (his mom’s first trip out of North America!!) and head back to Gulu to hopefully have our baby.
But this rapid change of seasons has made me think of the brevity of this season: life in this earthly body. Before we know it, and perhaps quite unexpectedly, this season will end and we will meet our Creator and Judge. Are we ready for this season to end? What will happen tomorrow when we face God and He is ready to pass judgment on us? Are we covered by the blood of Jesus, to be declared guiltless, or are we trying to cover ourselves with something else, something inadequate? The next season is coming!
We waited for approval to bring Moses home… and waited… and waited… one little delay after another… our son 1 mile down the road but not WITH us… and suddenly, one Friday afternoon, we were told that we would bring him home the next morning. Our season of life with only three children was over. Our season of life of intense training, teaching, and loving our son across languages and cultures started with a bang just as our field director left the field for urgent health needs, leaving Josh in a leadership position.
Within a week and a half of that season's begin, our next season started: life with another adult in our home. Elizabeth joined us for the summer, to help with Gracie, help around the house, and help with all the kids. To be honest, our first month was spent with me needing to focus a lot of my waning energy on settling Moses in and establishing his new normal. So Elizabeth picked up the slack and was a very specific and incredible blessing from God to fill in the gaps that were left by Moses’ needs and Josh’s new responsibilities.
Late July, school holiday suddenly began… yes, suddenly – that’s how it works here. One day the children just don’t have school anymore… whether or not the parents get the written or unwritten memo! Then began a new season where I had all the children home every day. Part of me relished having more time to train the children – and part of me, the increasingly pregnant part of me, scratched my head about what intentional, creative, educational, sheparding things to do with my very diverse children.
School holiday also meant that it was time to start doing a full medical review of the Home of Love children and Vacation Bible School. New season!
Suddenly, 3 days ago, our season of life with Elizabeth was over. She was headed off to Kampala for a few days to see Kampala and spend time with some of our missionary teammates. I ignored the sink full of dishes, occasionally peeking into the kitchen to see if they miraculously got done, like they had all summer. Finally, today, I braved the back ache and did the dishes and chased the children around with a mop… How did that season of unprecedented help end so quickly (and unexpectedly)?!
The next season starts in two days – we’ll travel to Kampala for some meetings, then on to Jinga to attempt to take a vacation – our first in years! After a week of pretending to vacation with four young children and a full-term pregnant belly, we’ll pick up Josh’s parents from the airport for their first visit to Uganda (his mom’s first trip out of North America!!) and head back to Gulu to hopefully have our baby.
But this rapid change of seasons has made me think of the brevity of this season: life in this earthly body. Before we know it, and perhaps quite unexpectedly, this season will end and we will meet our Creator and Judge. Are we ready for this season to end? What will happen tomorrow when we face God and He is ready to pass judgment on us? Are we covered by the blood of Jesus, to be declared guiltless, or are we trying to cover ourselves with something else, something inadequate? The next season is coming!
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