There Are Seasons For Everything
There are seasons for everything.
That can be good news if you’re in the midst of a nasty one.
But what if you like where you are?
It is my experience that changes are not always welcome.
When my boy completed his training as a fire fighter in Charleston, S.C.,
he called to tell me about the details of his graduation ceremony.
He was ecstatic.
It made the fact that he lived 1000 miles away
almost worth it to know
we’d finally be celebrating his dream of becoming a firefighter.
“Mom,” he said excitedly, “The Chief will there to present my diploma personally.
She’ll shake my hand and give me my official badge.
I’m even allowed to ask someone to walk on the stage with me!
It’s supposed to be a person of importance.
A person who has helped me achieve my goal of becoming a firefighter.”
I waited for it.
In my mind, I could see us walking across the stage,
me beaming with pride and smiling as I pinned the
DYKSTRA badge on his crisp blue uniform shirt.
He continued,
“Mom, I asked Kym to walk with me.
I’m going to marry her this summer and it seemed like the right choice.
I didn’t think you’d care.
You don’t care do you, Mom?”
Now, what I wanted to say is,
Listen, Mister, NOONE on this earth loves you as much as I do.
NOONE has done more to get you to where you are today.
Of course I care!
I want to be the one to show you off and tack that badge on your shirt.
I am your mother!
What are you thinking!
But, I didn’t say any of that.
I couldn’t if I wanted to keep my son growing and moving into his future.
What I said was, “Eli, I think that’s great.
What a good idea.
I will be in the audience cheering every step you two take.
I am so proud of you.
From now on, I will always be your second-best girl.”
“Thanks, Mom. I can’t wait to see you.”
I got off the phone and just bawled.
I had done such a splendid job of raising my boy that he didn’t need his mommy any more.
He could solve his own problems.
He made great decisions.
He knew how to take care of himself and his soon to be wife.
Just like that, the season changed.
From the best seat in the audience,
I watched with pride as Eli and his beautiful fiancee accepted
congratulations and honors at the graduation ceremony.
I clapped and cheered as she pinned his badge on his shirt.
I smiled and snuffled as they took
the first of many walks together into their future as one.
I’m so glad I didn’t get in the way.
It was painful to let go, but it was time for a season change.
God knew that season was coming,
just like he knows when your season is about to change.
I lean on knowing how much he loves me so I can trust him when I’m
shaking with fear or
dreading the future or
walking into a new season.
How about you?
What season are you in right now?
If you’re in a comfortable season, enjoy it!
If you’re in a season of transition, hang on and watch for God to move.
I pray you have the courage to stay the course or
the courage to get out of the way.
I pray you have the discernment to know which one to do.
Scripture Refresher: There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV
Prayer: God, Lead me in and out of season. Draw me to you and into my future. Help me to trust you when it seems terrifying and exciting all at the same time. Give me the discernment to know what to do when. I lean on the fact that you love me and want the best for me.
I met you for the second time at Kainay last week. Once again you were awesome! I appreciate your story. I have a similar one…
My son and daughter-in-law announced a year ago March that they are going into the mission field. Sad to say I did react. I raised him as a single mom with no good influence from his father (an abusive alcoholic). I new it was a possibility he and his wife would do mission work. She grew up in Africa as a missionary daughter. They have a 4 year old and a 1 year old and now talking of having 2 more children. I thought once they had children they’d wait until they were grown to go in the field. Wrong! They have made a 10 year commitment to Grace Missions in Paraguay. I am still devastated. Why can’t the minister here in the states? How do they really know they are called? What about the Zeka virus? The answers I get from them each is very different. He feels called to the ministry and she comes from a family of missionaries and this is what her family does. We met her in her first year in the US to go to Grace Bible College. She struggled adjusting to the US. She was angry that her parents sent her 2 hrs away to boarding school all her school years. She hating boarding school and tried to commit suicide when she was 13 yrs old. And now she is going to do that exact thing to her children!
Anyway, I am a confused mother and grandmother with a broken heart. I have been trying to accept their decision and to keep my mouth shut. It is SO HARD. People say” we know where your vacations will be!” I love my kids and grandkids but I really don’t have the means to travel or the desire to travel to Paraguay. If I don’t go I won’t see them for 3 yrs at a time, when they come for furlough.
So, if you’d add me to your prayer list and have any words of wisdom I’d appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Martha Jane
Wow, Martha, I hear how hard this is for you.
I do pray for you and with you for peace and understanding.
Thank you for the tears and this is what God and I have been working on. The transitions and seasons and trusting that He is a good God and has good plans and I can hold on to him firmly and let Him lead me and I will stay exactly where He wants me!
Britta, I can only tell you that he has been faithful and will continue to be.
Hold on, Friend.