Walking Therein

So many things in life change. Change is a necessary agent of growth in our lives, as much as it may bring joy or sorrow into the situation. Just as the hot days of plenty in the summer turn into the slowing, cooling days of fall, and then the frozen dormancy of winter, change brings a process with it that cleanses, restores and grows us.

It is sometimes hard to see that good as the plenty of summer becomes the dry cooling in our lives. Change usually involves more than just ourselves, and we can find an entire area of our lives becoming something completely different than we had planned or expected. We may feel the brittle harshness of a crunching leaf as God reveals something in our lives or a cold chill as a change brings an unexpected hardship.  We don't see that it will eventually move onto the hope of Spring.

It is the same as our children change. We all expect our children to grow up. We expect that change as we watch them learn things and grow. With my older children, I find that my expectations were for them to be more mature than they could be, and now I see the childishness as something precious in the younger ones. Noticing expressions, gestures and Little's love languages are easier now that I know to pay attention. Looking into the hearts of our middle children as their eyes light up or their face is downcast draws me closer to the Creator of these lovely children.  Enjoying our oldest as young ladies and learning more from them than I'm sure they learn from me has been a joyful change.

In these times of Fall, when the failing warmth of Summer becomes so evident, it is easy to see the need for God's guidance. It is not so easy when things are good to thank Him and continue asking Him what plans He has. The course seems set.  We all want to enjoy staying home with our children. We want the best for them and hope we don't mess up too many things that we don't understand. Sometimes it is a joy and sometimes it is a sorrow, but the joy far outweighs any of the sorrow.  This season is a necessary cleansing in my life. 

Several weeks ago, I looked outside and felt sadness about the approaching winter. It really shocked me that I almost felt depressed at the sight of dreariness out there. I realized how much I dislike Indiana winters. I never knew that until now. Strange, after living here for the first 19 years of my life... After moving back here for the past 10 years, I just dealt with it - mostly feeling captive to the bitter cold.

I am experiencing many changes now in me, personally. Thank God for that! Thank God!! I want to know what He wants from me - to change in me. I want to love as best I can. I know I have never seen life as God does, but I have longed to. I want the peace in knowing it's ok.  Seasons will change, be hard, move on; but it will be good, because God is good.  Now, I am looking forward to another season to enjoy with our children, even if we will be mostly indoors. 

Change is good. Even when it is hard. It reminds us of Who is truly in control and what our role is in allowing Him to be. This is one of the best lessons I can learn and teach our children as they go through life's changes: from birth we experience change, and it continues throughout our lives. How we allow God to change us is what will determine our growth.