A Time for Every Season

I have been pondering the seasons of my life a lot lately - especially since becoming a first time grandmother. I believe we can learn from the seasons that we have already walked through...

The Season of Childhood

It seems in the beginning of our lives, time goes by very slowly.  Small children are often heard saying just five minutes into a long road trip, "Are we there yet?!?!"  As a small child I can remember excitedly waiting for something I was looking forward to and would think to myself, "Why is time going so slow! It seems like forever until the day will be here!"  Or when the school year dragged on and on before summer vacation was finally here.  I remember watching A Charlie Brown Christmas when I was 6 years old and, I confess, I didn't like the part where Linus explained the true meaning of Christmas because it seemed like it lasted an hour long!  [Coincidentally, when my husband was a little boy, Linus's speech was his favorite part, and he was unchurched at the time!  My husband currently shares that story as part of his testimony.  A blog post for another time.  :-) ]

Maybe it is because children don't have the ability to tell time or understand calendars that causes their slow perception of time...

The Season of 20-Something

Entering into adulthood, time seems to normalize; moving along at just the right pace - no longer wishing away childhood to be grownups who can do whatever they want whenever they want.  Instead, the reality of adulthood has settled in, which can be difficult at times, but nevertheless, most young adults and 20 somethings are happy at the prospect of their whole lives ahead of them with endless possibilities.

The Season of Childrearing

During our childrearing years, many of us can wish the time away.  Those newborn months can be very difficult - emotionally and physically taxing.  A young mom may find herself saying, "I can't wait until my baby isn't fussy all the time or until she can sleep through the night."  During the toddler years, especially with strong-willed, very active children, a mom might wish for the time when she can sit and relax and not have to be on her toes constantly chasing after the safety of her child.  I'm sure you can think of many other examples of perfectly normal responses of moms wishing the time away throughout all stages of their children's growing up years.

When our children approach mid to late teens, we then want time to stop.  We are realizing before too long our children will be off to college or leaving to start a life of their own or to get married.   We start asking ourselves, where did the time go??

The Season of the Empty Nest

And then the empty nest comes when we want to go back in time.  It is then that the regrets come... We regret not playing with our children when they asked us to, instead choosing to do housework. We regret having wished away the difficult times of childhood realizing now the preciousness of every moment.

The Season of Being Grandparents

As grandparents, we tend to savor time...

For me, becoming a grandparent has been such a surreal and profound experience. I know I loved my children just as much, but the love I feel for my precious granddaughter feels so powerful.  Recently, I walked my two month old Lexi around the block in the stroller; the very block I used to walk her momma around 24 years ago.  With each step I took, I allowed myself to be in the moment, looking around at the trees that are so much taller and thicker then they once were when my daughter was a baby.  I can hear echoes of conversations with my neighbor as we pushed our babies around the block together.   I thanked God for the wonderful season of motherhood I had when my children were young, for the blessing of a daughter who is such a good momma to her own daughter, and the precious blessing of a granddaughter for my husband and I to enjoy.  I am truly savoring and cherishing every moment of this season.

The Season of the Golden Years

Although I can't speak from experience as I have not reached that season of life yet, I have talked to those who are in their 80s and older who have a peace about time.  They are now satisfied with their lives as they lived them.  [Wisdom and age does that to a person...], and are ready to spend eternity with their Lord and Savior - looking forward to Everlasting time.

Every season of life brings its own failures and triumphs, sorrows and joys, trials and peace.

To everything 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 weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, 

and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

No matter how you view time through the seasons of life, "do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. " 2 Peter 3:8

Take comfort, "all things past, present and future are ever before Him."  Matthew Henry Commentary

For it is God's timeline that is perfect for His children...

Everything about His chosen ones and their lives was on His mind before He "created the Heavens and the Earth."  Genesis 1:1.

 Before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy 

and without fault in His eyes.  

Ephesians 1:4  

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.  

Psalm 139:16

The Lord made a way for us...

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son...  

Galations 4:4

The Lord created us in Christ Jesus, to live during a specific point in time...

He marked out their appointed times in history (Acts 17:26)

The Lord chose the hour we would believe...

For He says, "In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you."  Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.  

2 Corinthians 6:2

Besides, you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep.  For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.  

Romans 13:11

The Lord has a purpose for our lives...

For we are God's handiwork created in Christ Jesus to do good works, 

which God prepared in advance for us to do. 

 Ephesians 2:10

Making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.  

Ephesians 5:16

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. 

Psalm 90:12

The Lord has chosen the appointed time for that Glorious Day...

As a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in Heaven and things on Earth.  Ephesians 1:10

Our Heavenly Father has a purpose for every season of life that we go through; birth, childhood, adulthood, empty-nest, grandparenthood, and the golden years...  Jesus understands our thoughts and feelings through each season of life, beckoning us to come to Him with our struggles, disappointments, trials, triumphs, joys and praises; for He has loved us with an Everlasting love.  Jeremiah 31:3

Whatever season of life you are in right now, whether in the midst of sorrows or joys; failures or triumphs, trials or peace, you must not lose sight of God's perfect timeline so that you can say with the Psalmist...

But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, You are my God,.  My times are in Your hands. 

Psalm 31:14-15

For additional thoughts on God's purposes for the seasons of your life, please click on the following:

A Time for Every Purpose Under Heaven

How Many Days Do You Have Left?

5 Ways to Live Out God's Special Promise for the New Year

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