Seasons

In each of our lives, there are seasons.
I have wrestled with this concept for many years but I think I am finally coming to grips with it.

In different conversations, I hear "well, I know you get up earlier than me...I'm just not as good as you." or "Whoa--you make a menu?  I'm so inadequate." or "You homeschool?  I could never do that.  I'm just not that organized."
In my 15+ years of being a wife and mother, I have already been in and out of many seasons/stages.
Just because I'm doing something "well" right now, doesn't mean I always have.
Conversely, just because I may be struggling with something now, doesn't mean I always will.

There have been seasons in which I wake up at 5:45 each morning.
And seasons in which I sleep until 8:00.

There have been seasons in which I have all my meals planned out.
And seasons where we consume a lot of macaroni and cheese.

There have been seasons in which I am able to keep the house really quite clean.
And seasons where I've threatened to call social services on my own family.

There have been seasons when school starts at a good time each day

And seasons when I find out a child hasn't done any math for a week because it turns out their math book was in the shoe bin. Hm.

There have been seasons when I exercise each morning
And seasons when I can't remember the last time I used the bathroom uninterrupted, much less found time to take a walk.

There are seasons when grocery shopping is a draining exercise in frugality.

There are seasons in which I can barely keep my tears, fears, insecurities, and inadequacies at bay during worship.

What I keep having to remind myself of is this:  it won't always be like this.  Or that.
When my kids are older, it will look different than it does when they are younger.
When I'm pregnant, life will run a little differently than when I'm not.
When you have a newborn, it will be different than when your youngest is 5.  Or 25.

When it comes right down to it--it won't always be like this AT ALL...because one day, Jesus Christ will return for His Church.
That's ME!  I'm HIS!
He's coming back for me!
Even if the struggles of my earthly life never seems to change, this I know:
He has ransomed me and one day, I'm going to live in Glory.
Heaven, boy.
Now that's going to be breath-taking.