Seasons

Ecclesiastes

 3:1-8 

There is a time for everything, 
 and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2 

    A time to be born and a time to die, 
 a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3 

    a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,

4 

    a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 

    a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

6 

    a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7 

    a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8 

    a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace.

I promise I know God's word is true and you can read a passage a thousand times in your life and one time it may not touch your heart, another time it may correct you, and yet another it may heal you.  It never ceases to amaze me how the Word can be right on time every time to everyone.

The above scripture spoke to my heart this morning, as I was reflecting on Becca leaving for college (to be honest I think of little else). I came to two conclusions that brought me this scripture.

The first being that even though I already have a child that lives all the way across the ocean from Guam in Hawaii I am facing Becca leaving with a great deal of emotion.  It has occurred to me that normally when your first child goes off to college you begin a season in your life of transition from having all your children living at home to the beginning of the empty nest season of your life. My transition from one season of my life to the next should have began last year, however, my life was in such an emotional and physical upheaval with the passing of my mom, the move to Guam, Joshua graduating from high school, and Brittany moving out all of my emotions and transitions ran together and just caused me to be overwhelmed to the point where none of them were allowed to work them selves out or for the transitions to occur.  Through out the last year they have become unraveled (as I have:-)) and started to work themselves out.  But this final one has proven itself to be most painful.

Maybe it's because she is my youngest daughter and her leaving will leave me the sole female in the house of testosterone.  Maybe its because she understands me like none of my other children. But mostly its because I have began a monumental transition in my life.  I am entering a new season, a bit behind schedule, but as the Word says there is a time for each season in our lives.  

The arrival of her flight itinerary to Hawaii caused a night of tears and sleeplessness.  All night as I sobbed I ran a running picture show in my mind of her childhood and all of the things we did or did not do.  Did I prepare her enough to be independent?  Did she feel loved and supported everyday of her life?  Is she ready?  How am I going to walk away from her at that airport and let her get on that plane that will carry her thousands of miles and an ocean away from me? Who will take care of her if she is sick?  All of these thoughts ran through my head as tears ran down my face.

But this morning I am faced with the Truth, that this season was promised to me when I was born, when they were born, and when they give birth to their own children it will live on.  That this is ordained to be and that it is a good, natural, and healthy thing.  I will find my victory and healing in this and the fact that my God is her God and He has made her a promise in Jeremiah 29:11 1 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Not only has God promised me I will have seasons in my life, but He has made her promises that He intends to keep.  

Now I promise you I am still going to cry for the next couple of weeks, but as the scripture says there is a time for my tears and they will not last forever, they will simply serve as a tool that will assist me in transitioning from one season to another.