It’s clichéd, but true.  Life is made up of seasons.

This is on my mind as we rush headlong toward the end of another school year.

Come fall, my oldest will be a senior in high school.  One season, at least with her, will slowly be coming to an end.  It will be a year of “lasts” – last first day of school, last high school basketball game, last choir competition, last band concert.

Sometimes you don’t see the change of seasons coming as clearly as this one is.  Just like in nature, some seasons change gradually.  You hardly recognize that one is over and another has begun until you look back.

I’ve always loved Ecclesiastes 3 where Solomon talks about the seasons.  My husband’s been teaching out of this book of the Bible in our Sunday School class recently.  It got me thinking about some lessons that might be helpful as we face different transitions in the future.

Most things in life – both blessings and trials – are given to us for a season.

Verse 1 ~ “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”

Friendships, opportunities, the flexibility of our schedules, and our health change from season to season.  What we enjoy in one stage of life may not be available to us in the next.

On the other hand, a trial we face currently may not be an issue in a few years.  Recently, when we faced a parenting challenge, my husband reminded me that “this, too, shall pass.”

God uses seasons to change us into what He would have us to be.

Verse 11a ~ “He hath made every thing beautiful in his time:”

If life always ran along smoothly and we knew just what to expect, our faith would never grow.  God wants to make each of us into a beautiful masterpiece by weaving into our lives those trials that will refine us.

And, of course, it’s important to remember that He works in His timeline, not ours.  I’d like to get through any of those painful growing stages really fast, but He knows just the pace at which I need to grow.

Only God knows how each season will play out.  

Verse 11b ~ “…no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.”

Where is our daughter going to go to college?  How different will we be as a family of 3?  God has all the answers.  He knows before I do how it’s all going to work out.  We just need to ask for His wisdom, and allow Him to guide us.

God wants us to find and enjoy the best in every season.

Verse 13 ~ “And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.”

God has given us so many blessings to enjoy.  From sweet friendships to glorious sunsets, good food to beautiful places to visit, we’re surrounded with things we can appreciate.  No matter what season you’re in, look for small – and large – things to take pleasure in.

Each season has its “happy hello’s and sad goodbyes.”

Verse 4 ~ “A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;”

That “happy hello’s and sad goodbye’s” is a quote from my mom.  Since we live a couple of states away, she and my dad are always excited to see us come for a visit, and then a bit sad every time we leave.

In the same way, every season has its joys and sorrows.  It’s that way with my daughter graduating from high school next year.  It’s bittersweet.  I’ll be sad over what’s ending, yet very excited at what God has ahead of her.

Surrender each season to God.

Verse 14 ~ “I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.”

Our God is sovereign.  He is in control of every facet of our lives.  As we begin to surrender to Him through the hard days as well as the easy ones, we’ll learn to trust Him even more.

So whatever season you find yourself in today, I hope you’ll embrace it for what it is.  Enjoy the good parts, learn from the tough days, and remember that God has a purpose in all of it.

Related posts:
It’s a Good-Bye Time of Year
Just a Fancy Way to Say We Need to Learn to Wait
Parenting in Different Seasons

Age gives you a different perspective on a lot of things.

When I was younger, the start of a new year was all about the possibilities ahead of me.  What goals could I accomplish?  Could I lose that ten pounds, get up at 5am every weekday, read 100 books in twelve months?  So much potential for exciting things to happen!

To a degree, I’m still that way.  I’m a planner.  I like to look ahead, and see exciting things on the horizon.  I enjoy the anticipation that comes from a fresh start, a clean slate.

Yet the years have infused my thinking with perhaps a tinge more realism.  I’m not trying to be a “Debbie Downer,” but I think we get to the point where we’ve lived long enough to know that trials are part of life.  None of us are exempt from them.  I realize that March could bring a car accident, May might mean a serious sickness for a family member, we could face a big job challenge in July.  There’s a lot in the year ahead that could make me apprehensive and even fearful.

As I was having some of those thoughts earlier this week, I came across this verse.

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” ~I Corinthians 2:9

In context, it’s talking about spiritual blessings.  We can’t even imagine the mercy and grace, peace and joy that are available to us as we walk with God.  His Spirit reveals truth to us as we spend time in the Bible.  We get wisdom and discernment as we learn to live in that truth.

How I want those spiritual blessings this year!  Those moments when I sense God speaking to me through a Bible passage I meditate on or a sermon I hear at church or a song that resonates with my current situation.  I want to recognize His hand at work through answered prayer, realize victory over a sin I’ve struggled with.  How sweet are those precious times!

[Sidenote:  I read in several commentaries that in the original text, the end of the verse actually translates as “the things which God hath prepared for him that waiteth for Him.”  Are we willing to wait on God this year to reveal Himself to us?  Will we take time to “be still and know that He is God?” (Psalm 46:10)  Or will we hurry right past that to follow our own plans or reach our own goals?]

Could the verse above also apply to endless treasures stored up for us in heaven?  I certainly believe so!  I don’t think we have any idea how glorious our home in heaven will be.  Jesus is preparing a place for us that will delight His children.

But could the verse also have application to what God has ahead of me in 2018?  I think it could.

Are we going to face some hard things this year?  I don’t doubt it.  And God is going to be there to walk through each one of them with us.  If it’s that car wreck, sickness, or job challenge, He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.  (Hebrews 13:5)  If we trust Him, acknowledge Him in all our ways, He has promised to direct our paths. (Proverbs 3:5, 6)

But are there also going to be some sweet, unexpected blessings that come into our lives?  I totally believe that, too!  There will be deep conversations with friends, a heart-to-heart talk with a daughter, the realization of a goal that my husband has worked toward, a celebration of answered prayer that’s been a long time coming.  In little ways and in big ones, God has blessings in store that we wouldn’t even dream about today.

So as we finish up this second week of January, let’s focus on the blessings ahead of us.  Let’s have a heart’s desire to get some of those sweet times with our Lord when He refreshes our soul.  Then let’s go ahead and praise Him for all that He’s preparing for us, both in our lives here during 2018 as well as for all eternity.

{Taking a quick break from our study on joy to share this Thanksgiving-related post.}

Last week, I was talking to a children’s group at church about how we can show our thankfulness to God and others.  It’s often simple, and doesn’t take much time.  Yet cultivating a grateful heart increases our joy and can also be an encouragement to those around us.

A couple of years ago, I shared ten simple ways to show thanks.  I thought it might be helpful to revisit that list this November.  If you did one of these each day, starting today, you’d finish up the list on Thanksgiving day!

 1. Write a thank you note.

Let’s show appreciation for a person God has put into our lives who has influenced us in some way.  Choose a friend, family member, church leader, or business person, and hand write a personal note.  Thank them for who they are and/or what they do.  (It’s inexpensive to pick up packs of thank you cards at the Dollar Tree so that you always have a stash on hand.)

After you write a thank you note, you may want to have your child(ren) write one as well.  They could thank a teacher, coach, grandparent, or other relative.  Younger children who can’t write could draw a picture and have you write down what they want to say.  Then mail the card or hand deliver it.

2. Verbally thank someone.

Sometimes it’s easier to write a thank-you note than to actually say the words out loud!  Here are some suggestions to get us thinking.

~When you pick your child up from school, thank the teacher for his/her work in the classroom.
~Thank the cashier at the grocery store or the waitress at the restaurant for her service.
~Take time to thank your child for something they did – obeying quickly, having good manners, helping a sibling, etc.
~Thank your husband for the work he does to support your family.
~Let a co-worker know that you value how they do their job.

You never know when your words could be just the encouragement someone needs.

3. Sing a song of Thanksgiving.

Sing along with your favorite singing group, or just belt it out in your car when you’re alone.  Here are a few hymn suggestions.

~Count Your Blessings
~Come, Ye Thankful People, Come
~Now Thank We All Our God
~For the Beauty of the Earth
~To God Be the Glory

Involve your kids, too, by listening to and singing children’s songs and choruses of praise.

4. Write a list of 10 things you can thank God for today.

I try to write 3-5 things I’m thankful for in my gratitude journal each day.  Here’s a sample.

~My family’s health.
~Words my husband said on Sunday: “God is always so much more faithful to us than we are to Him.” How thankful I am that His faithfulness doesn’t depend on mine!
~The group of K-5, 1st and 2nd grade students that I get to work with on Wednesday nights.
~Family and friends that I know pray for me.
~Apples that a sweet friend brought me from North Carolina.

I love that this practice helps me notice the big and the small blessings I’m given.

5. Pray your list of thankfulness to God.

Psalm 100:4 tells us to “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” I like to think that each morning, as I begin my prayer time, I’m entering into His gates and coming into His courts, so I want to start that process with thanksgiving and praise.

6. Meditate on a Bible verse of praise and thanksgiving.

Here’s a list of seven verses to get you started.

~Ephesians 5:20, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”
~Psalm 69:30, “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.”
~James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
~Psalm 30:12, “To the end that [my] glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.”
~Psalm 7:17, “I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.”
~ Hebrews 13:15, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his name.”
~Psalm 28:7, “The LORD [is] my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.”

Whatever verse you choose, make a concerted effort to think about it throughout the day.  Write the verse out and post it where you’ll see it often, or lay your open Bible in a central spot and stop to read the verse every time you pass by.

7. Give something away.

There are many ways to share what we have with others.

~Leave a larger-than-usual tip at the restaurant, pay for a stranger’s coffee, or set aside extra funds for a missionary family or a needy family in your church.
~Deliver baked goods to a neighbor, clothes in good condition to a shelter, or canned goods to a local food bank.  Or, this time of year, you can pack shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child.
~Give your time by letting someone who’s in a hurry go ahead of you in line, make a phone call to a person who could use encouragement, or sit still and really listen to your spouse and/or your children.

Remember, giving helps cultivate a more Christ-like spirit in us. We know God is the ultimate giver, and we always want to look for ways to become more like Him.

8. Post a picture of something for which you’re thankful.

This can be in a public forum or just in your home. If you’re on social media, post a picture there – or use a magnet to stick a photo  on the front of your refrigerator!  Every time you see it, take a minute to thank God specifically for what’s pictured.

A fun craft project would be to make a collage with your kids.  Cut pictures out of magazines or print out pictures from the computer of things they’re thankful for, then glue them on poster board or a large piece of construction paper.

9. Say a meaningful prayer before a meal.

Many of us were taught as children to “say grace” before a meal. It’s a routine we often rush through – me included. But that brief moment before we eat each meal is a time that we can pause in our day to acknowledge the blessings of God.

Let’s take time to really thank God for the food He’s provided. Rather than rote phrases, let’s use meaningful words, and praise our Father for meeting our every need.  This is a habit our children can begin practicing at an early age.  At that point, they usually enjoy the privilege of praying for the family.

10. Share with your family a time when you saw God’s blessing in your life.

Maybe you felt God’s comfort through a trial, His protection through physical safety, a very specific answer to prayer, or His goodness manifested in a unique way.  Whether it was recently or years ago, tell the narrative of how God blessed you.

We are here on earth to glorify God  Let’s do just that by telling others how He has worked in our lives.

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, I hope we’ll all focus on God’s goodness and look for opportunities to show our gratitude to Him and to others.

Let me know if you have other practical ways that we can show our thanks!

Related posts:
Living Grateful:  Making a Daily Choice to Give Thanks
Giving Thanks on the Normal Days
Thanksgiving Traditions

Well, friends, tomorrow it’s November.

Just because of how our daughters’ school/sports/fine arts schedules go, I feel like once we hit the first week of October, it might as well be January 5th.  The last three months of the year just fly by for us.  Besides our girls’ extracurricular activities, there’s all that goes along with Thanksgiving, celebrating both of their birthdays, Christmas, and New Years – and this year, we’re throwing a college visit into the mix, too!

I love the family time and the special events that happen over these next two months.  But from previous years’ experience, I know what this season can be like and want to be ready for it.  These tips aren’t new, but it helps to be reminded of them as I prepare for the full days ahead.

1. Plan ahead…but not too far ahead.

For me, it works best to plan in one-week segments.  On Sunday afternoon, I sit down with my calendar and look at the coming week.  I write out my menu – all three meals for each day; start a shopping list for the grocery store; note what events I need to prepare for (buy cards or gifts for a birthday, make or buy snacks for a class party, wrap a present, etc.); and pencil in any errands that need to be run.

If I try to think too far ahead, it’s overwhelming.  I usually end up forgetting something, and have to make extra trips to the store anyway!  My exception to this would be doing basic Christmas planning early on, i.e. writing out a detailed budget well before you actually start making Christmas purchases.  I just did our Christmas budget this past weekend!

2. Let go of expectations.

Since we’re getting home late most evenings, I’m serving simple meals.  The slow cooker is my friend!  We may not have perfectly matched outfits for our family pictures, but that’s okay.  Simplifying and using what I already have works just fine in most situations.

This tip obviously speaks mostly to the expectations I put on myself!  My husband and daughters go with the flow fairly well.  I’m usually the one who wants everything to be “just so.”  I have to remind myself that it’s the time spent making memories with family and friends that’s the most important thing.

3. Communicate clearly.

If you want to plan a specific family activity, let your husband know.  If you need your children’s help with certain tasks, explain what they need to do.  From how much to spend on gifts to where and how holidays will be celebrated, clear communication helps everything flow more smoothly.

Now that are our girls are older, this means that I also need to include them in the planning of activities.  They may have things they want to do with friends or school events they’d like to attend that I’ll need to organize our schedule around.

4. Put people before tasks.

You’ll probably not regret making time for lunch with a friend over finishing that “Pinterest-y” Christmas wreath project.  Taking your children to the park on a beautiful afternoon certainly trumps having only from-scratch dishes on the Thanksgiving table.

I’m naturally task-oriented, so I have to remind myself of this frequently.  Being fully present and able to enjoy these moments is the best gift I can give my family.  It’s good for all of us if I’m at peace and not stressed out!

5. Make your quiet time a priority.

Spending time in prayer and Bible reading every day helps us keep our focus where it needs to be.  There are so many sweet lessons about gratitude and God’s love and Christ’s birth and new beginnings that we can focus on in this season.  No matter how busy the day promises to be, beginning it with quiet time always gets things started on the right foot.

So, as we approach another holiday season, what tips do you have for thriving when life is busy?

Related posts:
10 Ways to Build Strong Family Ties
A Prayer for My Family for November
5 Ways to Serve Others as a Family