Autumnal Equinox

Today is the first day of autumn. You know as beautiful as autumn is, I never looked forward to this season. Mostly because it meant winter was around the corner. I love spring and summer because I'm a naturally a cold person, so bring on the warm weather. And I just don't like to be cold. But we had a pretty hot summer, so I have to say I'm truly enjoying the coming of autumn. I think as I've aged, I've gotten a far better appreciation of each season. There is a purpose for every single one. And since Daddy and I are pretty much heading into the autumn of our lives, I think I'd better embrace it.

With autumn comes the gorgeous change in color, cooler nights and pumpkins. In the human body with the autumn season comes gray hair, wrinkles, the beginning of age spots, a change in metabolism, new aches each day and some sagging in areas that used to be ... well, not sagging. None of that sounds even remotely appealing to you at your young age. Honestly, it's not really appealing to us either. But it's the nature of things.

You young ones are in your summer. It's the prime of your lives. The world is fresh and beautiful and exciting and filled with new experiences and adventure, especially as you are about to marry and begin one of the greatest adventures. And you should delight in it as much as you can. A friend said to me recently about young marrieds, "Buy anything you want and go anywhere you want before you start having kids, because their needs will come before your wants after that." And there is truth in that. It costs a lot to raise children and for some folks causes them to set some limits for their sake. So it is a philosophy that works for many couples who choose to wait to start their families. Personally, we didn't do that because we couldn't have bought whatever we wanted or gone where ever we wanted anyways. And we didn't see our children as limiting. For us that was adventure! Regardless, this is the time to truly delight in your young, active and typically healthy bodies and make some wonderful memories.

You will see spring in your children and winter in your grandparents. Each season has so many blessings and brings so much joy - challenges, too. So truly embrace each as it comes ... in the calendar year as well. Breath in what God has created for your enjoyment. Delight in each change as it occurs. Worship Him for what He has designed as your environment. Pick apples, have campfires, select a pumpkin, examine fallen leaves, snuggle in a sweater as the temperature drops, collect pecans, catch a football and enjoy the autumn harvest. "To everything there is a season," Ecclesiastes 3:1 says. Now it's time for the autumnal equinox ... ironically and pleasantly, for us, in more ways then one.

Discussion: What is your favorite season? What do you love about fall? Name some people you know and love and say what season of their life they are in.

Prayer: We give you glory Father for every season of our year and our life. May we fully enjoy all your prepared for us and praise your name for being so gracious and generous with us. We thank you in Jesus name, Amen.

Hey 22-Year-Old Self

I asked Daddy the other day, if he could go back in time and visit his 22-year-old self prior to getting married, what he would say to him. His comments were precious and eye opening. Lean in to listen.

• "Listen to the old people." He said they will be gone before you know it and have so much wisdom and amazing stories to tell. They have gone through a lot in their lives. You will learn a lot from them. Suck up what they have to say. It will help with the journey.

• "It's gone in the blink of an eye." Daddy said to cherish every moment as it happens ... the wedding, the reception, the honeymoon, the early years as a couple, the precious years with young children, fun with older children, the empty nest. Every season passes quicker than you can imagine, so enjoy it as it happens.

• "Get yourself to church." He says you need recharged. You need to hear God's word preached. You need to be surrounded by other Christians. We spend so much of our life in and of the world, we need to be reminded we don't belong to it.

• "Love your wife. Please her and it will come back to you tenfold." Coming from his wife ... DO THIS!
  
• "It is so hard to make your way in this world. You put so much energy into your job and then wonder what all those hours were for." Create a balance between work and life. Work is to bless life and the lives of others around you. Don't let it consume life.

• "You don't know everything." You will think you do, but you don't. Which harkens back to that first comment above.

•  "Be kind." It's what God would want you to do.

He is a wise man, your Daddy. Save yourself a lot of time, missed opportunities and trials, and just listen to him. Because you can't go back in time to visit your 22-year-old self, but you can tell your 20-something children.

Discussion: What of the above statements resonate with you? Is there anything of the above that you could work on?

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the wisdom of experience, but mostly for the wisdom of listening to wisdom! Lord, we pray we are attentive when people who have been on the journey longer, help us along with ours. In Christ we pray, Amen.

Seasons of Marriage

I spent several hours Sunday raking leaves. There were thousands of them, plus gazillions of tiny acorns. Raking is part of autumn like mowing is part of summer when you are a home owner. Each season brings joys and challenges. When Brad and I were talking about the seasons, it got us thinking about the seasons in our marriage.

We remembered the spring of our marriage. Everything was exciting, fresh and new. We had boundless energy, went on adventures just the two of us, enjoyed our first home together, began new traditions and made couples friends and enjoyed visiting with them. We were newlyweds and loving it.

Then began the summer of our marriage. We had two sweet babies that kept us busy, watching the world through their eyes, teaching them all we could and exploring new places. Our priorities, entertainment and time alone all changed. Our careers evolved, with Brad progressing in different avenues within sports journalism, and me tackling stay-at-home motherhood and freelance work. Our lives balanced the schedules of four people and their various church and school activities. At the end of these summer years, our children grew up and moved out heading to college to begin lives of their own.

Thus began the autumn of our marriage. Emptynesters enjoying the "just the two of us" time while missing the laughter and company of our family. Our jobs have changed again as we journey towards Christ, utilizing our spiritual gifts in new ways, me for awhile as worship leader and continuing as a DJ on Christian radio and Brad now as pastor in addition to his new position as consumer experience manager at the newspaper. We don't worry about anyone's schedule but our own. And we've welcomed new folks into our family as our children have found special someones.

We imagine the winter of our marriage will begin sometime after the grandchildren arrive. We only have examples of others who've gone before us to see what lies ahead for us in that season of our marriage.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says: "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:"  We want you to embrace each season. To be wide-eyed and innocent with the new experiences ahead and wise and faithful in the challenges. We mostly want you to have joy in the journey. And if you have questions about any of it as you go, we will be glad to share any advice based on our experiences as you get there and if you ask for it. In the meantime, get ready for spring!

Discussion: What do you anticipate happening in each season of your marriage? Is there any season you hope to push off as long as possible? Is there one you are looking forward to?

Prayer: Lord we thank you for the seasons of life and marriage as we journey every closer to you. Thank you for the experiences we've had and lessons we've learned along the way. Lord we pray for these sweet ones as they get ready to embark on the spring of their marriage next year. May it be filled with opportunities to love and share you. In Jesus, Amen.