Times Change

     This weekend I was with Bryce and Brittne; all by myself! It was such an encouragement to my ‘mama heart!'  Brittne has been in Peru for all most two years and Bryce got married a little over a year ago. My motherhood has had to learn to adjust to change that has felt more like loss. So, to have my two children all to myself was a gift. My age and experience gives me the wisdom to know that the gift was a temporary pleasure and a gift that may never again be repeated. Brittne is on her way back to Peru; Bryce is back with his wife and unborn child in Fort Worth. In the future, Dwayne, or my children’s spouses, and/or my grandchildren will probably be present when we are together. I know all too well that I may never have three days with only my two children again! So, I must confess that I savored every minute of the weekend . . . even when they were doing their ‘oh, mother’, eye rolling thing! lol
     Dwayne and I learned early in our marriage that you can never relive moments in time. We experienced a wonderful Sunday school class when we were young parents. We were all close and spent many hours a week together on top of the time we spent together at church. It was a special family of friends. We have never experienced a body of friends like that since. We are still close to a few from that group but many we have lost touch with. When we were Montana, we had an amazing prayer group. We will never be able to recreate that particular group again. I once had a job that my CEO had the same viewpoint of serving people and looking for ministry opportunities that I did. I will probably never find that unity in spirit with any other CEO or at another job.
     Change is a part of life. There is nothing you can do to stop it. When you are going through the valleys of life you pray for change; when you are hanging out on the mountain top you try chaining yourself to a tree to keep from having to leave the beautiful view you are soaking up! No matter if you are on the mountain top or in the valley, you will experience change. It is what makes the seasons of life. Some of us live where the seasons change every day and some live where they seldom change; but they do change!
     Are you living on a mountain top or a valley during this season of life? If you’re on the mountain top, savor it while it lasts and do not grow an entitlement attitude with God that you deserve to stay there. If you are in a valley, be encouraged that this season of life will pass and you will make it to the mountain top for refreshment to your soul. We grow in the valleys and regenerate on the mountain top. We need both in our life which is why we can be thankful for both because both come to us through the never ending love of God!

He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness (uprightness and right standing with Him - - not for my earning it, but) for His name’s sake. Yes, though I walk through the (deep, sunless) valley of the shadow of death, I will fear (no dread) no evil, for You are with me; Your rod (to protect) and Your staff (to guide), they comfort me.

Psalm 23:3-4