Do you love the changing seasons?
I don't just mean the actual spring, summer, winter, fall seasons. I'm talking about all the seasons of life, too!
We all go through various seasons in life. When we're little, we're in a season of total dependence on our parents/caregivers. As we get older, we go through a season of becoming more independent and finding our own unique identity. Eventually we become adults and learn to navigate new seasons of finding work we love, perhaps finding a spouse we love, then we have the possibility of children and pets and all the other things we fill our lives with.
One awesome season I'm in right now is with my toddler. Little Jed (I used to call him Baby Jed but he's 2.5 now!) is saying so many new words and doing so many new things! This past Sunday, he brought tears to my eyes at church. We stepped outside of the sanctuary for a moment, and when he heard the worship team start singing, for the first time ever, he stretched his little arms out to the side of him and started singing along! Yes, I cried!
Then on Monday, as I was getting ready to go back into my office after lunch, he was getting ready to go on a walk with his daddy. I told him "I'll miss you!" and he looked at me with those sweet little blue eyes and said "MISS YOU!" and stretched his arms out in front of him to give me a hug. I didn't hesitate to race right over and scoop him up!
Which brings me to his second 2-word phrase that very same day. It was diaper change time, and as I was picking him up, I said "I'm going to scoop you up and go change your diaper". And for the very first time ever in his little 2.5 years of life, he said "Scoop up!". Then we went back and forth with me saying it and him repeating it. It was such a precious thing!
Just like with seasons with littles, we also go through other types of seasons:
~ Seasons of Grief
~ Seasons of New Family Members (marriage, birth, adoption, etc.)
~ Seasons of Health Challenges
~ And more
Some seasons will be amazing.
Others will be hard.
Some will be EXTREMELY hard.
Just in the last 2 years, I've had several friends who have lost various loved ones: their adult children, their spouse, their best friend, their parent, and others. And my husband just lost his mom in May. The pain is still fresh. Grief is HARD.
Each season will affect our overall health in either a positive or negative way. For my current season with Jed, it's bringing me joy and lots of smiles. But 15.5 years ago when I lost my daughter, it brought me a lot of sadness and depression. Thankfully, by the grace of God, I overcame that dark time and am now walking in a much more light-filled season. My husband is getting there.
Regardless of which season you're in, I want you to know 3 things:
1. God loves you immensely! And he's here with you, either celebrating your current victories or holding your hand as you struggle together through hardship.
2. This season will pass! It's not forever! Lean into Jesus and he will carry you through!
3. Learn all you can from this season. Journal your thoughts, feelings, and what you're noticing and learning. These notes will be so valuable to you in the future! And if it's a hard one, make a plan for self-care. If you're depressed or stressed, take a walk outside each day to refresh your mind. Trust me, it works! You can also listen to music, read, take a calming bath, or do whatever else helps you relax.
You are worth investing in, so invest time and energy into keeping your health in check - physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. And if you're struggling hard right now and need someone to talk to, please reach out to me. I'm here for you every step of the way.
Live Well,
Adrienne
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