The dance of life goes on--one more generation anew will have their turn to make it beautiful.
“Teach us to number our days that we might present to you a heart of wisdom.”Psalm 90:12
No longer the door slamming as he runs into the house yelling, "Mama, you'll never guess what we did!" or "You'll never guess what I found! Mama, where are you?"
or
"Mama, will you sit here with me just for a minute to talk before I go to sleep. I want to tell you what I was thinking today."
or
Dinner table filled with teenagers, awash with hormones and ideals, discussing loudly their opinions about life with a, "Mama, you are the best cook! Can I have some more?"
Through all seasons, we whisk here and there in a hurry to "get it all done." But, I am in the, "before you know it, the early years of motherhood comes to an end, and you have no more days to enjoy your son as a child."
God speaks to us through nature and His own visual art. There is the promise of spring with flowers, blooms, that life is all aswirl with promise--a season of youthful idealism. The summer comes with the promise of fruit and the planting life all seeds that will bring life--the planting of all that is good in the hearts, souls and minds of our children quickly before the season changes again.
And so the seasons go with our children--baby, pre-school elementary, growing into young adult and then off to start his own life. I am so thankful I have so many, many great memories and times of friendship with Nathan--but I wish I had relaxed more and enjoyed looking into his little boy eyes and seeing the life that was sparkling there!
In splendid glory and bursting color, diversity in every form, autumn teaches us that life is always changing--and that, whether we want it to happen or not, life will be changing soon. Spring that God is the one who renews. Summer and winter, their own expressions of God. Life and this season right now, is about to change. Life passes quickly and each season reminds us that one more year, journey, season is about to pass. Let us not waste the time in regret or in hurry.
This year, I intentionally made time, even when I did not feel like I had it, to make more memories--to live in the moments when I could share real life--look into their eyes, share in the deepest expression of their hearts because I know the season was about to pass.
Driving on Sunday summer evenings, every week, with the kids who were home, on our nearby country roads with music lists playing and shared creating toe-tapping hearts--became a favorite pass time this summer--every week a rhythm to stop life for a few minutes to say, "you are important--let's take this time together, away from the bother where life steals our moments. (--this one before a storm, where we saw a mama bear and cub!"
We sat in our white porch rockers and sipped tea every night and stayed until the sun set.
Morning breakfast on the roofed in back porch was where breakfast and the caffeine of choice was offered the moment a pajama'd child emerged from their bedroom.
We will never have this year, this day, this moment in which to invest again—it will be fleeting and over, as one spring marks another, one autumn tells of us another season or year soon to be past.
Today is the day in which I may pour out love, Inspiration, Serving and touching hearts, Pointing in this moment of glory, the divine creator. Teaching what is true and right and good, Modeling faith.
The ministry of motherhood must be personal—back rubs, giggles, eyes really seeing into the face and soul of the one being listened to…
Our own traditions celebrated again and again--at no cost!
Sleeping out under the stars on our deck in sleeping bags
Hikes and picnics in the national forest
Eating each evening on our front porch to watch the aspen trees dance in the wind.
Evening walks each night and taking photographs of the sunset.
Every day, candle and music to celebrate eating together.
I knew that these were the memories, the life-pictures that were in the heart and mind of my Nathan when he would go to his life to begin the celebration of each season and he beginning of life as a husband, to carry on these traditions in his own home.
I understood, from his first days, that
A real, little human being, requires personal attention as a flower needs real water.
We are those who are to water the garden of our children's souls that life may spring up every day anew and refreshed.
When this day is past, I must hope that I have used it well and invested wisely because I will never have it to live over again, and soon, very soon, the autumn of motherhood will remind us, that this season is almost over.
Remember: Only the wise can dance to the rhythm of life!
May you listen to the music of each season, and dance elegantly the dance God has granted you within your home.
(in my living room to remind me to dance to His rhythms every day!)
Blessings,today!