I remember the days that baby came after baby, diaper came after diaper, middle of the night came after middle of the night, and milestone came after milestone. I remember that it seemed hard. I learned that some of our best times come through what we think might be the hardest stage of life. There were many days that I found myself saying, 'when the babies are older,' or 'when we have more money,' when this thing changes, this will be better. I found myself not living my now, waiting for the smallest of things to be different, better. And then I found Ps. 118:24, and it says that THIS is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it, and God knocked me right upside the head with it. But I began to try. To trust. To live like this really was the day the Lord had made and that there is always something to rejoice in, even on those days that you have to look a little harder to find it. And it's funny, because the years went by, and I was taught to enjoy every season, but I found myself longing for those days of diapers, of sweet snuggles and smelling my tiny babies newborn breath and hearing that first belly laugh. Because babies grow. They become your life's work but it's a really, really great work. And before you know it, your living room is full of teenagers. Teenagers that can learn about the love of the Father, because you made your babies your life's work. Teenagers that the big guy and I have led, listening to the way the Father leads. And I'm thankful. I'm thankful, that even though it's hard, even though these teenagers must make real life decisions about basketball and small group, about college and marriage, about God, this is still the day He has made. When you see them hurt for kids in their school, or tears roll because they don't know which choice to make, even though, there might not be a wrong one this time just a better one for now, THIS is the day that He has made. I will still trust that. And I realize that even this season is fleeting. I'm realizing that there are days coming that my living room might not be full of teenagers laughing and making us all laugh, crying and making us cry. I'm realizing just how fast these days He has made go by and understanding more and more the concept of numbering them. And I catch myself wanting to hang on. Not wanting this to ever end, knowing we were made for a living room full of them. Knowing this season is changing faster than we ever dreamed it would, but knowing He has made not just today but He already knows the one's He's making in the future. Knowing that there will still be days that I will tell my big guy that it's just too hard and I just want them grown, knowing that this isn't even close to the truth. But isn't that how it works? The best things are sometimes the most trying, the most hard fought for, but still the best. My big guy said just the other day that kids are hard work, when you're not willing to put the hard work in, especially early. The best things are hard work. They are our best things, and when the big guy and I are living it up, sending home grand kids when they get hard, I will look back at the seasons with so much joy and probably a little longing. But I trust and I know that our best is still yet to come and I will always remember the joy teenagers have brought us. Even in the hurting and hard.
Are you finding your current season hard? Do you find yourself saying when tomorrow comes...? Be encouraged today, that whatever your day looks like, this is the day the Lord has made. He's even making your tomorrow. Listen to His voice and rejoice, because we know that all things......
