Seasons Change--My Longest Post Ever

Boy what a weekend! Friday was extremely rainy, Saturday was nice and sunny, and Sunday was sunny but overcast. Looks like a change in the seasons is on the way. Winter to spring. The season of new life, change, expression.

This weekend was a great reminder to me of the changing seasons of life (yep, mom, about time to pass the plate LOL). I was at the hospital when baby Cooper was born. Derrick, Barbie and all of our parents know what an awesome thing it is to know that one minute a child is inside the mom, then the next he/she is crying out to you. It's amazing. How anyone can experience that and not at least believe there is a God, I will never understand. Infants are in a different season. They are needy, dependent, always looking to the parents for provision, help, protection, etc. Parents seem to get fulfillment in meeting these roles and other family members certainly enjoy the ride as well.

Then there is the next season of adolescence. A sort of testing time. I vaguely remember my teen experience, mainly because I didn't enjoy it that much. So let's move on. Besides, no teens are involved in our families' lives anyway, right?

Then there's our stage--young adulthood. This one seems to actually be more complicated than adolescence. We are in the stage of providing for ourselves, establishing our careers (no not really being a student forever), and creating our own family unit. It's different, much different than adolescence. While we may have been working jobs in high school and college, we always still had parents that we knew were there to provide for us.

But in adulthood, we learn that we are dependent on each other, rather than on others. We find strength and security in our husbands or wives. It's different, and many times much tougher, because now we have to make our own decisions that other family, friends, bosses, etc. may not like, agree with, or approve. But such is the nature of being an adult. You have to make your own choices. It's not disrespectful, dishonoring, or because of a lack of love, respect, or whatever. It's just that it's our own decisions. Why didn't someone tell us how hard life would be as an adult? After all, that's what we all dream of when we are kids right? Just wait til I am a grown up and ....! People say that they do not wish to go back to their teen years. Sometimes, in retrospect though, they really were a lot easier times.

Then there's the older parent stage (notice Mom and Momma 2, I didn't say grandparent stage). Your seasons change too, and until today, I really haven't given it the thought that I should have. This season has to be tough for you too. Sure, you both get to enjoy the great grandkids that your kids have given you, and your visits with your children. But I have never given much thought to the sacrifices you have had to make to the spouse of your children. You each had a special relationship with your child. You raised them all of their lives. You have given so much.

Then one day, at an altar in a church (I think all of us had church weddings), you have to give your children away to someone else. Wow! I see how Barbie, Derrick, Jaime, and Lisa are about their kids and I see just how much they love them. I cannot begin to imagine what it must be like to have to give your child to another person (especially my mother in law who, before we were married, actually only knew me a few months--now that's trust). You used to have them by your side, at your beckon call, ready to do whatever you needed. But now, they are living on their own, setting up their own family, and have their own lives. While there is joy in knowing how successfully raised your children, there has to be a bit of a loneliness and a sadness that goes in that.

Seasons change. It's not always easy. And I guess the point of all this is to say--Don and Bettie Mac, thank you for trusting me enough to give me your daughter. I know just how much you love her. I know that just as quickly as I would die for her, your would too. Yet you trusted me enough to let me be her provider, protector, and husband. I only hate that I came to this realization today, but I'm glad that it's never too late to say something that you should. I love you two very much and pray for you every day.

To the rest of my family, I love you too and hope that as your seasons change, as mushy as it sounds, that you will take the time to appreciate what sacrifices others have made in their lives for you.