Thursday 27 August 2015

Season Follows Season...

Season follows season...summer is once again nearing it's end.  The days are already so much shorter and the nights cooler.  I love the cooler nights, the window open and the sound of crickets in the night air.  I look forward to Fall, it's one of my favourite seasons; the cool crisp air, leaves changing colour, frosty mornings and cozy sweaters.

Soon I'll hear the rumble of school buses as they go by morning and afternoon.  Life with my family is no longer marked by school years, it's been a while since the bus stopped here.  But life continues to change, our kids grow up and start lives of their own.  Three have now moved out and one is married a year already.

My life as a mom has changed so much in the last four years.  At times I can feel lost as to what's next for this life of mine.  A life that has been so filled with children, blessed by them and tested by them.  It has been a life that has grown because of them and as much as I have taught them, they have taught me.  I haven't always been a good student but oh how I have loved them and wanted them to grow to be all that God has planned for them to be.

There are times when I have wondered did I teach them enough about the God who created them, the God who loves them more than this mother ever could or can and the God who has a plan and purpose for each of their lives.  A purpose and destiny only they can fill.  To think on that, that the God of the universe has a purpose for their lives, a planned purpose that he had before they were even born.   And so it is my prayer that they would seek him with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. In a world filled with so much clutter, so much noise, so much sin and temptation may they be able to see and hear through it all...hear the ONE...the only ONE who holds everything in his hands.  

The ONE who loves them with a love that gave everything.

The ONE who is the way, the truth and the life...JESUS.

Oh I know I can only teach it, live it and share it, it's up to them to catch it and then live it, share it and teach it.

And it is my hope that they do better than this mom of theirs did.  That if they are so blessed with children of their own that they will teach them of the ONE who loves so deeply, the ONE who knows and knew them before they were even born.

May you as moms know how great your purpose is...not only to bring your children into this world, nurture, love and grow them up but to teach them to walk through this world hand in hand with the ONE...JESUS...who wants to be their Saviour.  There is nothing greater that you could ever teach them.  

A while back there was a P&G video that came through on my Facebook feed, it was a thank you to moms.  A video that pulled at your heart strings, a tribute to moms for what they had given and sacrificed for their kids in their journey to becoming olympic champions.  Dedication, perseverance and love is what came through in the video, early mornings, driving to practices, watching games and lessons, being there for them through the highs and lows.  It was clear, these moms gave so much to see their children fly and be all that they could be.  I was moved by the video but something else stirred in my heart as well...

As a mom...as parents am I are we as dedicated, filled with perseverance and love in seeing our children fly and be all they can be in a relationship with Jesus.  We live in a culture that pushes academics, college, university, being the best at what you set your heart at, not that any of that is wrong but when as a parent I become more concerned about their performance as it relates to school, sports, and their vocation than I am in their spiritual well being then I have things backwards.  Life here is but a vapour.  I look at my own life as a mom and the years from birth till now, a home where three have already left has flown by.  

Deuteronomy 6: 5-9 says; "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."  These verses speak of the importance of my relationship with the LORD and the importance of me as a parent in teaching my children what it means to love the LORD and walk in his ways.

There is no better place for any of us, then to abide in his presence.

He is the creator of this world we live in, it was his idea, his plan and he knows best. 

In order for a person to become an olympic champion they've had coaches who knew the sport inside and out, coaches who knew their students strengths and weaknesses.  Coaches who called them out and pushed them to excel. Consider God our coach, your child's coach, though way more than a coach and if you think on that why wouldn't we teach our children to walk in his ways and do so ourselves as well.  

In order to become champions in the faith abiding and trusting in HIM is the only way.

And this world in all it's brokenness and lostness needs champions...champions in the faith, obedient and willing to lay their lives down for their Saviour.

I love how David speaks to Solomon in 1 Chronicles 28: 9; "And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.  If you seek him, he will be found by you..."

Teach your children to be seekers of HIM...and he will be found by them.




1170. Lots of laundry finished and hung on the clothes line
1171. Charissa got a job as a nanny in Hamilton
1172. Time spent with Amadeous in the cool morning
1173. Clouds moving across the evening sky
1174. Early morning fog over the fields
1175. Hanging out with friends
1176. Delicious dinner and good conversation with the couple who blessed us with the trip to the Family Foundations School of Ministry in Denver
1177. Worship
1178. Visit with Will and Amy
1179. Will and Amy's first year anniversary



1180. Sound of crickets through the bedroom window
1181. Beautiful cool morning
1182. Rain through the night





1183. Chat with Jocelyne, Keira and Lauren
1184. Looking out the window and seeing the horses grazing
1185. Summer breezes


1186. Fresh beans from my mom and dad's garden
1187. Good chat with Charissa
1188. God's Word
1189. My husband's leadership
1190. A visit with Silas, Molly and Lola



1191. Cooler day
1192. Beautiful morning






 1193. My husband's patience and love
1194. Beautiful evening light for a photo shoot with Kayla and Tank



1195. A nice walk and conversation with a friend
1196. Tea and good visit with a friend
1197. Beautiful wedding video by Matt
1198. Chats with the girls
1199. Matt on a sailing adventure
1200. Dinner and heart conversation with a friend and his girl friend
1201. Quiet morning
1202. Beautiful drive through the county with friends
1203. Ice cream cones on a warm day
1204. Quiet Sunday afternoon
1205. Sunday night message by my husband
1206. My husband's heart





1207. Sound of crickets in the evening
1208. Hearing all about Matt's sailing and island adventure
1209. Cooling breezes while mowing the lawn
1210. Amadeous cantering up the hill, mane flying in the wind
1211. My ceiling fan in this heat
1212. Early morning walk with a friend
1213. The smell of homemade bread
1214. Meeting the new neighbours
1215. Refreshing winds while mowing the lawn
1216. In the pool to cool off
1217. The sound of rain through the open window
1218. Cardinal's song


1219. Windy, cooler morning
1220. Knitting and tea with a friend
1221. Downpour and thunder
1222. Delicious sweet corn for dinner
1223. Working with my husband on the old camaro


The before and after...five years later and 10 inches later for Matt :-)



Thanks to Tim Broekema @ Quinte Precision for a beautiful body and paint job.



1224. Charissa is coming home for a visit
1225. Late night stories from Matt
1226. Beautiful weather for the church BBQ
1127. Great turnout for the BBQ
1128. All those who volunteered and gave of their time to help with the BBQ





1229. My husband's leadership, he's a servant leader
1230. A beautiful drive in the county with two of my favourite girls and husband in the newly done camaro (thanks for adding this to the list Charissa ;-))


1231. Morning downpour
1232. Card game with the girls
1233. Charissa, her dad and Kayla and Sarah out fishing on the river
1234. Listening to the girls chatting and laughing
1235. One more card game before Charissa heads home


1236. Great visit with Charissa
1237. Cool day
1238. A bit of time with the horses




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