Contentment in the Now

This is Freddie, our pet guinea pig. Give him hay, food, water and some fruit and he's content. Unless, of course, you're trying to catch him or trim his nails. But otherwise, he seems like a content, happy little guy.

I, on the other hand, tend to always be looking to the next thing. What's the next stage my kids will reach? When will I get the time to keep the house clean? When will I have time to write without the interruption of kids? When will I be mature enough to feel confident of what my writing platform should be? When?

I'm very much someone who lives in the future, but recent circumstances in my life have made me take a step back and be more HERE, NOW. How can I love and encourage my kids where they're at now? How can I find joy and contentment in THIS season of life? My kids are young and I homeschool them. Do I have time and energy for much else? NO! I love homeschooling and don't question that decision at all. But, do I sometimes envy the moms that suddenly have tons of time on their hands every fall to pursue other things? Sure! Just give me a few more days in every week... I'll find a way to do it all!

The reality is that God gave us the time He gave us - no more. Perhaps it's an overused cliche, but there really are seasons in life. As Ecclesiastes says, there is a season for everything. Now is my season to invest heavily in my kids and their education. I won't have another chance to do that. Doing lots of other ministry, writing, crafts, etc, will wait. They will be there when this season changes.

I still find outlets for ministry and writing and other "me" stuff, but it's squeezed in around what my seasonal priorities are. I'm trying to BE HERE NOW. I still like to look ahead to what the future may bring, but I will choose to settle myself into the now and rejoice in what it brings.