The inevitable transition of seasons

Seeing your little one off on the first day of school.

Waving goodbye as your baby heads to college.

Giving your daughter away at her wedding.

Seasons.

Our lives are full of seasons and the small and large In-Between times.

I wrote previously about stubbornly refusing to let go of summer, as though I had control over that:

I. Like. Summer.

{She stamps foot like toddler}

I want my bright and lemonadey, slow and swingy, kayak and paddley season back, and I am going to keep a anchor-like grip on the last green leaf and hold my hot and sandy summer breath until it returns.

Why is it we struggle so to hang onto the old when we really don’t know what next season holds?

As far as my husband and I, we missed the decade long message that we needed to live somewhere warmer, where winter is a mild visitor who knows not to overstay his welcome.

Instead of taking that information and acting on it, we would try to hang onto summer more tightly than a teen holds onto their cell phone.

A question from my life coach a while back really got me thinking.

Joel asked me where I would live if I could live anywhere.

Without hesitation, I answered “Somewhere warmer!”

He replied, “Well, why aren’t you?”

Cue crickets.

The time is finally here.

After months of planning, praying, and plain old hard work, we are on our way to our new home in Tennessee.

It’s been hard to say goodbye to our friends and relatives, and especially our immediate family: my parents, who have lived across the driveway from us for years; my husband’s mom, to whom we are very close; our youngest, who is taking this opportunity to move to Montana; and especially our oldest, her husband, and their adorable four week old daughter.

We started our trip south at the beach yesterday morning because that was the final unchecked item on our Filling Your Bucket List. It was where we would go annually as a family—even when we were the stupidest parents on the planet—and joyfully spend the time relaxing, eating, and playing in the cold Atlantic surf.

Next was a final stop to sprinkle a zillion kisses on dear Natalie, breathe deeply of her baby fresh scent, and gather enough hugs to last until we visit at Christmas.

Last night we arrived in Pennsylvania to spend time with more family, and will head back out soon.

I’d really appreciate your prayers for safe travel, dear friends.

I encourage you to take a look at your life, especially at the transitions where you dig in your heels.

I also recommend reading Jeff Goins’ The In-Between: Embracing the Tension Between Now and the Next Big Thing
to help find fresh perspective and hope.

Remember, too, that you only ever have three choices, what I like to call The Three Door Rule.

Be sure to click through and read that post. It’s full of practical tips to help you cope, especially if you are trying to control something you cannot.

God didn’t give us a spirit that is timid but one that is powerful, loving, and self-controlled.  ~2 Timothy 1:7 

Question: What transition are you struggling with today?