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Saturday, April 11, 2015

The Best Is Yet To Come



Today, I was sitting at lunch with my sister as we discussed her upcoming delivery of her very first baby. We talked about the hospital stay, the first moments of life with a newborn, all those things we cherish but that go by way too fast.  My baby, my last and final baby is just weeks away from turning one year old and I can't express enough how quickly this year has flown by. I don't even think I've even sat down to write about how our lives have changed with 4 children since Wyatt has been born and that's mainly due to the fact that time just keeps moving and I have barely sat down in a year to write much of anything.

As we talked, I caught myself in a moment of jealousy for all the moms I know that get to still do the new mom thing. Even if it's a 3rd or 4th baby, it's a refreshing and exhausting season of life I would never want to give up. Being a new mom (or a new mom all over again) is exciting. That fresh baby is worth every sleepless night we might find ourselves complaining about (amidst our tremendous blessing.)  And I've loved every moment of every time I've got to live it. Four times. Four children. I am so extremely blessed.

Over the next 9 months, I will close out my 30s and move on to a new chapter~ My 40s. Oh goodness it sounds so 'gaaahhhh' to say. Like I should somehow be ashamed of my age.  I enjoyed a good portion of my 30s. The earlier part of it was no picnic, but once I surrendered my everything back to God somewhere half way through, He started to work new things in me. Things that were probably sitting there getting stale for awhile, but I hadn't cared enough to let free.  But when I did give it ALL to God, life just got really fun all of the sudden.

And now as Wyatt approaches being a toddler, I see a new chapter on the horizon. A chapter that is baby-free. Yes, I still have plenty of kid raising to do. Lord knows, children don't stop being work and time after the first year. That's a whole other blog post. But I see myself turning a new page in my life where I invest deeper in the things I already have been given and walk through doors that God has and will be opening for me. I may be a little sleepy. I may trip over a sippy cup or a tricycle or something along the way, but I'm ready to move forward.

Before lunch I was sitting in a women's ministry meeting at church and the speaker mentioned how she loved her 40s. But she has really been loving her 50s. And I thought to myself. I want to love it too. Life doesn't end here because I'm about to be 40. It doesn't end because I'm done having babies. Life is only beginning. God has so much purpose for each of us. He has so much more He wants me to teach my family. He wants me to keep growing, to keep seeking, to keep moving forward and upward.  When I'm in my 50s, I want to say "These have been the best years of my life."

Same goes for my 60s and 70s and 80s.


I do want to look back over my life with fond memories and affection for 'the good ole days.' But I never want to think my former days were better than the season I currently am in.  I know my best days are ahead of me. I know the best is yet to come. It's really true for us all. If we allow our minds to stop apprehending what is in store for us, we can know that despite what might creep up in life, the best is yet to come.  But will we allow it? We have to allow our futures to be bright.

I'm not afraid of the next chapter like I used to be. I'm embracing where God has me with all my people and all my places. I know he is moving me from glory to glory. I know his mercies are new every single morning.  And I am so so so looking forward to spending more and more mornings & evenings and everything in between getting to know him better~ His heart, His spirit, His truth & His will for my life.

Today I am simply thanking the Lord for his numerous blessings in my life. Life hasn't been always been easy, but I look over it and know I am so blessed. I see his hand at work in my life, woven in the in-betweens. And I am grateful beyond words. I am grateful for where He is taking me and my family. A new chapter means new adventures in Him.




1 comment:

Clayton Hotelling said...

Clayton here........I am not a mother but I was born by one. I got my beginning nutrition from the breast and I was born Naturally! So I can relate......ssss. Great entry Julie......so good. Bess you sister.

 
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