Jamey and I spent three years living in Germany.  I am very thankful for that time.  We got to taste life in Europe and meet some really incredible people.  It was a great season of our life.  However, it was also one of the lowest.  That was where we went through the most difficult days of our marriage and the pain that sometimes accompanies the transition into adulthood.  Thankfully, by the time we arrived in North Carolina (where we would live next) those dark days were far behind us and things were looking very bright.  We were very excited about this new season of our lives and we wouldn’t be disappointed.  North Carolina was where Jamey would finish out his Air Force career, in a shop that he loved.  It was where our first child would be born.  We also found a church that we absolutely loved and people that would change our lives forever through their examples and encouragement.  I’m sure that there were bad days while we lived there, but it is hard to remember any.  We loved it there.  So much so, that we decided to stay even after Jamey’s enlistment was up.

However, long story short, it quickly became apparent that our destiny wasn’t to be found in North Carolina.  Even though there were exciting possibilities there, we knew it wasn’t where we were supposed to be.   So, we packed up and headed north to Minnesota.  This season didn’t feel quite as easy or bright.  There were definite blessings, but it would take a while for it all to make sense.  One thing, however, was quickly apparent.  Our time in North Carolina had not only been a gift, but it had been the training and “filling up” that we would need in this next season.

I am so thankful that Jamey and I didn’t waste our time in North Carolina but jumped right in!  We plunged right in wherever there was opportunity at our church and we dived deep in our relationships.  We were only there a year, but its impact on our life is beyond measure.  I shudder to think of where we would be had we not given our all in the short time that we had.  It is clear looking back how much our value system was impacted in those short days. Our present life has clearly been shaped by our experiences there.  While we were sad to say goodbye to that season, we could do so with no regret.  We fully appreciated the beauty of the season while we had it and got all that we could out of it.

What a good lesson to take to heart.  Our lives are made up of seasons.  Some of them are shorter then others.  Some of them are easier.  But, each one has its own beauty to offer.  Even the difficult ones.  It can be easy to miss that beauty, though.  This can be especially true in parenthood.  Days get filled up with unending tasks.  It’s never a “good time” to slow down for the things that are truly important.  Or, sometimes the days stretch endlessly before us, making us feel as though we can always do that important thing later.  Then suddenly we wake up one morning and the opportunity has passed us by.

The good news, is that it actually doesn’t take much to stop this pattern.  Think about the season you are in right now.  What treasures does it contain?  The first step is to recognize them.  Once you’ve done that, make it a point to value them.  Leave the laundry while you read with your child.  Plan a special family day.  Write your child a note and slip it in their lunch box.  And so on and so forth.  You get the idea.  No matter what season you are in, find a way to seize it.  I guarantee you won’t regret it.