Mama Seasons

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Seasons are a big deal to us mothers. I remember, when a change of season came when our children were young, how I dreaded all the work getting out the next season’s clothes and putting away the clothes from the last season. I remember one time my surprise at having so many red hand-me-downs that I washed an entire load of just reds. When I think of refugee mothers with nothing to keep their babies warm, I am ashamed that I had so much that I thought it a burden.

Now that those days are past, I’d love to be in the midst of those chores again–touching the little sweaters and overalls and dresses, folding them, putting them on the little hangers. Life is like that. It’s hard to appreciate the joy of what you have when responsibility is staring at you every day.

The daffodils have poked some short stems up in our yard; and, when we had our little winter snow a few days ago, I noticed tiny green leaves beneath the stubble of last year’s vines.

In late summer giant blooms burst forth from our old-fashioned hibiscus.

In winter its dried stalks stand six and seven feet tall. Snow clung to their tops on that recent Saturday when God gave us our thin snowy blanket.

Those dried stalks look dead, but the hibiscus is alive beneath the ground. Every spring thick green shoots pop up. I chop the dried stalks down then, and by summer’s end the green shoots are six or seven feet tall again.

God is kind to give us seasons. Each one is so very good. In the short term, we enjoy fall outings to the apple orchard, hot chocolate on winter nights, spring walks through the woods, and summer fun in a fountain. In the long term, we experience the seasons of our childhoods, our early years of marriage, our children as babies, our children growing up, our elderly parents, our grandchildren.

In the short term, we mothers serve our families through the seasons of the year and in the long term through the seasons of their lives and ours.

Bravo, Mama. You are being faithful through your seasons.

I searched for the word season in the Bible. I never thought of this passage as pertaining to homeschooling mothers, but read it carefully. Though Paul wrote it to his faithful son in the faith Timothy, I think you can find application in your life as you teach your children and and as you mother them.

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God
and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead,
and by His appearing and His kingdom:
preach the word; be ready in season and out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
2 Timothy 4:1-2

In the midst of all your loving mothering, sometimes there is need for reproving, rebuking, and exhorting–but always with great patience.

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