Embracing the Season You’re In
First off y’all, I think we’ve already established that autumn is our favorite season around here, but here are a few reminders why:
Credit: My friend Matt
Credit: Vivioli-babiesfashionlife.blogspot.com
Credit: weddingchicks.com
Credit: halloweencesky.blogspot.com
Credit: weheartit.com
Credit: theglitterguide.com
Credit: BHG.com
Credit: Tressugar.com
OK, now that we’ve gotten that out of our systems 🙂 , I had a little message on my heart to share today. It is this:
Embrace the season you’re in.
When I was first married, I remember praying this prayer to God ~ certainly Holy Spirit inspired:
Lord, help me to enjoy every season we’re in, fully, without wishing for the next one.
Each season has things worth celebrating! The season when we lived on a 300-acre ranch, with nary 600 sq. feet for this newlywed to “nest” in ~ with no neighbors, a mile-long bumpy dirty road, and wide-open spaces…
I could’ve complained. But I would’ve missed the incredible fun & blessings of that season!
I wanted contentment. I didn’t want to look back on that season & think, “You know, those were the days, with some of my favorite memories!!” Dodging cow patties on the way to the car, learning to shoot skeet for the first time, repairing fence line to protect the precious figs from drought-hungry cattle, watering our little garden for hours while talking on the phone to people back home or singing worship songs, dancing with my husband in the kitchen & watching the sunset from our roof…
Those memories are precious to me. Memories of homesteading on the range. And they would’ve never happened had we not lived on a 300-acre ranch in the middle of nowhere 🙂 If we’d skipped straight to suburbia (where we are now), we’d have missed it. And I’m SO thankful we didn’t. I’m so grateful He gave us that time to just be together, with us & his parents & the wild outdoors. He was laying a cool foundation that I couldn’t have known at the time.
He was writing our story. And He still is.
I remember thinking one spring day, as I was riding the loooong, wild stretch of land we called “road” & thanking God for my new husband of 3-4 months:
Lord, this is such an adventure!! Thank You for such a surprising blessing far beyond what I ever imagined!
SO many times that first year of marriage, I pinched myself with excitement that I WAS MARRIED. It actually happened, TO ME. The words to that ridiculous 90’s song kept tumbling out of my mouth during that time (& still do):
“Finally it’s happened to me
right in front of my face
and I just cannot hide it….”
Over & over again, as I swept dusty ranch house floors & cleared away dozens of daddy-long legs that infiltrated our teensy home during the blazing-hot summer, I rejoiced (& not just because of my husband). God was changing my perspective & giving me a brand-new life, with brand-new people, in a brand-new place that I never would’ve dreamed of.
I want it to always be that way in my life. Don’t you? Yet lately I’ve found myself LESS content with MUCH more. God’s reminding me of my newlywed prayer today:
Father, may I ENJOY each season You’ve given me – each one You’ve given Brian & I together, for however long that is! May we never forget Your blessings & Your presence, even in the challenges of daily life.
I’ve lived enough of my life in anticipation of the next season. I don’t want to miss the here & now anymore because I’m 10 steps ahead in my mind (& my planner, because Lord knows I love mine!!).
Plan for the future, live for today. Celebrate the season you & I are in right now. God has blessings in store for each one of them, but we have to keep our eyes open or we could miss them.
With that said, I’ll leave you with this, terrible 90’s dancing & all 🙂
All images via Pinterest and BHG, Wedding Chicks, We Heart It, Halloween Cesky, The Glitter Guide, Tres Sugar, and Vivi & Oli.
Comments are closed.
Aaron Schmidt
October 15, 2014 at 7:00 amBrian’s brown cocoa skin & curly black hair takes the irony here to another level 🙂 So glad the “Finally” song is now stuck in my head for the entire day. Tomorrow’s suggested playbook to include some Alanis or Spice Girls?
All kidding aside, the wisdom that lies in your message here is simplistically profound. We know we are “called to be content” in each season, we get that. But to make a concerted effort during those seasons to see the challenges and rewards both as blessings shows spiritual maturity. Speak life in your season & struggle and life you shall have. Complain about the circumstances of this season and you may never be allowed to move on to the next one. Joel Osteen would be proud. Nice job Summer Enjoyed the reading.
Summer
October 15, 2014 at 1:39 pmJoel Osteen huh? 🙂 haha thank you big bro!! I’m glad this inspired you (& got annoying lyrics in your head 🙂 ~ that’s what I’m here for. But seriously thank you. I’m trying to make the most of each season I’m in, good or bad. Otherwise you miss much of life cuz it’s never always perfect!!
Darlene Schmidt
October 15, 2014 at 9:26 amGreat wisdom Summie- thank you so much for sharing your heart and the things that God shows you. Wonderful advice for us all! Very good insight and comments too from your brother Aaron. Such WISE kids!!!! Love you both so much!
Summer
October 15, 2014 at 1:41 pmThanks mom! You raised us, so it’s your fault haha 🙂 I’m glad you liked it. I like to share the little insights ~ they can be some of the best ones!
A Woman The World Deserves
October 17, 2014 at 9:11 amOkay. So you know I think the world of you. You are such a breath of fresh air on the blogosphere! And I have to admit that for me being happy in my season is so difficult at times. I have this vision of incredibleness and when it doesn’t come to fruition so quickly I feel like I have failed or have not done enough. Ugh! Why do I do that to myself. You are so right! How important is it to realize that at this exact moment God has something he want you to grasp. Something he wants us to see. And if we complain we miss it. Thank you for this encouragement and inspiration. One day, I see you saying, “It all started from a blog…” You have the gift, girl! 🙂 Happy Friday!
Summer
October 18, 2014 at 10:14 pmGirl you are the sweetest!! Thanks SO much for lifting me up this weekend! I feel the same about you 🙂 I understand that feeling of “not doing enough” & having big dreams & vision you’re working towards… & I am so happy to see the incredible success you’ve had already, just by devoting your time to writing & your passions! I know the Lord has great things in store for you my friend!! I love to see it & am so grateful for you too & all you contribute.
Yes, God has blessings for us in every season (even the challenges). There’s a quote by Doug Addison that I love: “Don’t be discouraged with humble beginnings. Things will advance with consistency.” Thought that may be a good one to grab onto today! I’m looking forward to all the new possibilities that come for you in 2015. I’ll be praying God guides you along His path for you! ♡
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