Thursday, September 12, 2013

Melting Like a Snowflake in our Hand.

We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand -
and melting like a snowflake.
Marie B. Ray

This was not one of those relaxing, grilling, fun-filled memory making summers for us.
In fact, it was the hardest spring/summer Jeff and I have ever gone through together.

It felt both long and short at the same time.
Long because of things we were facing...short because we had no time for things we wanted to do.

Things like...an end of summer vacation, a camp-out, long bike rides and a hike around the lake.
Those things never happened.


God taught us a few lessons this past year. Lessons we needed to learn.
For me..how good I have it, how selfish I am and wow am I materialistic.
I also needed to learn what trusting God meant...Again! because I tend to forget I need Him at times!

Jeff's job for many months demanded early morning hours that stretched late into the night...sadly I can count on one hand the number of times we actually sat down and ate dinner together during the months of June, July and August....and his last day off work? Who knows. I still can't tell you the last time he has had a complete day off! Add farmers markets to the mix and family time has been pretty much non-existent.

Also, we only have one car at the moment and that one car goes to work with Jeff everyday.
and as I wrote above ^^^....he is ALWAYS gone!
Which means...we're home. A Lot.  Trapped. Did I say trapped? I meant to say content. ;)

{Someday I'll write all I've learned from not having a car (or car payments, that part is really nice!)
Today is not that day.}


Today I write about making a choice to take a moment when you think you can't.
Which is what we did on Tuesday. We threw schedules out the window and spent the day at the lake.

This was a big step for my workaholic hard working husband.
Getting him to take time off work is not always an easy thing to do.
But he (maaaaaybe with a little coaxing from his oh-so-loving wife...) decided to make time.

My girls must have said thank you a thousand times. The boys had a blast. and I LOVED having my husband around! Him taking a day just for us (minus dropping off blueprints to someone who happened to be right by the lake! How perfect was that?!) meant the world.

I guarantee we all will remember that day for years to come.
Had he gone to work..it would have been another hot day at home blended together with the rest of our days. Not that those are bad..but a special day every once in a while, a day that stands out like no other...those are the memory makers.


{and get this...my parents were up at the lake too.
we had no idea they were going, they had no idea we were going. what are the chances?}




No matter where we are, life is busy.
The more and more I talk to people, the more I realize ~ Gone are the 9-5 Leave it to Beaver days.
and maybe just maybe only black and white TV portrayed such a life.
Listening to my grandma talk, she says my grandpa was always gone working hard too.
She remembers being home long hours alone with her kids.

This summer I was humbled by my outlook on life.
What I thought was important and what I was taking for granted.

I'm thankful God opened my eyes to things in the midst of the chaos before it was too late.
It's easy to assume life will always stay the same...but it won't stay the same.
I'm glad I have the time to change certain things I want to change.

We need to be intentional about making time, because time won't make space for us.
We also need to take a good look what we spend our time doing.

If you are a Christian, what are you doing to serve?
Are you teaching your children to serve? or complain? or live life for themselves?
Because I was doing a whole lot of complaining! and a whole lot of selfish living.

I encourage you to be hospitable. Talk to people in your neighborhood.
Find joy in the simple things in life. Make time for your family. Make time to help others.
and take, take, take those moments..because they are fleeting..
and they will melt like a snowflake in your hand!
XxOo

13 comments:

  1. Liz, this is SO GOOD!! This summer has felt like a crazy one for us too - although not as crazy as yours sounds! But I look back and wonder how in the world the summer is over, because all I can remember is busy, but what, exactly, did we even do?? Because it's all a blur that melts together. But choosing our attitude, choosing to be grateful regardless...... I just love your heart, and honesty. It's so beautiful and refreshing. And here's to hoping you get many more family days and date nights and memory-making things this fall!! xoxo

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  2. Yes, I can relate. We had many years of one car and I had to learn to go for walks with the boys, and appreciate all that we had both at home and nearby. I felt cooped up at times and got cranky. :-( Now, I appreciate what we have, as a family, within our house. We have committed love, peace, and the Lord in our midst...more precious than diamonds.

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  3. love it and amen!! you know cause we talked about this but we've been right there with ya!! so many lessons and humbling.. ugh! just when i think, "okay, Lord. i've got it!" He shows me in a whole new way that no, i really don't. i heard a message by francis chan at the beginning of the summer where he made the statement - "loving God and loving people is all that matters. period." i remember feeling so convicted and inspired that THAT was how i wanted to live.. wow! how i forget so quickly. grateful for this post that just sorta draws that perspective all back in... and for your sweet friendship that reminds me often i'm not alone. ;))

    so glad you guys had that day at the lake. when things are crazy we can live off these moments for a long time!!

    love the family picture!!

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  4. I love this post Liz. I can so well identify with so very much of it.
    I'm so happy your family had this GIFT of a da together!
    Love...

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  5. What a beautiful, heart felt post. I hope things settle down for you soon. It's been a busy season here, too. Your family is gorgeous!! Beautiful pictures from your lake time, too. Hugs.

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  6. There were times this summer and last when I thought our family was the only one who had such a hard working husband/father with a sometimes crazy schedule and bills to pay . . . that we were the only ones who didn't get to do a beach vacation or whatever "everybody else" seemed to be doing allllll the time. {Social media makes us think these things because every weekend *someone* on insta or FB is posting their enviable pics even though it MAY have been their ONLY vacation all year!} We've had our little vacations, though, and I'm not complaining~tho some of them resulted from him working away from home . . . so we just followed! It's just exactly like you said: making the most of what we have been given no matter what! Trapped or content! It's all in the perspective, right? Thanks for sharing your heart. And what a FUN day at the water that must have been!!

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  7. Hi. This feels very funny, cause I dont know you and you dont know me. But "our" friend Clarita commented on your fb page which showed up on mine and I am nosy and read your post and LOVED it and hated it at the same time. Loved it cause I loved your honesty and how you see the beauty in all the hard stuff. Hated it cause my/our summer was really crummy too, very diff from yours but crummy all the same. And I still have not even started to see any beauty or good in it. Thank you so much for your post and I hope this does not feel like you have been hacked or invaded.

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  8. Yep, add my name to the 'I can totally relate to what you just said' list.

    It was a busy summer. My husband is a workaholic. Looking forward to just doing things.

    Love you Liz!!

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  9. Thanks for sharing :-) It can be tough with only one car .....was without a car for 3 months last summer and now this summer it's been 3 weeks that I've been without a car." All things work together for good, when God's love is understood ..":-) Being patient,why is that so hard?! Glad your family was able to enjoy the day together, that's always a blessing :-)

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  10. This post....so what I needed to read tonight! I've realized that I try to create that perfect little "Leave it to Beaver" life that you talk about. Goodness. I just really want that simple, 'perfect' life...and the thing is, I think my husband and I actually are pretty close to that kind of life. So why do I still get lonely, bored, and dissatisfied with all I've been blessed with.


    Sigh.

    So, thank you, Liz. This really blessed me and was what God meant for me to read tonight.

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  11. Really good post. In this transition I have had many days that seem to blend together. Change happens and right now I am struggling with it. Change can push us down a path that we normally wouldn't go down and what lessons/adventures can lie down those roads.

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  12. I'm glad you got the lake day, just when you needed it!

    Great post, Elizabeth! :D

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