A Time

I caught myself wishing the other day. As Ezekiel crawled over to me at the kitchen sink and used my pant leg to pull himself up to a standing position, so desperately wanting to see what I was doing and so desperately wanting that bowl of oatmeal - I caught myself wishing: "I can't wait until Zeke can stand up on his own." It'd be nice. Then I could move my leg without worrying about knocking my son onto his rump or bumping his head into the counter. But almost as soon as I had that wish, I took it back. Because you know what? The past nine months have gone incredibly fast. Too fast. And I know that time, that Ezekiel's - and therefore our - life, isn't slowing down anytime soon.

It's all too easy to wish our lives away, isn't it? When we're in middle school, we can't wait to be in the high school. When we're in high school, we can't wait for the independence and freedom of college. When we're in college, we can't wait to graduate. We dream of getting married, of having kids. It seems like we always want to be where we aren't; that we are always ready for the next phase, the next adventure - rather than living in the time the Father has given to us. We forget that life is full of seasons. And just like we can't rush spring into summer on our own timeline, we can't rush from one season of our lives into another.

"There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven - a time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to shun embracing. A time to search and a time to give up as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; a time to be silent and a time to speak. a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace." - Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 

Some of the seasons hurt and seem to last much longer than we think they should. Other seasons are full of indescribable joy and they go way faster than we'd like. But they're all seasons. They're all "a time". And the great part about those times - no matter how difficult, sorrowful, blessed, joyful, pained? We know the one who holds them in His hands. And each one of those are equally in His hands.

"But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD, I say, 'You are my God.' My times are in Your hand." - Psalm 31:15