How did it come to be June already? How time really seems to fly! Earlier this month, while I was reading update emails from friends, I thought to myself, "Wow! How did that already happen?! Didn't she just start her medical program? Wait, when did he graduate?" etc. Erick made a remark that time is flying faster to us, especially in this season of life. I wonder why. I know part of my wonderment comes from thinking that somehow other people's lives have stopped since we moved to Louisville, but life goes on and the world certainly doesn't revolve around us!
Two weeks ago we were invited to a really sweet couple's home for dessert. The couple is from a church we have been visiting the last couple of months. The husband and wife were so sweet and genuinely wanted to get to know us and we ended up chatting for a couple of hours with brownie and ice cream desserts in hand. Something the wife said stuck with me when I asked her about motherhood: "We always idealize the next season of life. But it is never how we think it will turn out. Motherhood was much harder than I ever imagined. People say marriage is sanctifying, which it is, but motherhood? Oh my, motherhood is so much dying to self! It's not what I imagined and some days it is really hard, but it is good. So good and much better for me." I thought she articulated season changes so well. I certainly idealized marriage! And there have certainly been days when I thought to myself, "How did it get so hard?" But it has been good. So good. Because I have learned more about my need of a Savior and the grace I need each day to love, serve, and follow my husband. The way the sovereign Lord has placed Erick in my life to grow me, sanctify me, and prune me to become a more godly and faithful woman has been such a priceless gift.
So how do I respond to knowing that I idealize/we tend to idealize the next season in life? Perhaps it is to not hold too tightly to the expectations (though some expectation is inevitable! And not wrong!) and to trust in God's sovereignty when the challenges come. To know that challenges will come, but to not let idealized pictures of the future dictate your/my next steps. To know that, though what you/I thought was best or what you/I thought would make you/me happy does not turn out, the Lord knows what truly is best and what is good. And for that we can rejoice. Nothing is outside of His good and perfect plan for us.
This kind of reflection about the future is a great reminder for us now as Erick transitions out of his previous job and as we wait patiently and pray for the Lord to provide a new job for Him. We recently recalculated and analyzed our finances and, praise God, are doing fine financially. We know this is a gift. We are convicted to constantly remind ourselves that it is not the gift (being financially stable) that ought to grant us security, but the Giver Himself. I pray that we may continue to depend on the Lord, seek Him and trust Him as this chapter closes for Erick and as we continue each day here in Louisville, Kentucky. Whatever comes next!