Summer Time

I am currently sitting at my computer trying to catch up on emails, but I’m procrastinating, so I decided to hop on and write. I usually like to have my thoughts well laid out on a Word doc, edit, and re-edit with my hubby sometimes making sure things are clearly worded and grammar is correct. However, I’m getting into summer-mode. After a full year of school for my three teens, church involvement for all five of us, along with other activities that have filled our time, I’ve decided to let all form go and write a bit unedited. (Ok, I might edit some.)

This Thursday is the first day of summer, the longest day of the year. I haven’t paid much attention to previous first days of summer but somehow I want to grab on to this one and hold it tightly for just a moment. My oldest graduated from high school, a milestone I could have never anticipated all its emotional highs and lows as a parent. I knew for a long time it would be a transition for the oldest to move on with his life, go to college and start adult-ing, but I had no idea how this transition would work hard on the very fibers of my heart and how time would toy with me.

This time marks many firsts of letting him go, but this also places time in a precariously unstable place for me. We’ve heard the expression, “the days are long but the years are short.” For years, we’ve had the certainty of having the next year, then the next. Kindergarten leads to 1st grade which leads to 6th, then 10th to 11th… We all know this in various forms and circumstances. I very much dislike verging on sounding cliche…but indulge me this once! How does time stand still and move so quickly?!

I will spare this post the pangs of my heart and put every effort into placing time in its proper place. If any encouragement is to be had with how swiftly time can go, we must shift our focus, and might I add quickly, on to eternity. Eternity is now. If we are in Christ, we have eternal life this moment. Not yet in perfect union and perfect place with our Heavenly Father but life in Christ, eternal life, is today. I’m grateful this is not all there is for all that is good, hard, and messy. We need to place our minds, hearts, and focus on Christ, the “steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain…” Hebrews 6:19

I sit here thinking of Ecclesiastes and King Solomon’s perspective on time. In fact, the header on Ecc 3:1-15 is called The Mystery of Time. “There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven” (v. 1). I also love his wise words that brings much comfort in knowing “there is nothing new under the sun” (1:9).

I am encouraged by God’s timeless Scriptures which “fixes our eyes on the founder and perfecter of our faith,” Jesus (Heb 12:2). How sweet our time is with him!

Back to my emails! : )