tis the season

Once upon a time, there lived a man who was a loving husband and father.  For a long time, he wanted to go into law enforcement.  He felt like this was what he was supposed to do, not only to experience the thrill of detaining a harmful suspect to protect the innocent or  perhaps to get caught up in the excitement of a hot pursuit speeding car chase, but also really because he felt called to minister to this special group of souls both police officers and victims alike who so badly need  some light in their lives.   This man would marry a lovely woman at a time when she  was in the middle of training to become a doctor.  After their second child,and working different jobs, it was time for her to start residency which would involve long hours.  After realizing his paychecks were just enough to support the kid's day care, they both decided  He would support the family by staying home and raising their boys.  He was so great at this.  He did such a great job , that he continued to do it for the next eleven years even after they had their third son and relocating the family to Hawaii.  Not a bad gig, managing household, raising sons and maybe squeezing in some recreation time on the beautiful island of Hawaii.  Living the dream as they say... until it was time to accept the call, as he now at the tender age of forty-two will go back to the work force training to become Honolulu's finest and finally pursuing his dream of becoming a police officer.
This man I am talking about is my husband of course.  Yes, our lives have been turned upside down as he has started his police academy training.  For a long time, we were blessed to have one parent at home.  My husband's life was filled with daily tasks of managing the household, raising our boys and various church activities.    However now, I don't have the same bubbly person waiting for me when I get home from work, but instead a very tired, strained person from a day of academy training just gearing himself to get ready to study, then get ready for another day.
He is going through a drastic career change for sure and a new season and chapter in his life.   Yet, I believe God has called him for such a time as this.

I share his story as an example of how God can take our lives in different directions and the different seasons he carries us through.   One of my favorite quotes is 'when we make plans, God laughs.'  You just never know what twists or turns God can take you through.  They say the work of a police officer is unpredictable and can be described as three hours of boredom, followed by two minutes of terror, concluded with hours of report writing.  At times, our life may feel crazy and unpredictable like this.
We may go through different seasons in our lives.   There may be times when we feel content and have everything we need.  We get comfortable, until something happens.   The season changes. Those seasons change, sometimes by our own actions,  or other times by the circumstances around us, or for some reason we feel led by God to go in a different direction.

As I go through this Healing Choices Recovery study,  (that I started with a few leaders at church in order to start up a Celebrate Recovery ministry in our church) I've been asked to openly examine my past faults and confess my character defects.   What fun!  Not really, but I know it is necessary in the process of my recovery.   In doing this, I've discovered I tend to follow a  pattern.  That is,  and I openly admit,  I'm not very good with change.  Shocker, I know.   And not everybody is.  But seriously looking back, it is those times of change or stress when I had my worst outbreaks, falling off the wagon, going back to my bad habits of drinking and destructive behaviors.   Of course, discovering this and knowing that another big change or stressor was about to come to our family, I decided to hold firm to the foundation I have in Christ.  So this time, I will not be swayed!   But this power can only come from God,  so that when I am pressed I will not be crushed or struck down, I will not be destroyed. (2 Corinthians 4:8).   And that is what is so great, that no matter what season we are in or God may take us through, He is always the same and always there, never leaving our side.
The seasons  change like our circumstances around us.
You might be going through a change of season now; new job, loss of loved one, new child, or a child has moved out, or you might not even know what direction your going, but you know that something is about to change.  Know that God is leading you towards something great! (Jeremiah 29:11) 

The seasons change and our time here moves by so fast.  Our days on earth  are like grass, we bloom and we die,  the wind blows and we are gone, but the love of the Lord remains forever, from everlasting to everlasting with those who fear him.
672 days sober, hopeful for another day more.