I'm Sorry About Spring

I feel I owe you an apology.  It might be partly my fault spring has yet to come.

When I went to Bolivia, I wasn't sure if I was a hot or cold weather person. Uh, 72℉ is about right... There are really people who prefer warmer or colder than that?!  But I guess more than a preference, it's probably an aversion to the alternative. Anyway, it didn't take me all three years in the sweltering wet heat of Santa Cruz, to learn that I have a cold weather affinity.

This winter has been my first cold one in a long time, and I've loved it. Scarves, hats, gloves, blankets, the fireplace, hot chocolate, chili, SNOW, cuddling, down comforters, skiing, sledding, wearing my hair down, socks, close-toed shoes, and not sweating, are just a few of the perks I've savored these past months. So, when everyone else started begging the groundhog for warmer temperatures, I was anything but ready to let go of all this, and may have canceled out some of your prayers for spring with my own for more snow.

Taking after her momma in her cupcake decorating skillz.

It turns out however, that it's not the hot or cool that I prefer, it's the changing of the seasons. The variety of activities, the variation in wardrobe, the stability of predictable change that comforts me. And now, while even I impatiently await spring (what good is snow if it doesn't stick?) I'm enjoying a new season in a different sense of the word.  

In the book Sacred Marriage, Gary Thomas says, 

"If you want to be free to serve Jesus, there's no question -- stay single. But if you want to become more like Jesus, I can't imagine a better thing to do than to get married." 

Marriage, and even more so parenting, take a lot of time. But both force you to face character issues you'd never have to face otherwise. I don't regret waiting to start a family till I was in my 30's, because I now see that I'll never have that freedom to serve like Jesus whenever, as often, and as radically as I did when it was just me.

Look who's learned how to knit, really well!

It's been an adjustment to replace soup kitchens with social studies assignments, but it's been an eye-opening one. The day-in and day-out discipleship of doing life with family is  far more sharpening than serving once a week in a superficial way. It's also more difficult to hide one's flaws. But I pray the rewards are deeper and more enduring than a plaque, or a thank you card.

I'm so glad I'm moving into this family-phase of being more like Jesus, than free to serve Him, with three of my dearest friends (above), all recently on this road with me. And I'm thankful that God allows me a job in ministry, and time to serve with my family, so I don't have to choose, but instead can balance both serving Christ and becoming more like Him. Afterall, Jesus didn't have a wife and kids, but he made taking care of his mother a priority, and he sure emphasized taking care of the little ones.

Happy Easter! Enjoy whatever season you're in, 'cause it probably won't last forever, spring really will be here soon...

"...if you truly want to love God, look right now at the ring on your left hand, commit yourself to exploring anew what that ring represents, and love passionately, crazily, enduringly the fleshly person who put it there. It just may be one of the most spiritual things you can do." -Sacred Marriage