It’s the first Monday of January and from what I can surmise from the facebook statuses I have been looking over – many mothers are rejoicing that their children are back in school today after a two week break for the Christmas holiday. The comments are filled with smiley faces and interjections like – yay! yippee! whew! hallelujah!
Oh….the irony of life.
Just minutes after reading some of those statuses, up popped a new comment from a mom lamenting the fact that her two college age kids were heading back to school today. Later, I noticed several more unhappy faces and sad comments from others about helping kids pack to go back to school, driving to airports and saying goodbye.
Perhaps these comments struck me as funny as I just seem to be at every stage of life all at the same time – with my eldest headed back to college in NYC, two high schoolers who are back to the daily grind this morning and several more home with me easing back into the homeschool routine (very slowly) and an up and coming toddler running all over the house with energy galore! I can completely relate to the melancholiness of having children return for another semester in college. And while I am not at all excited about my kids going back to school today (or my dear darling husband!) – I can see how one might be looking forward to an empty house and time completely to oneself. And for those of you with just pre-schoolers, I know the dichotomy of complete overwhelming exhaustion and joyfulness this age brings us.
Being the analytical and introspective person that I often am, it has all made me stop and think. What is it about human nature that we are never quite content with where we are and what we have right at the moment? When we have wee ones at home – we can’t wait for them to grow up and go to Kindergarten. (ahhhh….the end to the exhausting 24/7 job) We look forward with glee to summer vacation only to wish it away in the last few weeks. We are thrilled to see our kids leave for school after Christmas break only to, on the same occasion a few years later, be saddened to see them head back to school for college. And though I am not anywhere close to being an empty nester – my guess is that many would trade all their free time & complete independence for more time with children & grandchildren any day!
So today I will choose to be content with what I have right now.
- Content that my college girl is soon off to New York and that we will stay connected through email, facebook and cell phones.
- Content that my high schoolers are back at school learning, growing, playing and enjoying this fun season of life
- Content that my husband will once again dissapear into – doing lesson plans, grading papers, counseling young people and loving his life as high school teacher & chaplain
- Content that I have three children here at home to teach and train
- Content that I have a wee one to chase and change… catch and cuddle!
- And yes, even content that my vacation is over too, as I start back to work from home today at two jobs to make ends meet!
How are you doing at being content today?
“for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am” Phillipians 4:11
Inspire Ministries 
You don’t have to post this (unless you want) but once again I am weeping. Being content with where I am is a huge challenge right now for me. I must say that mostly I am content and wake up each day fresh and excited but there is still some griping and struggling going on. I have been reminded so many times and from so may different sources in the last month that “Better is one day in your courts than thousands elsewhere.” And the courts I get to celebrate in is the very perfect place God appointed me to be. It isn’t perfect and it isn’t what I had imagined for this season of my life but I can’t be reminded enough that it is God’s appointed place. Thank you once again for your comments.
Number 1 spot on my New Year’s Commitment list is APPRECIATE!! Back at work today, all day, I said to myself, what can I appreciate about this situation. No. 2 is lose 50 lbs. but that’s another story!! Thanks for the inspiration to keep appreciating what I have and not focusing on what I don’t have!!
Do you skype? It’s free. Might be a fun way to keep in touch with your baby bird as she’s off to college.