Don't get me wrong, I gladly welcome March and its warmer temperatures, blooming flowers, and blue skies. March signals the end of winter and the gateway to summer, sunshine, days by the pool, and the far superior months of the year (sorry to all you winter fans).
March, at least in my head, is past the "new year" period. March is a good portion into the year. We are past the time of making goals and have begun making memories that will be a part of what come to mind when we think about 2016.
These 2 months seemed to have slipped away, but looking back, they have already held so much. They have already held smiles, tears, laughter, frustration, love, joy and so much more. I can safely say the full spectrum of my emotions is in working order.
Two best friends have moved states away, and then another called to say she would be moving in a few months. Friends have lost jobs and others have announced the acceptance of new ones. The past 2 months have held celebrations of engagements and showers for weddings. Two friends have announced pregnancies and will welcome new life into their families in the Fall. I have shared tears with friends for ended relationships with broken expectations and shared squeals for new beginnings and hope in the lives of others. I entered a season of work that has been both challenging and exhausting. I have made new memories with friends, old, new, young and old. I have spent priceless quality time with the man I am so lucky to call my boyfriend. I have rejoiced with friends over answered long term prayers and have been invited to pray with others into the future.
Though seeming quick, January and February held a lot of life and and a lot of change.
Last month, I was out walking in my friend's neighborhood in Yukon. With me in a stroller was one
of the cutest babies I have ever known. As I was pushing his stroller, I stopped to look at him and had one of those "where did the time go" moments. This little human that wasn't in the world until less than a year ago was sitting there smiling at me with the most perfect little cheeks begging to be kissed. I remember his parents meeting in college (I was on a blind double date with them) and have had the blessing of remaining close with them over the past 9 years through life's ups and downs. 9 years ago at that booth at Friday's I had no idea I was sitting and watching the beginnings of God's plans for that precious baby's life. In that moment I was reminded that the little things are a part of a big picture that I don't see.I realize I write about change and reflection quite a bit. I think that's because that's a big piece of what life is. A series of changes. Or at least that's the way I tend to look at it. In my small group's Bible study a few weeks ago, the book's author had us write out a timeline of the events in our lives over the past several years. As I made my timeline and looked back, I was able to see that moments I had viewed as hardships and many tears I cried along with the "good moments" on the page all worked perfectly together to bring me where I am.
Recently, at church, we were singing a song and a line of lyrics caught my attention. "The Lord our God is ever faithful. Never changing through the ages." God is never changing. Does anyone else find extreme comfort in that? The fact that He is never changing reminds me that the change in my life has purpose. Maybe instead of viewing life as a series of changes, I should view the little moments as brush strokes on God's canvass. Little pieces that sometimes look ugly or confusing on their own but beautiful in the portrait God is painting in each of our lives. Each moment and each change a part of God's faithfulness.
Over the past year, I have had the joy of having breakfast with a dear friend every Wednesday morning. We read books together, share our lives and sometimes a cream filled donut too. Yesterday, since we had completed the book we had been reading the week before, we took the time over breakfast to catch up. As we talked about the first couple of months of the year and looked forward, we decided that 2016 was already shaping up to be a great year.
There are 10 months left of 2016. In the next weeks and months, I have already pencilled in weddings of dear friends, trips to see friends, work events, and time with family to name a few. However, there are so many moments and so many days with blanks. I can't imagine all this year will hold, especially thinking about all that has happened in the past 2 months. I can only hope it is full of time with those I love, memories, opportunities to serve others, hands held during the hard times and smiles shared through the good.
Whatever this year holds, I know God is in it. He is good and he is faithful. Each moment is a part of something bigger. Something beautiful. I'm ready for it.
