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taste of fall

It's no secret that I heart fall. I am a Fall baby through and through. So you better believe when the skies get clouded over and there is a hint of briskness in the air I'm throwing on my boots and running to Starbucks for my pumpkin spice latte like it's nobody's biznass!
It's weird how God reveals so much to me in the midst of my day to day nothing special routine. Today was day two of me chugging back a PSL (pumpkin spice latte, yeah we're that tight I can abbreviate it) but before we finish talking about that I'm going to rewind my life back to yesterday, bare with me peeps. 
We spontaneously decided to venture out to Disneyland in hopes that the crowds would have lessoned since school is back in but I'm pretty sure every other mama of toddlers had the same idea and was there pushing their strollers along with Alissa and I. And it was hot. No it wasn't hot it was stinkin' humid! Like 98% humidity and I literally felt my make-up dripping off of my face. So gross. The crazy thing was when we started to leave the park it became insanely overcast and as I drove home realized it was drizzling. Crazy California weather. 
It cooled off the day tremendously, so much that it actually felt like I could put on a sweater! Crazy I know. So when Micah called and said he wanted to head back to Disneyland with us for the night I changed my clothes, put on my boots as if it was cool enough to press our own apples for cider. It was hardly cool but I wanted to take advantage that it kind of sort of felt like fall and so I made sure we ran over to get a pumpkin scone and pumpkin spice latte so I could walk around with it and enjoy the fall goodness. No matter that I was sweating because of the heat of the coffee and was taking a sip of ice cold water with every sip of my latte, I still enjoyed every sip. Plus in my defense Disneyland already started putting up their Fall decor so it kind of tricked me into thinking that it was indeed "Fall Time"
Today I woke up to an overacted sky and there was a nip in the air, so as we made our way to Fashion Island to look at the Coy Pond and window shop I made sure to grab another pumpkin spice latte. It was delicious and today was cool enough for me to enjoy it without a sweat mustache forming. Then as I was taking my last few sips the sun started shining through the clouds and the temp rose to at least eighty degrees (no joke) so I rounded up the babes to head home before it got to warm and so I didn't have to regret that I put on boots...again.
As were walking to the car I laughed to myself thinking what is all this nonsense of me pushing for Fall? I love summer, and though there are days that have me longing for a crisp fall day what's the rush? Like I'm trying to trick myself into it, even though I could still lay out to get a good tan with this heat I was trying so hard to get my pumpkin spice on and pull out my fall-ish outfits.
I started thinking about how I often do that in life. When I get a taste of something that has yet to be seen or I know is on the horizon I try and rush it along to make it happen sooner. 

Seasons of life. 
Take Vernon's teething for example. I get a taste of that one day without him wanting to be held every five minutes or sleeping through one of his naps without being in pain so I'm jumping up and down and planning my next play date when really it was just a good day where he wasn't in pain but those blasted molars still haven't come in. I jump the gun so to speak. In addition to jumping the gun I am also looking ahead instead of focusing on the moment. I can easily get tired of his fussiness and clinginess and so I look forward to when it's all over and I'm forgetting to cherish this time that I can be snuggling him or just sitting and reading to him because he's in too much pain to do anything else. Because when these molars come in he will be over sitting still and wanting to me to hold him and instead will be running amuck and getting into everything and I will have to be stealing cuddles and kisses from him. I will look back and regret that I didn't just appreciate each day or the blessings that are brought in the midst of a battle. (not that teething is a battle, but you get what I mean right)I have bigger things I'm dealing with but this just seemed easier to share and less complex to get what I was thinking across. 
I look back and remember when we were rushing to move out of the house we were selling and didn't enjoy those last precious few weeks I had there with our best friends as neighbors because we were so stressed about finding the next house and starting a new season.What I wouldn't give to be able to just walk next door and enjoy a cup of joe with our besties.
Or during a personal struggle, instead of taking each day as it comes and waiting to see what God had in store for me or what he was teaching me through it all, I only saw the bad and wanted to move forward out of the trail as quickly as possible. 
Or think about when you were a new mother and you were exhausted, and emotional and though you loved that sweet tender little being in your arms each morning feeding at 2:00 AM, you were looking forward to when the nights were longer and you didn't have to wake for that feeding. I look back and miss those times I was up with both of them just rocking there tiny little bodies and how I was able to sit and read or do my devotions online during those hours. Wow to think I can barely wake up before them now and struggle so much to find time to do my devotions daily. 

The lists can go on and on and we all will go through different seasons. I'm learning as I age that I need to live in the season I'm in. There may be days when the heat seems unbearable and you can't stand another moment in it and just long for cooler fall days but there is always something to be thankful about in whatever season you're in. 

1 Thes 5:18 "Be Thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Jesus Christ."

Though I'm looking forward to fall, I'm thankful that I can get up and go to the beach with the kids and that I can swim in the pool without having to worry about the chill. I love that I can still enjoy tank tops and summer dresses. Coconut goodies and sweet tea. I love that God is working on me about His timing versus my own. I love that His word stands true and is constant in a life that is anything but that.
I always think about Corrie Ten Boom, author of The Hiding Place when she records a time while her sister and her were in the concentration camps during Hitler's reign and how they were put into new barracks that were infested with fleas, as if they didn't have enough to worry about as prisoners of those camps but to now have to live with fleas! Her sister reminded her of the Thessalonians scripture and said that they needed to pray and thank God for the Fleas. Corrie was just as bewildered as I was reading that line about being thankful for fleas, but we saw how in a later chapter those very fleas were what kept the prison guards out of that area so they were able to hold bible studies and share God's word which enabled them to shed light in a very dark place.

This picture of Fall and all it's warm colors, pumpkin scents and  tempting fall treats is just like anything else I've let cloud my vision at what's at hand. Though there are things I'd rather move past or not handle at all I know that these things are part of God's will for my life and I need to be thankful for that.

Whether it's a house situation, job situation, small biz situation, baby situation, mourning situation, heart and soul hurting situation whatever it may be, know that it truly is just a season. Don't let a taste of a new season discourage you because it's not quite that time, but rather be encouraged that you are becoming stronger and growing from the season you are in. Then when that new season arrives you can be ready to rock it with your scarves and boots and not be regretful of trying to rush it while standing there sweating in the heat.

I loved this scripture I read today. Paraphrased from: Ecclesiastes 3:1-22 "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven; a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time t pluck up what is planted; a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing..."

I've enjoyed these few tastes of fall and will enjoy it more when the season comes into full affect but I'm also looking forward to finishing up the season I'm in before embracing the new one. Besides there is still lots to do within the season I'm in, so with a thankful heart I will try to enjoy it.


8 comments:

Jessica J-Marie said...

I really needed to hear this. I've been dealing with the same thing lately. I tend to dwell on what the future holds instead of embracing the now. Thanks for sharing! :)

Minuet Raven said...

What a great blog post Natalie! I really enjoyed it (as usual).
<3 Minuet

Jessica Sanford said...

This post really got to me. My husband and I have been married for just under 3 years, and we have yet to have the privilege of having a child. God has promised me that I will have a son, and I believe Him, but sometimes I look around me, and all I see is other people getting the desire of my heart. It's so hard to look beyond that, and I've found that I need little reminders to WAIT, to trust, and to enjoy what God has put before me (an incredible husband, an incredible ministry, and an incredible salvation).

You were that reminder today. Thank you... and may God bless you richly for it!

Unknown said...

Beautiful and so intensely true. Thank you for sharing. Needed it in so many ways.

everydaymomma said...

Dude
We
Are
The
Same
Person...
Thankyou for this post it speaks so directly to my heart, Thankyou friend your awesome!

Unknown said...

THIS!! This is what you should link up with me for His Voice, you are a gift.

Lotus Blossom Design said...

Great post! They're at such a fun age now right?! A little easier...haaaaa. You and your pumpkin spice lattes!
B

Unknown said...

YEA! You remembered! Thank you sweet friend