Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, ESV 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 to 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;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
I have packed so many boxes in my lifetime that I couldn't begin to count them even if I tried. Each time I have packed a box there has been a myriad of emotions. They range from excitement to sadness, from enthusiasm to drudgery and a wide range of emotions in between.
Most of my packing has been from state to state, city to city or home to home. But I have also had the sad task of packing up boxes of someone who has passed away. You pack away a lifetime of memories and belongings to be sold or given away or claimed by family.
Moving is an adventure. One I've endured so many times that I have to be honest - I am an expert packer. But it is also a drudgery. Each move and packing of boxes signifies an ending and a beginning. It usually requires many boring tasks like wrapping fragile items and going through stuff that you have to decide if you will need or if it can be tossed. It also brings up old memories and some laughter and tears.
Right now I am packing up our belongings to put in storage for a year while we decide if we want to build or buy a house. We are putting some things in storage and some into a new apartment. I'm kind of excited about the apartment - no grass to mow and less than five minutes to my office. But the packing part has been a little harder than I was anticipating. This weekend my sweet baby girl and her - fiance - came to help. That fiance thing is a challenge in and of itself. It's a change coming I'm not quite ready for. I love him but it's hard to watch our kids grow up and move on.
And that leads to why this packing is harder. This weekend I packed up my baby boy's belongings to put in storage, without him. He is at school and this summer he didn't come home. He did a very responsible thing and held down a job to save money for a trip he wants to take next summer. It was packing up an ending. The end of my son being a child. As I put his stuff in boxes or bagged stuff for his sister to take back for him to go through I realized that he would probably not come home again to stay. Next time he comes and the times ahead will be passing through times. Moving from the college phase to the work and on his own phase.
It's been a hard summer. As a mom my goal was to help my kids find their place in the world as functioning adults. In my heart I prayed that they would be God adoring functioning adults. I see them now and I am beyond proud. They are both amazing. Of course they will always be my babies but they don't need me to do the same things for them anymore. I don't see them as often and I don't get to tuck them in at night. Now I just do a lot of praying and try to give wise counsel when they call.
There is a season for everything and packing boxes is just one of those seasons. The changes are always a challenge and I just keep praying that God will keep showing me how to guide my children as they become strong adults. Hug your babies. They just don't stay tiny for long. It seems like yesterday and then they are big.
